Does your practice feel a little chaotic sometimes? You are not alone. Each week in Calm the Chaos, I share actionable strategies, real-world stories, and simple tech solutions to help you take control and create a better experience for your patients and team.

This week’s issue focuses on one of the biggest frustrations for practices and patients: billing confusion. When patients do not understand what they owe or why, collections drop, trust breaks down, and your staff ends up chasing payments that should have been collected at the visit.

STORY TIME:

From Confusion to Clarity: One Simple Shift

BEFORE THE FIX

Dr. Patel managed a busy Dallas clinic. Every month, collections at the front desk fell short. Outstanding balances grew. Staff felt awkward discussing billing, and patients called back confused about unexpected bills. The manager spent hours each week chasing payments that slipped through the cracks. Cash flow dropped and team morale suffered.

THE SOLUTION

Dr. Patel and her manager decided to change their process. They started verifying insurance before each visit. They built clear fee schedules into the system. Staff learned simple scripts and shared cost estimates up front. The team followed the “Rule of Four” to set payment expectations at every step. Quick Loom videos helped staff practice handling billing questions.

THE RESULTS

Upfront collections increased. Fewer billing calls came in. Patients felt informed, and staff felt more confident. The clinic’s cash flow improved. Billing errors dropped. The team was proud to offer a clear and trustworthy experience for patients.

ACTIONABLE TIPS FOR THE WEEK:

How to Simplify Billing and Get Paid Faster

1️⃣ Verify insurance benefits before each visit, especially co-pays, deductibles, and coinsurance.

2️⃣ Share a clear estimate in advance so patients know what they will owe.

3️⃣ Follow the Rule of Four: set payment expectations when scheduling, after verifying insurance, during confirmation, and again at check-in.

4️⃣ Train staff with role-playing to build confidence.

5️⃣ Offer easy payment options like card on file, payment plans, or third-party financing.

TANIA'S TECH TIPS:

Train Confident Conversations with Loom

Loom makes it easy to create quick screen recordings for staff training. Show how to estimate costs and role-play billing conversations.

💡 Pro tip: Record a short “Rule of Four” video series in Loom to train new staff. Store it in your onboarding folder for easy access.

WHAT I’M READING:

Buy Back Your Time bby Dan Martell

This book teaches you how to reclaim your schedule and focus on high-value work. Key lesson: time is energy, clarity, and freedom. "You don’t hire to save time, you hire to buy time."

SMALL CHANGES, BIG RESULTS

Need help training your team to talk about money with confidence?

Everyone’s a VIP: Mastering Patient Communications for Excellence gives your front-desk team the language, scripts, and practice they need to turn awkward billing conversations into smooth interactions.

TRAIN THE TEAM

P.S. Missed my recent masterclass, "How to Hire Superstars for Your Medical Practice (and How to Keep Them)"? You can catch the replay and learn step-by-step strategies for attracting and retaining top talent. → Watch the Replay