Questions I get asked.
If yours is not here, ring me. A straight answer costs nothing.
Common questions
Mostly about compliance, cost and how the work actually runs.
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What does a practice management consultant actually do?
Everything in a practice that is not clinical. Systems and protocols, policies, staff, accreditation, the numbers, plus the risk and compliance side which is where I now spend most of my time. You keep treating patients. I make sure the business underneath holds up.
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What is a practice risk and compliance review?
I look at where your practice is exposed against the guidelines you have to work inside: AHPRA, the Australian Privacy Act, the OAIC and the ADA. That covers your advertising, how patient records and information are handled, plus whether your policies would actually stand up if somebody checked them. You get a clear picture of where you sit and what to fix first.
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We have had a complaint made against us. Can you help?
Yes. I have worked with practices to respond to AHPRA complaints made by patients as well as by staff, then worked them through to resolution. The first response matters more than most people realise, so get in touch early rather than after you have already replied.
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Is our advertising really likely to be a problem?
In my experience it is the single most common breach. It is also a public one. The wording, the images, the claims, the before and after photos. It sits there where anyone can see it and report it, which also makes it one of the easier things to put right before somebody does.
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Will you run our advertising for us?
No. I check that what you publish is compliant. I can review content you have already created. I can also take on the ongoing review and posting on a contract basis, but the campaigns themselves should come from someone who does that properly.
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What does it cost?
Standard weekday consulting is $82 per hour. A QIP accreditation initial assessment is $230, then quoted depending on where you are in the cycle. Temporary reception cover is $55 per hour with a four hour minimum. After hours, public holiday and urgent work carry higher rates. All figures exclude GST.
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Do you work with practices outside Adelaide?
I am Adelaide based and work with practices across South Australia. A good deal of the compliance and systems work can be done remotely once access is set up, so distance is worth a conversation rather than an assumption.
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How many practices do you take on at once?
One. I learned the hard way that spreading myself across several clients means none of them get the work they paid for. It does mean there is sometimes a wait. It also means that when I am working with you, you have my attention.
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Do you handle QIP accreditation?
Yes, including practices that have started the process and stalled. It begins with an initial assessment of where you stand. The aim is documentation your team can follow day to day rather than a folder that only comes out at audit time.
Still not sure?
Ring me and ask. The first conversation is free and confidential. If I am not the right person for your situation I will tell you.
Get in touch