Is Your Practice a “C” Student? Why a Practice Health Check is Your New Secret Weapon
- 5 hours ago
- 2 min read
You didn’t go to school to become a professional biller. You went to school to help people. But somewhere between that first clinical internship and hiring your ninth therapist, the "business stuff" started to feel like a particularly demanding houseplant that you just can't keep watered.
If you’ve ever felt like your revenue is slipping through the cracks—or if you’ve ever been "voluntold" into running a business without a roadmap—it’s time to take a look under the hood.
What Exactly is a Practice Health Check?
Think of a Practice Health Check (PHC) as the healthcare equivalent of a "check engine" light. It’s a diagnostic tool we use at Practice Solutions to take your practice’s vitals. We look at everything from how you’re getting paid to how your front office is onboarding new patients.
In our recent episode of The Claim Game, we sat down with Brent Metcalf, the founder of TriStar Counseling. Brent is a powerhouse advocate for mental health, but even with a thriving group practice of 11 clinicians, he realized that a high-level view of his billing health was the missing piece of the puzzle.
The Self-Graded PHC: Brent’s Reality Check
Brent filled out our self-guided PHC evaluation, and he came to the table with a little bit of spice! He’s definitely not a "C" student, but the evaluation highlighted some fascinating "bright spots" and a few areas that were a little choppy:
The Gold Stars: Brent had a near-perfect score in credentialing and claim submission. This means his team is excellent at getting on insurance panels and getting those initial claims out the door.
The "Check Engine" Light: The evaluation flagged patient registration as an area for improvement.
The Bottleneck: It turns out, even with a great EHR like Jane App, getting clients to upload those insurance cards (front and back!) was causing delays and digging into valuable clinical time.
As Brent noted, you can't get the information without the information. If you don’t have that insurance card on day one, you’re flying blind on eligibility, and that’s how money starts walking out the door.
Why Every Practice Needs a Wellness Visit
Brent’s journey shows that even "high performers" have blind spots. Whether it's a card declining at checkout or a virtual admin needing better onboarding training, these "five millimeter shifts" are what separate a stressed-out practice owner from one who has total peace of mind.
A PHC isn't about giving you a bad grade; it’s about giving you a roadmap. It’s about ensuring your practice is a smooth, efficient artery of your business, not a clogged emotional drain.
Ready to Take Your Vitals?
Don't let your revenue stay "shrouded in mystery." Whether you're a solo practitioner or scaling to a multi-niche group practice like TriStar, you deserve to know exactly how your business is performing.
Take control of your revenue cycle today. Schedule your Practice Health Check consultation and let’s turn those "C" grades into a legacy of success.
To hear the full breakdown of Brent’s billing strategy and his journey from child welfare to group practice owner, listen to Episode 40 of The Claim Game!
