Drug Testing – Watch your coding

Posted on January 6, 2016January 6, 2016 by kellyausiello

Your HCPCS level II code books are incomplete.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released 49 corrections to the 2016 HCPCS Level II code set December 2, too late to be included in any of the hard copy code-books. You will also be hard pressed to find many of these corrections in the Medicare guidelines even though the codes became effective on January 1, 2016.

DRUG TESTING Codes: 2016 Replacement Codes for G0431 and G0434

Effective for the dates of services from January 01, 2016 CMS implemented the following changes for drug testing;

1. Deleted the HCPCS codes G0431, G0434 and G6030 through G6058

2. Continue to not recognize the AMA CPT codes 80300 – 80377

3. For presumptive testing, created three G codes:

G0477 – Drug test(s), presumptive, any number of drug classes; any number of devices or procedures, (e.g., immunoassay) capable of being read by direct optical observation only (e.g., dipsticks, cups, cards, cartridges), includes sample validation when performed, per date of service

G0478 – Drug test(s), presumptive, any number of drug classes; any number of devices or procedures, (e.g., immunoassay) read by instrument-assisted direct optical observation (e.g., dipsticks, cups, cards, cartridges), includes sample validation when performed, per date of service

G0479 – Drug test(s), presumptive, any number of drug classes; any number of devices or procedures by instrumented chemistry analyzers utilizing immunoassay, enzyme assay, TOF, MALDI, LDTD, DESI, DART, GHPC, GC mass spectrometry), includes sample validation when performed, per date of service

4. For definitive drug testing, created four tiered G codes:

G0480 – Drug test(s), definitive, utilizing drug identification methods able to identify individual drugs and distinguish between structural isomers (but not necessarily stereoisomers), including, but not limited to GC/MS (any type, single or tandem) and LC/MS (any type, single or tandem and excluding immunoassays (e.g., IA, EIA, ELISA, EMIT, FPIA) and enzymatic methods (e.g., alcohol dehydrogenase)); qualitative or quantitative, all sources(s), includes specimen validity testing, per day, 1-7 drug class(es), including metabolite(s) if performed

G0481 – Drug test(s), definitive, utilizing drug identification methods able to identify individual drugs and distinguish between structural isomers (but not necessarily stereoisomers), including, but not limited to GC/MS (any type, single or tandem) and LC/MS (any type, single or tandem and excluding immunoassays (e.g., IA, EIA, ELISA, EMIT, FPIA) and enzymatic methods (e.g., alcohol dehydrogenase)); qualitative or quantitative, all sources(s), includes specimen validity testing, per day, 8-14 drug class(es), including metabolite(s) if performed

G0482 – Drug test(s), definitive, utilizing drug identification methods able to identify individual drugs and distinguish between structural isomers (but not necessarily stereoisomers), including, but not limited to GC/MS (any type, single or tandem) and LC/MS (any type, single or tandem and excluding immunoassays (e.g., IA, EIA, ELISA, EMIT, FPIA) and enzymatic methods (e.g., alcohol dehydrogenase)); qualitative or quantitative, all sources(s), includes specimen validity testing, per day, 15-21 drug class(es), including metabolite(s) if performed

G0483 – Drug test(s), definitive, utilizing drug identification methods able to identify individual drugs and distinguish between structural isomers (but not necessarily stereoisomers), including, but not limited to GC/MS (any type, single or tandem) and LC/MS (any type, single or tandem and excluding immunoassays (e.g., IA, EIA, ELISA, EMIT, FPIA) and enzymatic methods (e.g., alcohol dehydrogenase)); qualitative or quantitative, all sources(s), includes specimen validity testing, per day, 22 or more drug class(es), including metabolite(s) if performed

Guidelines to report Presumptive Testing;

Presumptive codes G0477 – G0479 is eligible for reimbursement when testing is performed in an office, laboratory or facility setting. These codes are not eligible for reimbursement for chemical dependency facilities. Reimbursement for procedure codes G0477 – G0479 is limited to one unit per day. Only one of the three codes may be billed per day.

