As your new medical/dental office is about ready to be moved into, are you ready? Here are some experienced helpful tips from Wolgast to make the move go easy and not impact you or your employees in a negative way.
First off, remember to get your Medicare and Medicaid paperwork submitted right away so that the government is aware of your change of address and there are no issues that arise with the government. Not getting this information processed on time can lead to a billing gap and we have seen instances where doctors and dentists have lost out on months’ worth of revenue because paperwork was not processed on time.
Next, remember medical record privacy when packing up the patient files. These records need to be packed and moved such that security and only authorized access to them occurs. This may take some special planning but being aware of your HIPAA requirements when transporting and moving records could save you a tangle of paperwork and bureaucratic headaches. If you are moving electronic files too then you need to treat the computer hardware and backup data with the same respect as you would give moving paper files.
Remember to have your information technology support people out early on the day of the move to ensure that computers can talk to each other, files have been transferred or transported safely, and that electronic medical records (EMRs) and digital imaging equipment (like the new digital x-ray machines) are connected, networked, and ready to go. Expect a few glitches that first day and plan ahead by having a service technician there as each system is tried out.
For the general move, start preparing at least two months prior to the move date and make sure everyone knows what they are responsible for packing and unpacking. Your movers can give you an estimate of how much moving materials you will want to purchase. If you start purchasing a few months early you can pace that expense over several months and potentially save money by not over purchasing supplies at the last minute.
Lastly, taking the time to plan ahead and plan early lets everyone finish on time with a minimum amount of rushing. Then sit back and let the movers do the work, discourage employees from moving boxes or equipment themselves as they may injure themselves doing the work. An injured employee won’t be there to help unpack and may actually cause you to have more bills due to their medical treatment for pulls, strains, or sprains. Before you know it you will be moved in and up and running in your new facility.
Also read: Using Your Building as a Marketing Tool and Investigating Ancillary Services for Your Practice (A White Paper)
