Manage My Practice

I have been getting lots of questions lately about finding jobs in healthcare management.  The healthcare field is very mobile right now and many managers inside the field and in other fields are looking for advice on the best way to make a move.

In addition to making sure they have the right skills and experience, job seekers also need to be sure that their digital reputations are sterling, and if not, need to make the move to correct them.  In fact, every single person reading this post should check on their digital footprint and see what the web has to say.  You never know when an employment change will suddenly be in your future.

What if you don’t show up on the web radar at all because you’re not on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google finds no matches for your name?  That says you’re not in the know, not networking, not sharing and definitely not computer-savvy.  Here’s an excellent SlideShare presentation by Susan P. Joyce of job-hunt.org that gives job seekers (and truly, each one of us in healthcare is a job seeker, whether we admit it to ourselves or not) a gold mine of information about creating or correcting your online presence.

With huge growth in 2009, social media is not just a passing trend used by online marketers; it’s a real, effective method of communicating ideas, sharing information and connecting with people across all age and socioeconomic groups. Healthcare, while slower to adopt the social media wave than other industries, is coming to realize the potential social media tools provide to develop connections with patients, potential patients, along with other physicians and healthcare leaders around the world.

What are some of the driving forces behind this explosion in popularity? One reason is that as consumers, we’re no longer trusting of advertising and we don’t want to be marketed to, we want to be engaged, build a relationship, make the company earn our trust and hear our friends or family’s review of their experiences. In fact, studies show that today, only 14% of people trust advertising, whereas 78% of people trust recommendations and referrals. Companies are using social media outlets to build relationships, trust and encourage recommendations and referrals from their engaged consumer base.  As practice, hospital and physician growth are so strongly correlated to patient referral and recommendation volumes, it is only natural healthcare organizations look to social media outlets to continue to foster patient relationships and increase referral volumes.

As of February 2010, where is the healthcare industry in its adoption of this social media explosion? Larger organizations and health systems are utilizing the power to connect, share and engage their patients.  While, on average, smaller private physician groups and individual physician offices are still slightly hesitant and dipping their toes in the social media pool cautiously.  One can understand why healthcare professionals do need to take a more strategic approach to interacting and engaging patients online with potential HIPAA privacy issues and other challenges looming. However, with a carefully crafted social media strategy, many health organizations are realizing the benefits of becoming more accessible in their marketing and reaching out to inform, educate and build trust with patients.  According to Ed Bennett (edbennet.org) hospitals are currently at a 53% adoption rate, with 336 Facebook pages, 430 Twitter Accounts, 254 YouTube Channels and 70 blogs. In total, 557 health systems are reported to be participating in some capacity with social media, with the term “social media” encapsulating many forms and tools, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogs, LinkedIn, Flickr, and a number of patient forums.

How are healthcare organizations using these tools effectively? Let’s focus on the top three tools currently adopted and being utilized in the healthcare social media sector.

Facebook: Physician practices and health systems alike are using Facebook as a dynamic, community-based website.  It has become a place where physicians and leaders can post timely, organic or professional videos to educate patients and also connect on a more personal level.  As a valuable resource for health information sharing, many organizations are taking the embarrassment out of sensitive subject matter and addressing specific medical problems, questions and issues for patients. Also, introductions to staff members and tours of the facilities are assisting organizations with connecting with their patients outside the four walls of their office and building rapport before patients even arrive for their appointment. Practices are also encouraging patients to participate and engage on their site through discussions and contests.  Private practitioners are more likely to start their social media strategy with just a Facebook Fan Page, while larger health systems and hospitals are embracing other social media tools in combination with Facebook in their initial strategy.

Twitter: Twitter is being adopted quickly by the larger health systems as a way to share information, publicize events like health screenings, fairs and clinics and also connect with other health organizations.  I like to think of it as a public relations channel for these hospital and health systems.  What’s great is that in short, 140 character or less “tweets”, these organizations are sharing a wealth of information to their patients and those patients are finding ways to access this health information and the system like never before.  Overall the smaller, private practitioners are not as quick to adopt Twitter as they are a practice website or even Facebook, but many are starting to realize the benefits of utilizing this community as a way to share their expertise and knowledge, along with driving traffic to their websites.

