The Intake

Insights for those starting, managing, and growing independent healthcare practices

Lauren Wheeler, BCPA, MD

Dr. Lauren Wheeler, MD, BCPA, is a former family medicine physician who currently works as an independent healthcare advocate as well as a medical editor and writer. You can get in touch with her about anything writing or advocacy at her website www.lostcoastadvocacy.com.

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  • Doctor of Medicine (MD), University of Kansas Medical Center

  • Bachelor of Science, microbiology, general, Kansas State University

Latest in Lauren Wheeler, BCPA, MD

Physician and patient discussing patient engagement strategies
Physician and patient discussing patient engagement strategies
The complete guide to patient engagement for independent practices

Why is patient engagement important, and how can independent practices improve it? Discover essential patient engagement strategies and resources here.

What SDH, SDOH, and social determinants can teach practices
What SDH, SDOH, and social determinants can teach practices
What SDH, SDOH, and social determinants can teach us about health equity and quality of care

Healthcare providers should learn to recognize SDOH and craft care plans based on their impact on patient health.

Physicians discuss cost transparency in healthcare while looking at tablet
Physicians discuss cost transparency in healthcare while looking at tablet
What is price transparency in healthcare and how is it linked to patient satisfaction?

Discover how to maintain cost transparency and conveniently communicate accurate price estimates to retain patients’ trust.

Multicultural group smiling while sitting at a table
Multicultural group smiling while sitting at a table
Importance of cultural competence in healthcare

What to know about how one’s cultural context impacts their view of healthcare.

what is the best approach to handling patient cancellations
what is the best approach to handling patient cancellations
What is the best approach to handling patient cancellations?

Managing cancellations and no-shows is critical for both patient health and practice performance. Here’s why cancellations happen for both patients and providers — and how to avoid them.

Get expert tips, guides, and valuable insights for your medical practice
Patient smiles while looking at phone, appreciating automatic appointment reminders
Patient smiles while looking at phone, appreciating automatic appointment reminders
9 patient appointment reminder templates that work

Use these tried-and-true appointment reminder templates to keep your schedule full, reduce no-shows, and elevate the patient experience.

Physician looks out office window preparing to answer patient questions about what is a tripledemic
Physician looks out office window preparing to answer patient questions about what is a tripledemic
What is a tripledemic and how can physicians fight the threats posed?

As the country prepares to head into another cold and flu season, here are strategies to protect your and your patients’ health — as well as save your practice time.

NP stands smiling with other medical professionals happy to be a leader in nurse practitioner disruptive innovation
NP stands smiling with other medical professionals happy to be a leader in nurse practitioner disruptive innovation
Are nurse practitioners disruptive innovators in healthcare?

Nurse practitioners have a vital role in the future of healthcare. Here are 3 ways that NPs are at the forefront of innovation in patient care.

Medical practice local market research.
Medical practice local market research.
How to conduct local market research to establish a community-focused medical practice

Deciding your practice’s focus based on your community’s needs is crucial for a successful medical start-up. Setting up a dermatology practice in an already-competitive area would likely lead to frustration, for instance. Accurate market research is the key to identifying community needs and choosing the best location for your practice. There are multiple methods for […]

Group of practice staff members planning marketing campaigns
Group of practice staff members planning marketing campaigns
5 fresh marketing ideas for your new medical practice

Stand out from your competition by executing fresh marketing campaigns for your medical practice.

This is an image of a provider looking at a tablet screen in a medical office.
This is an image of a provider looking at a tablet screen in a medical office.
The importance of tools and emerging technology for your new medical practice

Learn what to prioritize when choosing technology for a new medical practice.

person looking at medical job posting sites and job boards
person looking at medical job posting sites and job boards
Where to post job ads for your medical practice

Need to staff your medical practice? Find out where to post your job ads, from healthcare job boards to social media sites like LinkedIn and Twitter.

Physician thinks about the process of how to become credentialed with insurance companies
Physician thinks about the process of how to become credentialed with insurance companies
What to know about insurance credentialing when starting your own practice

There are many steps involved in getting your practice up and functioning. One of the items to check off your list as soon as possible is getting credentialed with various insurance companies.

image of person researching checklist for onboarding employees in a medical practice
image of person researching checklist for onboarding employees in a medical practice
5 steps to successfully onboard new employees at your medical practice

Better healthcare onboarding is an important part of practice management. Here’s how to do it correctly.

Medical provider reviews online reputation on mobile device
Medical provider reviews online reputation on mobile device
Unlock provider profiles to manage your online reputation

Do you know where your information is online? Discover how to find and optimize your provider profiles and manage your online reputation.

Healthcare provider reads about how to secure funding for medical practice business
Healthcare provider reads about how to secure funding for medical practice business
Securing funding for a new medical practice

One of the first steps in opening a practice is funding it. Here’s what you need to know about getting healthcare practice loans.

Physician smiling and speaking with patient about patient satisfaction scores
Physician smiling and speaking with patient about patient satisfaction scores
4 ways to improve patient satisfaction scores with digital experiences

Find out how providing up-to-date digital experiences can make a positive impact on patient satisfaction scores.

Image of self-employed physician looking at paperwork
Image of self-employed physician looking at paperwork
Key mindset shifts to becoming a self-employed physician

Consider these mindset shifts when making the transition to becoming self-employed.

starting a medical practice
starting a medical practice
How to start a new medical practice: The definitive guide

If you’re considering opening a practice and want step-by-step instructions to guide you through the process, you’ve found the right resource.

Physician reading on his phone about where patients find doctors online
Physician reading on his phone about where patients find doctors online
4 ways patients find doctors online

Where do patients find healthcare providers? Here are the top 4 places patients search for doctors and dentists online — and how to stand out.

Professionals reviewing how to build business plan for medical practice
Professionals reviewing how to build business plan for medical practice
Free template: How to create a business plan for your new practice

Your medical practice business plan is a living document that evolves as your practice grows. Here’s how to build it from scratch.

woman reviewing medical website best practices
woman reviewing medical website best practices
8 medical website best practices for doctors and dentists

What impression does your practice website make? Dive into the top 8 best practices for doctors and dentists to elevate your site and attract patients.

doctors discussing medical billing insurance claims process
doctors discussing medical billing insurance claims process
How to process insurance claims for medical practices

For medical practices that accept insurance, insurance claims are a crucial part of managing accounts receivable.

two doctors discussing flexibility in healthcare
two doctors discussing flexibility in healthcare
Why patients demand flexibility from their healthcare provider

Flexibility in healthcare matters to patients. Here’s how to increase your flexibility — not your workload.

Man looking at tablet learning about website design for medical practices.
Man looking at tablet learning about website design for medical practices.
Why medical practice website design fails to attract patients

If your medical practice’s website design is failing to attract and retain patients, you may need to ensure you have these 5 key items on your site.

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Get expert tips, guides, and valuable insights for your medical practice

Get expert tips, guides, and valuable insights for your healthcare practice