Practice optimization

Simplify your schedule, manage for trends and do today’s work today.

• Watch an OMA Learns webinar on Improving scheduling to help you with scheduling (member-only)
• Download a tip sheet on scheduling efficiently

Tips from this webinar:

Intentional scheduling

• Consider your practice style and “natural” pace for patient visits
• Reflect on your values regarding work, patient service and income
• Define your boundaries

Create and manage your schedule

• Handle multiple low-effort issues in one visit
• Complete documentation and billing during the visit
• Rebook frequent high-use patients before the end of the visit
• Know in your workflow/ strategy what you will do with a no-show

Leverage online appointment booking

• Check existing booking rules for clarity and consistency
• Use approval processes to maintain control
• Communicate expectations consistently through the platform and your staff
• Reduce booking through calls by enabling same-day booking online before opening phone lines
• Reduce no-shows by communicating your no-show policy and enabling timely cancelation

Protect time for paperwork and streamline processes to save time.  

• Watch an OMA Learns webinar on Taming documentation that provides more detail to help you with documentation (member-only)
• Download a tip sheet on taming documentation 

Tips from this webinar:

• Ask yourself these questions: Can we automate it? Is it suitable for patient self-serve? Can I delegate to staff?
• Master charting:
  • Chart during or after the patient encounter
  • Use your EMR to create templates for common patient ailments
• Use tools to automate your work:
  • Decide which tool works best for you for different activities
  • Invest time in learning how to optimize the use of the tools
• Conquer forms
• Build schedules with protected time that help limit interruption
• Try to reduce paper and complete digitally only, standardize where possible  

Invest in your staff team to save your time and lower costs.

• Visit the Human Resources Management web page for more information on hiring and managing staff
• Watch an OMA Learns webinar on Human Resources  that provides tips and considerations for human resources efficiencies (member-only)
• Watch the updated OMA Learns webinar on Practicing Efficiency in Teams that discusses how to be a high-performing team in a medical practice (member-only)

Tips from the Efficiency in Teams webinar:

Define the process

• Clearly define roles and responsibilities
• Set clear goals
• Develop a detailed workflow process (frequency of the task, who will do the task, steps to complete the task etc.)

Seek ways to improve continuously

• Incorporate continuous review into the process
• Listen to all ideas

Empower your team

• Identify areas for delegation of responsibility. Prioritize tasks based on their impact and the capabilities of the staff
• Establish clear expectations and guidelines
• Ensure staff has the tools and resources

When it comes to inventory management, ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you have a scheduled process for checking inventory balances? Create a system so your staff can ensure there is no duplication of inventory, or waste due to expired supplies
• Are your supplies visible and accessible? Strategically place inventory in areas of highest use so that physicians and support staff are not wasting time searching or ordering redundant supplies
• Is there accountability in the system? Make one or two staff members responsible for inventory ordering
• Are you receiving the best price? Conducting an annual cost comparison might yield a supplier who can provide a better price for products or services — or give you some negotiating leverage with your current supplier

Use the OMA Practice Support Directory to find vendors and suppliers (member-only).

Delegation involves authorizing team members to perform controlled acts outside of their typical scope of practice. We developed a resource to help you understand your responsibilities when delegating controlled acts. Use our delegation and medical directives checklists to help you meet the CPSO requirements when delegating. Delegating through medical directives and direct orders can support your team-based approach to care, ensuring patients get the care they need, when they need it.

Download the delegation checklists and read the Billing for delegated services guide. 

