Five Things Podiatrists can do to Optimize their practice during the COVID shutdown

Podiatrists are not working or barely working during the COVID or Coronavirus shutdown. The practices are not making money. In fact most are losing money. This is a terrifying period for Podiatrists. How are Podiatrists going to come out of this and make money? Most importantly, Podiatrists need to use this time constructively. You cannot be WOAH is me during this time. There will be an opportunity for Podiatrists to open up soon and be able so see patients. Your practice needs to be ready to get off the ground and take off after shutdown orders are lifted. So you need to have your practice ready to go from the jump. Here are some ways a Podiatrist can jumpstart their practice for the Coronavirus or COVID restart.

1) Go over Coding and Billing, audit yourself. Are you as a Podiatrist leaving money on the table with billing? Read articles, heck read books about practice optimization and maximizing revenue. Any flaw in your practice needs to be corrected and you need to hit the ground running. 

2) Make sure your practice looks like it is taking COVID seriously. Your patients should know your sanitizing policy. There should be huge signs about washing your hands. If patients ask, you should have a long answer. Your patients are going to be expecting that you are taking COVID and the Coronavirus seriously. As a Podiatrist it is your job to make sure your patients see you taking the Coronavirus seriously. You may think signs are stupid but Amazon has a ton of signs that will get that point across to your patients.

3. Your website best be number one in the region. You have all this time on your hands. There is no excuse for not having the number one website in your area. This will be key to the restart. Many patients in your area are going to go online to find Podiatrists. Patients are not going to wait for a referral to take care of Foot and Ankle issues. They are going to want answers and solutions right away. 

4. Make sure you have COVID equipment. Make sure you have enough gloves, masks, sanitizers. Patients will be expecting it. Heck, patients will probably walk out if you do not have it. You need to be ready to go with the equipment. You can find it amazon or a myriad of other places but you need to have equipment. Also, you need to be taking patients temperatures when they come in your office. You need to send patients home that are spiking fevers too, but just the act of taking a patient’s temperature will reassure them in the year of COVID.

5. And the last thing you need to do is send a freaking press release. In the press release get it out there all the precautions your Podiatry practice is taking to prevent the COVID. And talk about how your Podiatry practice is now open to see patients with the lockdown ended. This press release will be key and make money for you. And for God sakes do not write the press release yourself. Use a company so it is done right.