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Doctor Keeps Calling Me

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Christy:
Hi all!

I have my first billing client, who currently has only 3 patients that I bill insurance for. I charge the doctor by the hour, as it is such a small account.

The doctor is extremely neurotic and calls me obsessing over his  treatment notes and other issues. Today is Wednesday and I have already logged 33 minutes "talking" to him as he obssesses over this tiny account.

I never would have thought to bill for phone calls to me, but this is starting to feel like it's wasting my time that I could bill for other clients (if I had them, lol!) Do I bite the bullet as he is my first client and I hope he'll refer  me to others?

ugh!

PMRNC:
Unfortunately some clients require more hand holding than others :(  If you are billing per hour and he's a local call or calling you.. I can't see how you could charge him more than "time".  For a client like that .. IF I took it.. I'd have a monthly minimum and if he didn't like it, he would be free to do it himself or get someone else. 

Christy:
Thanks for the reply. I have not billed the doc for any of these phone calls....Initially the calls were to figure out logisitics of him getting info to me, etc....

Now the calls are telling me his patient's histories, asking me how he should format his notes (they are fine just the way they are), telling lengthy stories of his interaction with the ins companies, etc.... He seems to enjoy now having someone to talk to about his business.

I never thought to address phone calls in my contract, but wanted to see what others would do in this situation?

thanks!

PMRNC:

--- Quote ---Thanks for the reply. I have not billed the doc for any of these phone calls....Initially the calls were to figure out logisitics of him getting info to me, etc....

Now the calls are telling me his patient's histories, asking me how he should format his notes (they are fine just the way they are), telling lengthy stories of his interaction with the ins companies, etc.... He seems to enjoy now having someone to talk to about his business.

I never thought to address phone calls in my contract, but wanted to see what others would do in this situation?
--- End quote ---

But what I meant was.. if you are already billing him on "time" you won't be able to justify the calls separately from time.. in other words if you spend an hour with him on the phone, how will you justify billing him an hourly fee for that hour as well as the call itself? Unless you are being charged by the min with your phone (too many phone plans out there to negate that) I can't see how you will justify it fairly.   When you charge an hourly rate, you are charging for your time, the physician, rightfully so, expects those billable hours to be productive for him.   Maybe a better idea for you would be to change the "structure" of your pricing in your contract. Of course you want to adjust your contract according to the terms of it.. if your contract says you will make change and give client 60 or 90 days notice, you need to adhere to that. Maybe a flat fee per month with a minimum is the better fit for that client. Like I said previously, for smaller clients I do require a minimum, but if you have a client that is just small for his own reasons with no intentions or goals to grow, you need to take that into consideration. If you are fairly new in your business it might not be a good idea to let any client go, let alone one that is helping you gain experience as you learn at a slower pace.  I had a client back when I started who was a psychologist but he was also a college professor, he only saw patients two hours a day 3 days a week. I liked him a lot, great guy so I billed him a flat fee that was fair but I wasn't going to get rich off him then or ever.. kept it very simple but I wouldn't have let him go even if he did require the additional hand holding because I was just getting started and he was invaluable in getting me going.

The hand holding may slow down in time. You could also try talking to him or even setting up "sessions" so that it's not taking away from your work. Tell him that you will be available for a session between 11-12 every day, once week, etc.. and that the interruptions you face with his constant calls keep you from doing your job efficiently. I just don't see how you can bill him for the calls separately when you are already billing him for your time.

Christy:
thank you for thr thoughtful reply, Linda!

No I am not billing him ANYTHING for the calls. Not time, not anything....Initially, I did not feel right billing him for calls because they were logistics related.

But now they are billing/consulting related and getting cumbersome to me.... I would not even consider charging for calls (not even "Time") if they were quick, but he is a talker and goes on and on....

My contract (very detailed) says for price, simply $xx per hour.

So I think you are saying that I am within my rights to bill for calls at my regular hourly fee...

thanks again!

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