Guidelines to report Definitive Testing;

The definitive tests must be both more sensitive and specific than the initial screen. Reimbursement for procedure codes G0480 – G0483 is limited to one unit per day. The unit used to determine the appropriate code to bill is “drug class.” The number of drug classes tested determines the appropriate code to use. Each drug class may only be used once per day. Only one of the four codes may be billed per day.

Modifier 59 Subsets, “CMS separates the separate and distinct modifier”

Posted on May 18, 2015 by kellyausiello

Modifier “59” “Distinct Procedural Service” is probably one of our most widely used and most frequently abused coding modifiers.

The modifier was created to identify a wide variety of circumstances and exceptions that qualify additional services for separate payment such as different encounters; different anatomic sites; or distinct additional services by bypassing the established NCCI edits so the additional work of both the primary and the additional procedures will be paid.

NCCI edits are in place to prevent unbundling of services where one code is considered to be a subset of the work of another code billed on the same claim. This sets the column 1/ column 2 scenario of the NCCI where edits define when two codes should not be reported together and also assigns a “Correct Coding Modifier Indicator” (CCMI) for exceptions.

A CCMI of “0” indicates that the codes never be reported together by the same provider for the same beneficiary on the same date of service. They are considered mutually exclusive and therefore the column 1 code would be eligible for payment but the column 2 code is not.

A CCMI of “1” however indicates that the codes “may be reported together” only when the defined circumstances are such that what would be normally considered an overlapping service was actually separate and distinct and independent of the other services performed.

Most carriers increase scrutiny of the modifier in “manual reviews” since the use of the modifier will typically bypass the automated “front end” edits by the claims processing software. The modifier has long been identified as one of considerable abuse and since it is “very broad” in its application, manual reviews of its use frequently result in denials and even allegations against the provider of fraud and abuse.

CMS has established four new HCPCS modifiers (referred to collectively as -X{EPSU} modifiers) to identify specific circumstances as subset replacements of the -59 modifier.

XE Separate Encounter, A Service That Is Distinct Because It Occurred During A Separate Encounter

Patients returning for a separate encounter on the same DOS are rare in the office setting. This would be used for surgical procedures, non-surgical therapeutic procedures, or diagnostic procedures that are performed during different patient encounters on the same day and that cannot be described by one of the more specific NCCI-associated modifiers – i.e., 24, 25, 27, 57, 58, 78, 79, or 91.

XS Separate Structure, A Service That Is Distinct Because It Was Performed On A Separate Organ or Structure,

One of the common uses of modifier 59 is for surgical procedures, non-surgical therapeutic procedures, or diagnostic procedures that are performed at different anatomic sites, are not ordinarily performed or encountered on the same day, and that cannot be described by one of the more specific anatomic NCCI-associated modifiers – i.e., RT, LT, E1-E4, FA, F1-F9, TA, T1-T9, LC, LD, RC, LM, or RI.

XP Separate Practitioner, A Service That Is Distinct Because It Was Performed By A Different Practitioner

XU Unusual Non-Overlapping Service, A Service That Is Distinct Because It Does Not Overlap Usual Components of The Main Service.

CMS originally set an “effective date” of January 1, 2015 however they have also declared that the modifiers are valid even before national edits are in place.

MACs are not prohibited from requiring the use of selective modifiers in lieu of the general -59 modifier, when necessitated by local program integrity and compliance needs. In short, that means that while CMS will continue to recognize the -59 modifier in many instances, the MAC may selectively require a more specific – X{EPSU} modifier for billing certain codes at high risk for incorrect billing. Check your MAC’s policies frequently.

You should also check your major medical carriers for changes to the more descriptive modifiers. United Health care published in their network bulletin in January, 2015 that they were following the CMS lead and would accept either but NOT BOTH on the same line item.