When it comes to billing, consider the following questions:

• Are you aware of applicable OHIP codes, including bonuses and premiums? 
• Suggestion: Listen to one or all of the billing webinar in OMA Learns. Get answer to your billing-related questions by contacting the OMA at info@oma.org
• Are you aware of your accounts receivables? Implement a system for reviewing missed billings before the three-month window closes. Have staff share in the work to minimize simple errors by using health card validation, fixing billing rejections, and resubmitting bills on a timely basis
• Is your staff motivated to help you improve your receivables? Construct a payment or incentive structure based on overdue receivables to help you increase your monthly earnings

When it comes to billing for uninsured services, these three tips can help:

1. Get the latest advice on uninsured and third-party requested services, suggested fees, relevant policies and the regulation of these services in the Physician’s Guide to Uninsured Services and the 2024 Schedule of Fees
2. Set expectations and explain your billing policy by displaying this uninsured services poster in your patients’ waiting rooms
3. Implement automated messages by leveraging your EMR or other patient communication software
4. Train your team to consistently communicate with patients regarding services not covered by OHIP and where additional charges apply

Education and Prevention Committee (EPC)
The Education and Prevention Committee (EPC), a partnership between the OMA and the Ministry of Health, provides resources to support accurate OHIP billing. These tools help physicians and staff understand the payment review process, guidance on submitting OHIP claims, supporting compliance and clarity in billing practices. 

Look through the different Billing education resources and be informed on the latest brief from the Education and Prevention Committee.

OHIP billing webinar

Learn foundational concepts related to OHIP billing, organized as four modules: Understanding the Schedule of Benefits; Assessments and Consultations; Time-based services; and Special Visit Premiums.

Family medicine billing webinar 

Learn about the OHIP Schedule of Benefits, PSA Changes, virtual care, chronic diseases, new codes, bonuses, incentives, Q-codes, billing resources and other important information. 

Billing for uninsured services webinar

Learn about the suggested rates and fees for services that OHIP does not cover in this webinar. You also have access to uninsured services resources such as the Physician’s Guide to Uninsured Services, schedule of fees, templates and more.

Enhance family medicine billing webinar

Learn to identify billing opportunities, reduce missed payments and leverage EMR features to enhance billing. 

Managing overhead webinar

Tips and resources on overhead management. Understand overhead expenses, how to reduce them, and learn strategies that can improve your bottom line.

Enhance your bottom line: Your practice financial check-up 

Gain valuable insights on increasing your revenue, decreasing your expenses, and refining your operations in this webinar.

You can also download the Financial Check-up Resources and Action Plan, and check out the Financial Check-up Billing Codes for Family Physicians.

PatientSERV

Dealing with extra administrative costs to provide services not covered by OHIP can become overwhelming and sometimes unmanageable. PatientSERV is an external private company that offers customizable solutions built to help you overcome the challenges of billing and collecting for uninsured services. 

Did you know that using an online appointment booking tool can reduce patient no-shows and increase your revenue? This tool sends patients reminders of their appointments, making it more likely they will come in and allowing you to manage your revenue loss.

• Get more tips on how to save you and your staff time and money with the Online Appointment Booking webinar (member-only)
• Download the OMD factsheet 4 Reasons Online Appointment Booking is Good for Business 

Secure messaging is a means of safe and encrypted communication, enabling patients and clinics to safely exchange personal health information and data.

• Ontario Health maintains a list of verified electronic platforms for secure messaging and virtual care
• Explore secure messaging options to facilitate clinical-patient communication, and know what to consider in an OMA Learns Secure Messaging 101 webinar (member-only)
• The Ministry of Health is introducing the Secure Messaging Proof-of-Concept Pilot program to encourage more physicians to adopt a secure messaging platform to communicate with patients for eligible, messaging services within the Ontario Virtual Care Program that you can register for
• Physicians have a legal responsibility to protect patient’s personal health information and share it securely. Learn more about your rights and responsibilities 

OMD advisory services

The OntarioMD (OMD) Advisory Service team supports clinicians in maximizing value from OMD-certified EMRs and other practice technologies. Contact your OMD advisor today. 

The OntarioMD Peer Leaders Program is a network of physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, and clinic managers who are expert users of OMD-certified EMRs and other digital health and virtual care tools. Request a peer leader.

Privacy and security training modules

Complete OMD’s accredited Privacy & Security Training Modules to learn about privacy legislation and how to protect personal health information when using your EMR or virtual care tools (member-only).

Digital Health conferences

Attend OMD’s annual in-person and virtual conferences to optimize your use of EMRs and digital health tools with interactive discussions, networking and learnings.