1. Produce and distribute to your referral base, all local pharmacists, and in your patient waiting room the brochure below, "Introducing the New PA to Your Referral Base, your Patients and the Community."Return to Home Page2. Place an item in the local newspaper welcoming her to your practice.
3. He/she should introduce him/herself to the local pharmacists who will, unless otherwise, unexpectedly be seeing his/her name on prescriptions from your office.
4. Put his/her name with yours and other providers at the office entrance, or wherever those are displayed.
5. The PA needs office space to return patient phone calls, store books, etc. Do not "hide" the PA in the back office. Exhibit confidence in the PA--if you act UNSURE of the PA, the staff and patients will feel and take on your attitude as well.
6. The PA should be introduced to the staff and his/her skills discussed personally, and in length, with, particularly, the office scheduler who will be answering questions of patients on the PA's qualifications when invited to see the PA sooner than the doc.
7. Allow ample time for training even if it slows you down--it will pay off in the long run. By the end of the year, the PAs billings will certainly cover any "lost" expenses you had for the PA during training.
8. If you have a website, place the PAs photo on it as well.
9. Ask the PA to contact me for the (free) handout, "Not Another Rash! --How to Get Better at Derm--Self Study for the PA."
10. Proper billing/coding for the PA is a must--have your insurance person attend a derm-coding seminar offered by Inga Ellzey (kellzey@iepg.com). I am not affiliated with Inga Ellzey.
11. Put the PA on a gradually-increasing bonus incentive within 12 months.
12. Hire an MA for the PA. Their salary will be paid for by the first 2 patients' visits. The PA can be much more efficient AND profitable with an MA. Having the PA room patients, stock the room, write the notes, etc. does not make the patients feel confident in the PA's skills. Patients would NEVER expect to be diagnosed and treated by the same person who roomed them!
13. A derm surgery PA, or a PA working for a Mohs surgeon does not usually bill, and thus, does not bring in extra income him/herself, BUT they allow the surgeon to see more patients, by doing closings, etc., and thus DO increase practice income.
Note: The PA is NOT competition--a PA will never leave your practice and take patients with them--they cannot and would not ever practice independently. Ask AAPA for their position statement about this matter: aapa@aapa.org.