As 2008 Wraps Up....

Whether this is your first year in private practice or you're a seasoned veteran, congratulations on making it through another year! You might find December to be busy as clients find themselves in pre-holiday crises, or you might find your caseload a bit lighter as clients become involved with holiday festivities. Either way, as 2008 is winding down, there's still much you can do to help your practice thrive.

* If you're behind in reconciling your accounts and billing, get on it! Many insurance companies want to close out their books as well. In my experience, insurance companies tend to have faster turn-around times in processing your CMS forms at this time of the year.

* Set aside time to catch up on any charting that needs to be done. You don't want start 2009 with loose ends from 2008 - and it's critical that you have your charts in order in the event of an audit or subpoena.

* If business is slow, this is a great time to review your business plan for 2008 and see how you did. Look at your accomplishments and make some notes about what you might want to do differently Use this review as a starting point for re-evaluating your business plan and developing your goals for 2009.

* Use any downtime to update your website, your AdWords campaign, or any other internet-based marketing strategies. As people seek help recovering from a stressful holiday season, your website will be there to give them what they're looking for.

* If you're going to take any time off during the holidays, start informing clients now. This will help them deal with any crises they have and give you the space to enjoy the holidays.

* Keep your schedule balanced. Between clients, paperwork, shopping, and festivities of your own, this month can feel overwhelming! Carve out time to accommodate what you need to do for your practice and what you want to do for the holidays.