YouTube: Healthcare organizations are using YouTube like their own, private television station that can be shared with millions of viewers across the world.  Again, more popular amongst the larger health organizations, videos of procedures, interviews with clinicians, tours of new facilities and patient testimonials are being posted in a searchable, user-friendly manner to continue to enhance brand awareness, build trust and gain patient loyalty.  This social media tool can be used much like Facebook, easing patient fears and answering tough or embarrassing questions. It can also give patients a visual insight into the facility so they know what to expect before arriving at an appointment or for a procedure.  It can act as an online referral source, highlighting patients that have had outstanding experiences and are recommending that organization to over a billion of their closest friends and family online. YouTube is the second largest search engine and healthcare professionals are quickly utilizing its power to share and connect with patients.

The fact of the matter is that for all industries, including healthcare, social media is both a curse and a blessing. Patients, who are now consumers with choices, can post content and interact freely with their physicians and their hospitals, sharing both outstanding experiences and negative experiences.  Many health professionals are worried about their vulnerability, but social media is real life, online.  As 2010 progresses, you’ll be seeing more and more attention placed on social media by healthcare professionals and by the end of the year, it will be a necessity for organizations to be participating and engaging online, or be left out.

I think so.

But I know I’m probably in the minority.  Many managers do not approve of employees using their phones for social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) at work, but I am actually okay with it when used with discretion. Unlike computers, with smart phones you do not need to worry about viruses infecting the office network.

Most managers accept and allow employees who smoke to step outside at least twice a day to smoke a cigarette.  Doesn’t it seem fair to allow everyone else to take a phone break to check messages, make calls and text a few people?

Here are some objections I’ve heard to allowing staff to use their phones at work, and my answers.

“They’ll never get any work done if you let them play on their phones all day.”

My Answer: I only hire adults.  I expect adults to have a reasonably well-formed work ethic that is demonstrated by doing work first, and doing non-work on breaks and briefly other times.  If the practice can’t run without me peeking over their shoulders every hour or so to see if they’re working, then I am not a very good manager.

Performance measures are a great way to set guidelines for what work must be done.  If the employee is meeting their performance goals appropriately, why shouldn’t they be able to take a micro-break to catch up on life?

“Employees should do work at work and save their home life for home.”

My Answer: Employees are people with busy lives, lots of commitments and lots of responsibilities outside of work.  Every single one of us needs to attend to our personal lives for some part of the day.  Most of it can be dealt with at lunch or during breaks, but sometimes people need to attend to their lives at work.  I want them to be able do that, within reason, because it is a realistic response to life in 2010.

“What if staff using the Internet on their phones puts the practice at risk?”

My Answer: If you have done a good job of educating your staff about confidentiality and HIPAA, you should have no worries.  In short, staff should not reveal any patient information (via spoken, written or digital communication) to any third party for any reason besides those dictated in your Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP).  Your HIPAA education plan should be reviewed and updated annually to include any policy changes due to the use of social media for personal and practice purposes.

So you’ve been trying to become employed in healthcare, or you’ve tried to enter healthcare management, or you’re trying to move from one job in healthcare to another.  You’ve read my post about my search for a job in healthcare and have been soldiering on, but you’re just not getting anywhere.  You might have education, but no experience or you might have experience but no formal education.

Healthcare is no different from any other field.  It’s a hodgepodge of what you know and who you know.  What everyone is looking for is expertise and authority and that can’t always be demonstrated by a degree or years of experience.  A new buzz phrase is “What is your value proposition?” or “How will you pay for your salary and make me (doctor, practice, hospital, health plan) money besides?”

If you want to enter the field or climb the ladder in healthcare management, you need to demonstrate that you have something of value that someone wants.  Try some non-traditional ways of gaining expertise and demonstrating value, like the ones I list here.  Yes, each of these will take time in addition to your current job, but it has the potential to give you a hand up to your next job.  If you don’t currently have a job, you have lots of time to work on the list below, and when potential employers ask what you’ve been doing while unemployed, you have a great answer!