In the CMS release they stated: “The combination of alternative specific modifiers with a general less specific modifier creates additional discrimination in both reporting and editing. As a default, at this time CMS will initially accept either a -59 modifier or a more selective – X{EPSU} modifier as correct coding, although the rapid migration of providers to the more selective modifiers is encouraged.”

If the carrier accepts the new subsets, you may find them beneficial on your multiple injections or to establish that a therapy such as 97140 was administered to a separate anatomical region.

You should use one or the other. You should NOT report both the 59 and one of the X* modifiers on the same line item.

The CR (CR8863) to the Carriers is available at http://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Transmittals/Downloads/R1422OTN.pdf

Beef Up Your Income With Weight Loss

Posted on April 29, 2015April 29, 2015 by kellyausiello

Just in Time for Swimsuit Season: Your Medical Weight Loss Regimen-

Contributed by Epic Marketing [www.marketingepic.com]

Summer is just around the corner and that means flip flops and family barbecues. But it also means afternoons spent lounging by the pool and wearing shorts every day. If you, like the rest of us, are not at your optimal weight, it may be time to get on a medical weight loss regimen now so you’re all set for a summer of tank top wearing that you can be proud of!

Treatment Options

Managing your weight and staying healthy is an important part to avoiding obesity and other health-related weight concerns like joint and muscle pain, osteoarthritis, and neuropathy. As every person’s struggle with weight loss is unique, it is best that an appropriate medical weight loss regimen is designed and tailored to your individual wellness needs and goals.

Nutritional Counseling– learn more about solutions that help you maintain needed dietary changes. Additionally, nutritional counseling is a great way to discover all things food related—from the types of food to the size of the portions—that are optimal for weight loss.

Exercise Advisement– get tips and tricks regarding your workout regimen that will help to enhance your exercise sessions, anything from the amount of weight you should be lifting to the number of repetitions that are ideal to the time that should be invested in cardiovascular activity.

Appetite Suppressants– under the advisement of a medical practitioner, appetite suppressants help to naturally curb hunger and support better, healthier eating habits. These prescription drugs are monitored by medical professionals during the course of your weight loss program.

Natural Supplements– supplements are a fantastic way to achieve your desired weight loss goals the natural way. These dietary enhancements, in conjunction with all-around healthier eating habits, help to get (and keep) the weight off.

If you are serious about kick starting your weight loss regimen in time for real results by summertime, contact the medical weight loss professionals today to discuss your weight loss goals and treatment options.

The Future of Viscosupplementation for OA of the knee with the “Blues”

Posted on April 3, 2015August 10, 2015 by kellyausiello

BLUES NEW POSITION STATEMENT: “Intra-articular hyaluronan injections are associated with clinically irrelevant benefit and an increased risk of adverse events; therefore, are considered not medically necessary.”

Effective April 1, 2015 several of the “Blues” such as Florida Blue[1] and BCBSWNY[2] (Healthnow) took the lead for the “Blues” in taking unprecedented actions against paying for Intra-articular hyaluronan injections of the knee as a treatment for pain caused by osteoarthritis of the knee. Continue reading “The Future of Viscosupplementation for OA of the knee with the “Blues”” →

Marketing.. Making The Right Pick.

Posted on March 28, 2015March 28, 2015 by kellyausiello

March Madness has begun, which means its bracket time here at Epic. When it comes to putting a bracket together, there are so many questions and things to consider. Here at the office we have a wide variety of participants, from people who have little to no idea of what March Madness is, to self-proclaimed college basketball experts. The great thing about filling out a bracket is that everyone has a chance to win at the beginning of the tournament. For most participants, picking the best bracket is pretty much a combination of guessing and team statistics.

