You’d ask a colleague so why not ask an expert?
Recently I was reading an article in a business management magazine. The article highlighted some of the challenges faced by small business owners when they start. But it could also have been...
What a Consultant can and can’t charge for?
There are numerous occasions when a consultant can charge for follow-up consultation and a minor surgical episode. But it is important to understand which private medical insurance companies will...
Wrong solution to the non-payment problem
A group of surgeons I know is having problems getting paid by insurance companies. Not just an individual insurance company but all insurance companies. The practice manager claimed there were many...
How to Loose £4,265 without even trying
It is common in my world to be presented with a number of unpaid invoices. The remit is to go get paid for them. That I can do. But it depends? If they were raised in the first place that is. If...
Has the patient already paid their excess?
Most excess charges are between £75 or £100. Sometimes they can be higher or even lower but often they are £75 or £100. Invoice for excess This in itself is not a problem. It's just as easy to send...
It is not only some consultants who are denied a fee
I'm used to insurance companies declining to pay a consultation charge for an Orthopaedic Surgeon within 10 days of surgery. The reality is that this does not impact only on Orthopods. I've seen it...
What’s wrong with telling the patients how much you charge
Flip the question on its head. WOULD YOU BUY SOMETHING WITHOUT KNOWING HOW MUCH IT COST? Would you pass over your debit card details without knowing how much is going to be charged to it? 99.9% of...
Virtually cheating – wrong!
Keep it quiet but I'm a virtual cheater! First of all, I'm a virtual business. I'm not physically based in my client's offices. In some cases, I'm hundreds of miles away so I can't walk down the...
What’s in it for me?
I'm a contractor. I provide an outsourced service for my clients. I run my business to generate an income for me. Notice all three of those sentences started with the word "I"? But when I (sic) go...
If you promise to deliver, make sure you deliver
We all hear that many times during the day. It's a pain but sometimes it literally is a case of not being able to provide an answer there and then. In itself that is not a problem. Where it IS a...
Too busy to be bothered making any money
There are only 24 hours in a day. All of my guys are incredibly busy. I'm amazed at the volume of work they get through in a single day. They are either on-call, doing a ward round or in theatre....
Getting it wrong could easily cost you £3,060 per year
A Consultant Surgeon performs an AB1234 worth £525. At the same time, he performs a DC2468 worth £576. The patient is insured so an invoice has to be submitted for payment. Therefore you have to...