1. Blog about the field you want to enter – learn about the field and write about it.
2. Write about being in the middle of a transitional field and your experiences along the way – if you’re a compelling writer, I’ll publish it as a series on my blog!
3. Create a site of resources for others that already do what you want to do.
4. Interview others in the field you want to enter and publish the interviews.
5. Ask people if you can shadow them for one day or a half day to understand what they do to see if you’re on the right track (who would say “no”? I wouldn’t.)
6. If you haven’t used voice recognition, invest in a basic copy of Dragon and learn it inside and out.
7. Learn how electronic health records (EHRs) work.  If you’ve never used one, gain experience by finding someone who has one and volunteer your time to write a user’s guide for them, or to use their user’s guide and critique it for them. Do that for as many different EHRs as you can find.
8. Think creatively about jobs in a department you want to be in, just not in the job you want to be in – call temp agencies, computer schools, software companies, any healthcare entity going through a conversion, etc.
9. Tell everyone (if you’re free to talk about it) what you’re looking for – you never know who might help you find it.
10. Volunteer to do an informal project for someone in the field – some topic they need information about but never have the time to do.
11. Join the American College of Medical Practice Executives (ACMPE) and pursue board certification and become a Fellow in the college.  These credentials are quickly becoming the standard in the field.
12. Get a Google Health account and learn how to use it inside and out.
13. Get a Microsoft Health Vault account and learn how to use it inside and out.
14. Get accounts on any other personal health record (PHR) platform you can find.
15. Publish case studies on common problems in other fields and how they were solved, and apply those solutions to healthcare problems.
16. Put a chart on your resume showing each skill you have and how it transfers to healthcare and brings added value to your potential employer.
17. If you don’t yet, get a Twitter account (free) and start conversations with others in the field.
18. If you don’t yet, get a LinkedIn account (free) and join groups that are talking about the things you want to learn about (Twitter will give you more info and friends, LinkedIn will make you more business connections)
19. If you aren’t already, sign up for websites that focus on what you are interested in, read them religiously and comment on their posts.
20. If you don’t already, get your resume on visualcv.com (still free I think) Add any goodies you can to your visualcv that demonstrate you know your stuff – recommendations, videos, charts, white papers, etc.
21. Find someone to mentor you who is well-positioned (locally, regionally and nationally.)
22. Volunteer to do some pro bono work for your local professional group – your state MGMA, your state medical society, etc.
23. Join Toastmasters and polish your “elevator speech” so you can effortlessly let others know who you are and where you’re heading.
24. Let me know what you plan to do, and how I can help.

Best wishes,

Mary Pat

I invited readers of MMP, colleagues on LinkedIn, and Tweeps (friends on Twitter) to comment on my post “101 ideas for Increasing Revenue and Decreasing Expenses.” I’ve listed their ideas below and hope you’ll chime in on the comments with even more ideas!  Thanks to everyone for contributing.

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David Kirkup

Partner at B2B CFO® – Experienced CFO for Rent. Fast, Effective, Affordable.

Consider adding a part-time CFO to the mix. Many medical offices have very weak financial capability or understanding. Assistance can range from better financial reports, capital expenditure analysis, budgeting and exit plans.

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Bobby Jones

Eastern Region Sales Manager – Billing Tree

1) Build a relationship with the patient before he/she leaves the practice.
2) Make sure they know you are expecting payment on the portion they owe, and when you are expecting that payment.
3) Let them know what your process is for collecting, and when they will go to an outside agency.
4) Enable a web site to take payments 24 hours a day.
5) Set up an IVR system to take phone payments after hours.
6) Communicate your available payment acceptance methods in writing, on the phone and every time you speak with your patients.
7) Send the invoice or statement when you intend to send it.
Re-inforce the payment acceptance methods on the first and any subsequent invoices.
9) Adopt a plan for following up with any patients that don’t pay after 10 days.
10) Get email addresses from all of your patients and their permission to contact them in that manner.