Last year Warren Buffet offered a billion dollars to any person who could pick a perfect bracket. The odds of doing this successfully were 1 in 9.2 quintillion. So, you might be wondering why Buffett isn’t putting up his money again? It was great publicity. What happened? As Jordan Weissmann describes, it all boils down to lawyers. There’s literally no chance of it happening and being forced to make a payout. After all, getting a perfect bracket is like running a two-minute mile or Kentucky getting a shutout in a game. Mathematicians claim it’s all about the algorithms when it comes to picking a perfect bracket. Many of these mathematicians have come close to producing a perfect bracket, consistently having brackets in the top 5% of those picked. Despite all the odds they still remain in Warren Buffet’s favor.

This idea of striving to pick the best (possibly perfect) bracket is an interesting one to us, because in our business we are also striving to produce the best results for our clients though marketing. And like picking a bracket, it’s a combination of insight and knowledge. The closer you pay attention to all of the data, the more knowledge you’ll have to make the best decision. The longer you are involved in developing this knowledge, the more heightened your instinct becomes for making the right pick and producing an effective marketing algorithm.

When it comes to marketing, everyone has a chance to kill it and explode their business on their own. However, just like picking the perfect bracket, the odds are not in your favor. Look at it this way, if you want to pick the best bracket, would you have a better chance of doing this on your own, or by having access to the algorithms that the top bracketers use? Knowing that there’s an algorithm designed by mathematicians that consistently produces top brackets, I don’t know about you, but I’m going with the best algorithm to pick my bracket. This will significantly increase the odds of winning.

You know that marketing is a key component to growing your business, and professional marketers know the algorithms necessary to produce the best results for your company. Instead of taking an approach to marketing where you’re guessing that your approach will work, first think about how many times you’ve been in the top 5% of the NCAA March Madness bracket, without any expertise or help? With that in mind, our professional team is here to help you achieve much better odds with your future marketing success.

As always, The Academy thanks the Contributing Authors at Epic Marketing for their contribution. Visit Epic on the Web at www.marketingepic.com.

Answering Your Marketing Questions

Posted on February 24, 2015April 29, 2015 by kellyausiello

Answering Your Marketing Questions by: Dave Ostler – Epic Marketing www.marketingepic.com

When you think about marking your business, there are many questions that come to mind. What’s the best avenue for marketing my product or service? How much should I budget for marketing? What promotion will get me the highest return on my investment? The list goes on and on, but luckily you don’t have to do it all alone. The great thing about being a marketing firm is that we’ve answered all of these questions before and can give you all of the guidance you’ll need.

With that being said, we’re happy to help answer some of the questions we often hear. When it comes to deciding to market your business, you should think of it as an investment. You’re investing in yourself, as you should.

Where to start? You should start by looking at your business and product. Ask yourself what sets you apart from your competition and what are the benefits you’ll bring to your customers? Determine who your potential customers are and then determine the best way to reach them.

Once you know who your customers will be, you’ll be better positioned to know how to reach them. First, create your brand around your audience. Once you have your brand established it’s been proven that a combination of print and web is the best approach to market your business. If you don’t have a website, get one and then make sure the content on the site is unique, interesting, and optimized for search engines. Once you have your website, advertise and promote your business or product through the mediums that will best target your future customers.

Now all of this does cost money and as mentioned before, you should think of it as an investment in yourself. Having a marketing budget is crucial because you will want to make sure that you’re not overspending, and at the same time, not underspending. On average, for a small business (generating less than $5 million), it’s recommended to allocate 7-8% of your revenue to marketing. If you’re really looking to grow your business, you’ll want to allocate more. There’s a great blog on the U.S. Small Business Administration’s website that goes into more detail: http://www.sba.gov/community/blogs/how-set-marketing-budget-fits-your-business-goals-and-provides-high-return-investmen.

Bottom line, once you decide to market your business, you‘ll want the highest return on your investment. It takes a lot of market research and time to discover what marketing methods will accomplish this. Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer because it all comes down to who you’re marketing your business to. There are approaches that will work better with one group over another. Keep in mind that it never hurts to look to professionals for help. You know your business and here at Epic Marketing, we know ours.

