TIME TO PREPARE FOR WINTER’S ICY TOUCH

How to Dress for Winter Weather:

• Wear several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing  rather than one layer of heavy clothing.
• Make sure outer garments are tightly woven and water-repellent. 
• Wear mittens (they keep your hands warmer than gloves).
• Wear a hat.
• Cover your mouth with a scarf to protect your face and lungs from extremely cold air.
• Wear sturdy, waterproof boots in snow/ice conditions.

~ Remember, Ice and Snow - Take it Slow! ~

Prepare Your Vehicle for Winter

You can avoid many dangerous winter travel problems by planning ahead.  Have your vehicle serviced as often as the manufacturer recommends.  
                          
To winterize your vehicle, pay attention to the following:

• Batteryand ignition system should be in top condition and battery terminals clean. 
  If your vehicle’s battery is more than four (4) years old it should be replaced.
• Check your vehicle’s tire tread - replace tires as needed. Also don’t forget to check your tire’s air pressure including the spare tire.
• Ensure antifreeze levels are sufficient to avoid freezing to minus 34 F.

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BILLING & COLLECTION

Billing and collection is an integral part of running a practice. There are a lot of ways in which you can increase your efficiency and productivity. Click the link below to read tips from Physicians Practice on how to better your billing and collection procedures.

http://www.physicianspractice.com/index/fuseaction/articles.details/articleID/
1258/page/1.htm

 -Mary

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Your Practice Message

I’ve talked a lot about marketing your practice in the last month – making sure to over promise and over deliver by capitalizing on your practice’s strengths; the importance of integrating logos in your marketing media; and how first impressions count. Now it’s time to talk about your practice message.

Jeremy Bullmore, author of Apples, Insights and Mad Inventors: An Entertaining Analysis of Modern Marketing once said, “Consumers build an image [of a brand] as birds build nests. From the scraps and straws they chance upon.” I say don’t make your patients scrap around for information about your practice, instead develop a message and hand them the nest.

Your practice message is about making that first impression. It will be one of the first selling points of your practice to prospective patients and clients. And if they like your message, they are likely to look further into what you have to offer as a practice.

As you start to develop your message, ask yourself these three questions:    Read the rest of this entry »

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You can help!

It’s Monday morning and I have major writer’s block. So I am asking for your help! What would you like to read about on Practice Essentials? Are there particular topics that interest you? It’s easy to send us your ideas. You can either:

1. Send an email to information@medicalartspress.com Subject line: Topics

OR

1. Post your suggestion in the comment section of this post

I can’t wait to hear your suggestions!

-Mary

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Branding Your Practice Using a Logo

Let’s play word association. I will list a series of words and for each word say the first thing that comes to mind.

The Golden Arches
Jared
Peacock
Tony the Tiger
Colonel Sanders

I’m going to bet you named a company’s name for at least four out of five of the list above. In order, here were my answers to the list: McDonalds, Subway, NBC, Frosted Flakes and Kentucky Fried Chicken.

I wanted to start this post with this exercise to show how effective logos and a spokesperson can be for branding. The purpose of branding your practice is to ensure it is not only recognizable by current patients and prospective patients, but also recognizable within the marketplace. The examples above, I admit, are on a very large level, but the idea that a logo is the core of branding any business applies to all businesses – even yours. So, the next time you’re thinking about a logo remember these tips: Read the rest of this entry »

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Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Once a year we come together as advocates, survivors, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, children, aunts, uncles, women and men to create awareness about breast cancer.  The world around us turns pink as we celebrate the survivors and honor the lives of loved ones lost to breast cancer. 

I lost my grandmother to breast cancer fourteen years ago.  She was a vibrant woman full of life.  As October approaches every year, I remember her spirit and zest for life, her enthusiasm for malls and winning at cards.  It is her memory and all of the strong women around me that are reminders of the importance of creating awareness and supporting research to give hope to the generations to come. 

A few weeks ago, a few fellow co-workers and I walked the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Chicago.  It was an amazing experience, as thousands of people came out to support such an important cause.  Here are a few pictures from the walk.

A group photo before the walk… 

   

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