Practical Tips
to help
manage your
practice
Shay Conroy, Practice Manager
Dolmen Family Medical Practice, Carlow
shayconroy1@eircom.net
086 8236040
General Practice – What is it?
▪ Ask your accountant/bank manager
It’s a BUSINESS !!!!!!
STUPID !!!!!
General Practice – What is it?
▪ Ask a doctor
It’s a VOCATION !!!!!!
You would never understand
General Practice – What is it?
▪ It’s a mix of both and it depends on the style of your GP partners
General Practice – What is it?
Ryanair Annual Accounts 2013
General Practice – What is it?
▪ RYANAIR
▪ GP PRACTICE
▪
Number of planes in the air
▪ Number of GPs per session
▪
% of seats filled (CAPACITY)
▪ Number of patients seen per day
▪
Price per seat €
▪ Average consultation fee
▪
Turnaround time
▪ Turnaround time
▪
Fuel cost per passenger
▪ Overhead cost per patient
▪
Labour cost per passenger
▪ Labour cost per patient
General Practice – What is it?
▪ General Practice is a simple business
* Few main income streams.
* Small number of important costs
▪ It is important that we know the key parameters of
INCOME AND EXPENDITURE
General Practice – What is it?
▪ Information is the key. You cannot make
decisions without them.
▪ 2013 Accounts returns from your
accountant in April 2014 are only useful for
tax management.
▪ They are useless in terms of running the
business.
▪ Detailed weekly/monthly info is essential
REMEMBER
It is very easy to be busy
General Practice – What is it?
How many GPs are in your practice?
How many GMS patients are on your list?
How many real Private patients have you got?
How many admin staff have you got? (Full time equivalent)
How many patients does each doctor see every day?
Do you get your Vaccine Bonus every year?
How many private patients under 6 are in your practice?
What % of your patients every day are private?
How many Ante Natal Patients had you in 2013?
How many Cervical Smears did your practice do in 2013?
Do you get your Vaccine Bonus every year?
Are you claiming at maximum for practice support subsidy?
How much is your monthly phone bill?
How much is your practice owed for January and February by patients?
Key Costs
▪ Wages – GP/Locum/Nurse/Admin
▪ Rent/Rates/Building
▪ Medical Insurance/Subs/Membership
▪ Light/heat/Phones/Postage
▪ Computers
Key Costs
▪ Costs are basically fixed costs. They are they
regardless of the amount of the business
you do.
▪ Spread your costs
▪ Examine costs for savings
- Phone, Electricity, Computers
Key Costs
▪ Savings V Effort
▪ €500 saving on ESB bill in a year is one
extra private patient per month.
Key Income Parameters - STATE PAYMENTS
▪ GMS
▪ Social Welfare Certs
▪ Maternity
▪ Vaccinations
▪ Garda
GMS
GMS
▪ Know your panel – Keep it right.
▪ Practice Support Subsidy / Maximise
▪ Holiday/Study Leave
▪ STC
▪ Nursing Homes
▪ Flu Vaccine
▪ Smears
GMS
▪ Comparisons with last month/year
▪ Trends
▪ Maximise
▪ Average income/patient
▪ Information
▪ Use SOCRATES PCRS Importer to manage
your medical card simply and quickly.
(See www.practicemanager.ie for instructions how to use this invaluable software tool.)
Other State Payments
▪ Maternity – Tracking/Number of visits/Misc
Extra Visits/Payments
▪ Vaccinations – Track Payments
▪
BONUS PAYMENT
▪ Social welfare certs – Books < 40
Other External Income
▪ Private health Insurance
▪ Insurance/Legal
▪ Occupational health
MAKE SURE YOU GET PAID
It is very easy to be busy
Private Income
▪ Numbers Seen
▪ Get Paid for who you see
▪ Have a price list and stick to it.
That means every GP !!!
▪ Charge for services, Ante Natal/Smears.
▪ Debtors. 1% Rule
Private Income
▪ Laser Machine
▪ Who collects money, Invoice/Receipt
▪ Everybody in practice much realise the
importance of being paid for what work is
done.
▪ Easy Pay systems
▪ Pay in advance
Private Income
▪ Charge for services not covered by GMS
▪ Pro Bono Work
Generate Income
▪ Develop Services that pay.
▪ Drop services that don’t. Nursing Home????
▪ Recall for Vaccines, Smears, Travel Vaccines,
Flu shots.
▪ Use SMS.
▪ Put a value on everybody’s time.
▪ Ensure you maintain GMS patients.
REMEMBER
It is very easy to be busy