How to Choose the Right Ad Agency

Posted on January 23, 2015August 10, 2015 by kellyausiello

So you’ve decided to hire an advertising agency – Contributed by Dave Ostler www.marketingepic.com

Excellent choice! Advertising agencies come in all shapes and sizes – from small, locally-based agencies to large, international conglomerates. With thousands of advertising agencies in the United States, how does one choose? We have provided some factors to consider in selecting an agency that is a good fit for your business needs.

Define your intent. The first step in choosing an advertising agency is to clearly define what you are hoping to gain from the partnership. Do you need help developing strategy or driving execution? Do you wish to become the leader in your local business sector? Enter a new geographical territory? Whatever your goal – clearly defined business objectives will help guide you through the process of choosing the right agency.

Conduct initial research. Compile a list of eligible agencies. Do a Google search, ask a non-competitive business owner in your industry or reach out to media outlets for recommendations. Once you have a list of contenders, further narrow the list down by considering:

What type of agency are they? Some agencies are full service, while others specialize in a specific function, such as Public Relations. Go back to your intent – what type of services do you really need?

Are they currently handling the account of your direct competitor?

Where are they located? While many businesses prefer to have face-to-face interaction with their agency, it’s not uncommon for a business to work with an agency in another city or state. If you are comfortable with the majority of your conversations being conducted by phone or email, don’t limit yourself geographically.

Choose agility over size. There is much debate about whether it’s best to work with a large or small agency, but what you really want is an agency that is fluid and can adjust to your workload. What are you going to demand of the agency in terms of time – and can they meet your deadlines? If you assigned a large project or group of projects they don’t have the capacity to handle, how would they ensure it was completed by your deadline? Do they have a network of freelancers they can reach out to if needed? It is important to partner with an agency that can adjust to meet the needs of its clients.

Don’t base your decision solely off industry experience. Many businesses think that working with an agency experienced in their industry is a requirement. While industry experience is helpful, choosing an agency that is new to your industry could yield that fresh perspective that you’ve been looking for. Isn’t differentiating yourself from competitors the goal, anyway? Sure, there might be a learning curve, but no agency will ever know as much as you do about your industry, so if you’re going to base your decision on experience, choose the experience that really matters: marketing and communications.

Consider core competencies. Let’s be honest – most agencies do not excel in every discipline. Ask an agency about their core competencies, and consider whether those strengths align with your objectives. You may discover that the agency you’re considering is particularly skilled in print advertisements, but you want to produce a video – so why not find an agency that is more closely aligned with your goals?

Is there chemistry? The key to long-term success is a good working relationship, so make sure that you like the people and their approach. Also consider professionalism. How do they conduct themselves when interacting with your business – because as your agency, they represent you. You want an agency that will conduct themselves in a professional manner when working with you or on your behalf.

What’s your budget? Agency fees can vary dramatically, and some companies cannot afford the agency that they really want to work with. Fees may be a flat rate by project, hourly, or a mix. Do they have minimum billing increments? Do they have a retainer structure? Be sure you fully understand their fee structure so there are no surprises when you get your first bill. You don’t want to choose an agency that your company can’t sustain financially in the long run.

Advertising is an investment. Finding the right agency can be a time consuming process, but the effort is worth it in the long run when you find a partner that helps your business grow to achieve, and even exceed its goals.

Dry Needling – Competency and Coding

Posted on January 16, 2015 by kellyausiello

Dry Needling – Competency and Coding

The Academy has had numerous requests in recent months regarding the use of “dry needling” for trigger point therapy and if the service is permitted to be performed by Physical therapists and/or other non-physicians who are not permitted to do invasive procedures or are certified in acupuncture.

Dry needling has been around for quite a while and involves the use of either solid filiform needles or hollow-core hypodermic needles for alleviation of muscle pain due to the hyper-irritative foci we call “trigger points”, that may occur in any skeletal muscle in response to strain produced by acute or chronic overload. We know that these trigger points produce a referred pain pattern characteristic for that individual muscle that helps differentiate myofascial pain syndrome from tender points and fibromyalgia. Each pattern becomes part of a single muscle myofascial pain syndrome (MPS); and each of these single muscle syndromes is responsive to appropriate treatment, which includes injection therapy where injection is achieved with needle insertion through the dermal layer.