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Sukrit Tripathy

Sr. Product/Process Trainer and EDI Implementation Consultant

One suggestion would be to integrate the revenue cycle mangement function with your clearinghouse {for electronic billing} with integrated solutions like Coding database and Updates, Industry Broadcast, Performance and Audit reports for Claim Edits, Transmission and Rejects. Also, better training resources for billing staff actively into the practice management system.

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Barbara Rotter

Consultant at Pacific Women’s Medical Group

I would add effective cash management (even if interest rates are so low).

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Michael Glass

Medical and Business Consultant at Transworld Systems

Utilize a Flat Fee Collections Agency for Non-responsive Patient Pay concerns.

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Randall Shulkin

Principal Consultant – Culbert Healthcare Solutions

- Do you collect co-payments on the way in rather than on the way out?
- Does your PM/Scheduling system show the patient co-payment and outstanding patient balance in the appointment screen? If not, then can you download a listing for your front desk staff?

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Denise Price Thomas

DPT Healthcare Consulting & Training

I’d like to add “acknowledge the patient with eye contact” and offer “polished customer service” and they will WANT to return = return on your $ $

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Stacy Mays

Managing Partner, Dynamic Grape Companies

One other thought… don’t be afraid to try new technology. For example, one of my clients has developed a kiosk that allows patients to take their own weight and bp and electronically feeds the data into their EMR. The whole set up costs about $3500 and can save a ton of staff time. Tele-health in general should also be considered.

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Angela Short

VP at Operations

If you select a reasonably priced EMR and you implement enhancements then you more than save on staff cost. Keep in mind that my practice rolled out the EMR five years ago, so we have had time to get it right. Here are some of the savings/revenue opportunities:1. We utilize our electronic technology to send text messages and emails to our patients to remind them of their appointments. This function alone saves my practice one FTE. Not only do we save with staff time we improve patient satisfaction, as our Blackberry users loves the email or text that they can directly add to their calendars. The revenue enhancement to this function, we decrease no shows and lag time in our physician’s schedules.

2. The robust reporting within the EMR allows the organization to assemble important quality measures that we use in contract negotiations. Without the EMR this would be a labor intensive task.

3. We are able to push a secure message to our patients regarding their pathology results saving staff time on the telephone and increasing patient satisfaction by eliminating a visit just to obtain a normal result.

4. No more chasing charts for a phone message. My call center takes ALL clinical messages. This is attached to the patient’s electronic chart and routed to either a nurse to respond or a physician. This process greatly reduces staff time, decreases the time it takes to respond to the patient’s issue and provides a legal record of the telephone call which is often missed in a paper environment.

5. We receive a discount on our mal-practice insurance because in an electronic environment it is guarantee that your notes are legible.

6. The formulary function built into most EMR’s provides the physician will a real time snapshot if a prescription that he/she is about to write is covered by the patient’s health plan and provides alternatives if available.

I have just highlighted only a couple examples of the administrative benefits. There are many more. It is tough to imagine going back to a paper chart.

I have done the math and we could cover our current EMR with the incentives offered through the government initiative.

I will comment that physicians need to be trained on how to use the EMR. You can lose site of the patient and focus the entire visit on the computer versus the patient, however, we teach our physicians that the patient first and then chart completion. We conduct patient satisfaction surveys and I rarely receive a complaint regarding the physician’s time at the computer. I do however, receive praises from patients regarding the ePrescribe as it decreases their wait times when the arrive at the pharmacy, the prescription is ready.

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Okay Readers, it’s your turn – what’s your secret weapon for increasing revenue or decreasing expenses?

Mary Pat

I have been a fan of Chris Brogan’s for quite awhile now.  He is a superstar on the social media landscape and I almost got to meet him once when I lived in Seattle (sigh.)  Today I came across his post  “5 Things That Small Businesses Should Do Now.”  Many medical practices are small businesses (privately owned and operated, with 100 employees or less), but may have not considered any of these options.

Here are Chris’s suggestions and my commentary:

• Start a blog – I can’t think of any simpler website technology to start and master, and there are cheap and free platforms readily available. Why a blog? Because they’re easy to create, because they’re easy to update, because they encourage repeat visits, and because you can use them in many flexible ways.

