Are you worried about your practice making Santa's nice list this year? We've come up with a list of 6 things that your optical practice should have completed this year in order to be put on Santa's "nice" list. More importantly, if you missed out on multiple things on this list you could be hurting your practice's growth and profits. Find out if your practice made the list!

6 Things Your Optical Practice Should Have Accomplished This Year

Reviewed Your Claims Process

How claims are managed in your practice can really impact your revenue. It's important to set aside some time and review your processes especially if you're an OD who is somewhat removed from the claims process because your biller always takes care of it. If you're too far removed you might not be aware of the details of how your claims are being managed and how it can be improved.

Your biller should have access to reporting tools that allow them to easily stay on top of any problems in your billing workflow. Here's a few reports you should be keeping an eye on:

• Accepted claims report
• ERA reports
• Aging reports
• Account Receivables

Encouraged Patient Engagement

Patient engagement has become increasingly important. Most of your patients want to be more active in their healthcare but might not know how your practice enables them to be more involved. You can create a practice that encourages patient engagement by having the right technology implemented, building practice wide support among your staff, sharing engaging and readable information, and updating your processes with continued patient feedback. 

You Read at Least One Book to Better Your Business

As a business owner you need to really step away from your day to day in order to take in the full scope of your business, your goals, and how you can work to achieve those goals. It can be easy to get stuck in the routine of things. That's why we think it's important to take part in learning opportunities separate from your practice. We've published a couple of articles this year about business books you should be reading, here's what made our list:

• To Sell is Human, Daniel H. Pink
• The Art of Social Media: Tips for Power Users, Guy Kawasaki and Peg Fitzpatrick
• Sticking Points: How to Get 4 Generations Working Together in the 12 Places they Come Apart, Haydn Shaw
• The SPEED of Trust: The One Thing that Changes Everything, Stephen M.R. Covey
• Marketing to Millennials: Reach the Largest and Most Influential Generation of Consumers Ever, Jeff Fromm

Proved the Valued of Your Expertise

Almost everyday it gets a little harder for eyecare providers to compete with online retailers. So what's your biggest advantage against online sellers? Your expertise and the services you provide when a patient purchases frames from you. They get the correct measurements, expert opinions on the best lenses, and adjustments to get the perfect fit. 

Getting this message across to your patients is important, and there are so many ways you can do it. It can be as simple as a conversation, or as subtle as an image on the wall that explains the value of quality eyewear.

Assessed Patient Flow Time

Most of your patients probably want to get in and out of their appointment as quick as possible, unless they are taking time in your dispensary picking out the perfect frames. You should have an efficient flow that keeps patients moving quickly through your office that avoids back ups and bottlenecks. Download this PDF template that will help you evaluate your own patient flow. Included in the template is an example of an ideal patient flow so you can see how you compare. 

Once you assess your patient flow you should check out these 5 tips that will help you improve the inefficiencies that might be lurking in your workflow. 

Tightened Security on Mobile Devices in Your Practice

Mobile devices are taking over in healthcare practices, and maintaining security on those devices should be at the top of your priority list. If you don't have a strong IT background, managing security of devices and information might put you in over your head. We put together two great articles on mobile security with information provided by HealthIT.gov.

• Protecting Your EHR Software and Patient Information on Mobile Devices
• 8 FAQs on Mobile Device Security to Help Secure Your EHR Software

For more business advice for your eyecare practice, subscribe to the blog.