Depending on who is trying to classify the procedure, it may be referred to as; dry needling, acupuncture or a new term, intramuscular stimulation (IMS). About the only “consensus” you will get is that the needle insertion procedure can NOT be billed under a trigger point injection code (20553-20553) that requires administration of agents such as local anesthetics.

Acupuncture, dry needling and/or IMS techniques are similar but not necessarily the same. The clinician may perform dry needling with either a filiform needle (aka “acupuncture” needle) or a standard gauge hypodermic needle. Many healthcare practitioners use 22,25 or 27-gauge, 1.5 inch hypodermic needles for fear of deflection issues, those concerns have since proven unfounded and many now feel that the solid filiform needles not only provides better tactile feedback but also better penetration with less discomfort to patients. Both the use of hypodermic needles and the use of solid filiform needles are now accepted dry needling practice.

It is true that the solid filiform needles used in dry needling are regulated by the FDA as a Class II medical device “intended to pierce the skin in the practice of acupuncture”, however the FDA definition applies to how the needles can be marketed and does not mean that acupuncture is the only medical procedure where they can be used.

That being said, no one profession actually owns a skill or activity in and of itself nor does any single activity within the practice make any particular service professionally unique. Simply because a skill or activity is within one profession’s skill set does not mean another profession cannot and should not include it in its own scope of practice.

The practice of acupuncture by acupuncturists and the performance of dry needling by physical therapists appear to differ in terms of historical, philosophical, indicative, and practical context. The debated distinction between dry needling and acupuncture has become a controversy because it relates to an issue of scope of practice of various professions. It is my understanding from the APTA that Physical therapists that perform dry needling do not use traditional acupuncture theories or acupuncture terminology. Similarities do however exist in terms of dermal penetration with a solid filament needle (a tool) to varying depths within the body for therapeutic indications. Many States have already approve dry needling by PTs who are specifically trained while others, such as the Superior Court in Washington State[1] have ruled that dry needling is practicing medicine and prohibited absent a physician’s license. The American Physical Therapy Association has posted many of the opinions issued by State Attorney Generals on their web site at http://www.apta.org/StateIssues/DryNeedling/

It is unlikely that our Academy or the AMA will be “solve” the turf battle in the near future.

This however has nothing to do with how the service is billed…… The CPT™ [2] specifically states the most basic use is to select the procedure or service that accurately identifies the service performed and prohibits using a CPT code that merely approximates the service provided. The “standard” is; if no specific code exists in either the CPT™ or HCPCS , then you report the service using the appropriate unlisted physical medicine/rehabilitation service or procedure code.

The code selection then is simple for an actual “acupuncture” procedure. Code 97810; Acupuncture, 1 or more needles; without electrical stimulation, initial 15 minutes of personal one-on-one contact with the patient would be our correct coding unless electrical stimulation was also used. (see 97813) If you are using “a solid core acupuncture needles” it is illogical to assume you are doing some form of “injection” as is required by codes 2055x. Use of acupuncture needles is not a covered service, whether an acupuncturist or any other provider renders the service. 42 U.S.C. § 1395y(a)(1

For those however that want to view the procedure as “dry needling, intramuscular manual therapy, intramuscular stimulation (IMS) or as a silver-crested winged aviate waterfowl, we will still consider it a “duck” without a standardized name or assigned code. In our opinion, billing under Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes 2055x TPI or therapy codes 97112 (neuromuscular reeducation) or 97140 (manual therapy techniques) is a misrepresentation of the actual service rendered and could be considered fraud by Medicare. 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729–3733.

Therefore, in the opinion of this Academy, the proper “coding” will depend on the actual “intent” of your procedure. IF you wish to consider the procedure a dry needling under the trigger point injection area of the CPT, you should report it as 20999 with the specific description of dry needling. If you are a PT/OT and you feel this is under your therapy POC, it should be reported as a PT/OT procedure under 97999 with the same description.

By the way ……….IN THE REAL WORLD… most carriers have dry needling addressed as a “one liner” in their TPI policies as being “not covered” and very few cover “acupuncture”.

[1] South Sound Acupuncture Association vs. Kinetacore, et al.

Chiropractors, Ophthalmologists, sleep disorder testing and Physical Therapists all make the OIG “Hit List” for 2015

Posted on November 3, 2014November 4, 2014 by kellyausiello

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General : WORK PLAN Fiscal Year 2015

The office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) was created to protect the integrity of HHS programs and operations and the well-being of beneficiaries by detecting and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse; identifying opportunities to improve program economy, efficiency, and effectiveness; and holding accountable those who do not meet program requirements or who violate Federal health care laws.

OIG staff members serve in the Washington DC headquarters but also deployed throughout the Nation in regional and field offices to conduct audits, evaluations, and investigations; provide guidance to industry. The collaborate with HHS and its operating and staff divisions, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and other executive branch agencies, Congress, and States to bring about systemic changes, successful prosecutions, negotiated settlements, and recovery of funds.

Each year, the OIG prepares and issues a “Work Plan”[1] for the fiscal year that summarizes new and ongoing reviews and activities that OIG plans to pursue with respect to HHS programs and operations during the current fiscal year and beyond.

It is important for providers and suppliers to be aware of the current plan since it is developed to assess relative risks in the programs for which they have oversight authority; identify and set priorities for those areas of concern most in need of attention

So who and what’s on this years “list”[2]. Continue reading “Chiropractors, Ophthalmologists, sleep disorder testing and Physical Therapists all make the OIG “Hit List” for 2015” →

How to Boost Conversion

Posted on September 26, 2014 by kellyausiello

Does your website convert visitors into patients?

Contributed by: Dave Ostler General Sales Manager, Epic Marketing

Your online presence is your first impression to the world. It takes less than two-tenths of a second for a visitor to form a first opinion of your business based on the quality of your website. Are your visitors sticking around, or hitting the back button?

Allow me to introduce the concept of conversion.

Conversion is the art of getting your visitors to perform an action that you have determined to be valuable to your business. This could be requesting a free consultation, “liking” you on Facebook, or subscribing to your monthly newsletter. Simply put – conversion is turning visitors into customers.

Here’s the golden rule of conversion: clarity trumps all. Figure out what users are looking for when they arrive at your site. While a unique website design may be eye-catching, if users can’t answer 1) who you are 2) what you offer and 3) why they should choose you in a matter of seconds, you can say sayonara to that lead.

Who are you?

When users first land on your page, they are in the orientation phase. In a matter of seconds, they decide whether that page is relevant to what they are looking for. Clutter, blocks of text, and poor graphics confuse and overwhelm users, and will seriously hurt your conversion rate. The purpose of your website should be very clear in your logo, headline, and supporting text and graphics.

What do you offer?

Next, use copy and design elements to guide the user toward conversion. If you specialize in treating back pain, neck pain and shoulder pain, consider highlighting these three conditions on your homepage.

Why should I choose you?

Finally, tell users clearly and simply why they should choose your practice instead of continuing their online pursuit. Make sure that your value proposition is clearly stated. If you offer a free consultation for new patients, this should be highlighted on your homepage and internal pages in the form of a call-to-action.

Conversion isn’t about attracting new visitors; it’s about making the most of your existing traffic. If it’s been a while since you last looked at your website, it may be time for a revamp. Take the time to identify the top three things you want users to do as a result of visiting your site. Do you want them to request a free consultation via an online form? Call your clinic? Define your goals, and then optimize your website accordingly.

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Contact David: dostler@marketingepic.com (801) 505-9322