My comment: Most practices have websites and it is easy to add a blog to a website.   Some administrators and/or physicians would gladly take on a blog, and if not, there are some great writing professionals who can create and write a blog for you.  Professional bloggers get to know your practice and your patient demographic and create a voice for your practice that uniquely fits you.  A blog extends and enhances your relationship with existing and future patients. It’s all about the communication.

• Start listening – People are talking about you. Find out where they are and who they are.

My comment: It has been hard for physicians to come to terms with the fact that patients are publicly rating them. In some cases, physicians are requiring consumers to sign gag orders before becoming patients.  The truth is, patients will not be stifled and physicians need to monitor the bandwaves for commentary about them and take it seriously.

• Try Twitter OR Facebook – Let’s not rush things. Facebook has many more users, but it’s a bit harder to find customers, prospects, partners and colleagues. Twitter is easier to use and faster to connect with people, but there are far fewer users on there today. I’ll let you choose. If you go with Facebook, make a personal account under your own name, and then start a fan page for your business.

My comment: Does this seem too far out? It’s not! At the very least, practices should be learning about the technology and preparing for the time when they will need to jump in.  Businesses (who want customers) can no longer hold themselves aloof. You need to be part of the conversation, or at least know where/what the conversation is.

• Get the word out – If you’re going to spend time building these social sites, let’s presume that you want more people to contact you and interact with you through them. Print business cards with the company name, and/or the request for people to join your fan page or follow you on Twitter.

My comment: Your website and your social sites should be on everything you print that patients take home or receive from you, and can also be communicated to patients via automated communication: appointment reminders, messages on hold, emails, and electronic newsletters.

• Try moving the needle – now lets really get crazy. See if you can fill the place up with social-media minded folks. Okay, this won’t work for every business, but don’t be too quick to count out the idea. Let’s try inviting them to a store-only special event, or let’s give them a discount code. You know, the stuff you already know how to do. Any difference in the results? See if you can do some kind of really special one-day-only push, and what that brings to you.

My comment: This won’t work for every medical practice but it’s ideal for practices with elective services – plastic/cosmetic surgery, allergy, complementary & alternative medicine, sports performance, vision correction, cosmetic dental services, infertility treatment, etc.

I wrote this post for the MGMA In Practice Blog and have republished it here for my readers.

I resigned from my job managing an orthopedic group on Jan. 20, 2009, and I remember thinking, Who leaves a job during a recession? Well, I did, and what follows is what I learned on my three-and-a-half month journey to my new position.

1. Visit the MGMA Career Center job search site often. Try different categories and occasionally check categories you don’t think you fit in – you never know. I don’t suggest this because I am writing for the MGMA blog, I suggest it because it is a resource that I believe in.
2. Four state MGMA sites integrate their “jobs boards” with the MGMA Career Center: Colorado, Georgia, New Jersey and Montana. Search other state MGMA sites; some allow non-members to access the job listings.
3. Get a LinkedIn account (free) at LinkedIn.com and complete your profile, connect with colleagues, join groups and start networking. There are healthcare jobs listed exclusively on LinkedIn, as well as an aggregation of jobs listed elsewhere. Joining MGMA’s new LinkedIn group will help expand your network even more.
4. In addition to LinkedIn, be sure to have your expanded resume on the web. MGMA provides a platform for this, as does VisualCV.com (free). I use VisualCV.com because it allows me to include articles I’ve authored, recommendations from former employers and even video. I’ve gotten a number of quality calls from recruiters who saw my expanded resume online.
5. Contact consultants to let them know you are in the market. MGMA has a consulting arm that often places healthcare executives, and you can also search for consultants via the MGMA Member Directory (members only) which at last count numbered about 640.
6. Contact your colleagues and MGMA friends to let them know you’re looking. If you are looking for employment in a particular region or community, contact managers working there and let them know about your search.
7. Look on Craigslist.org. Yes, really! You would be amazed who advertises there.
8. If you expect to relocate, having a home to sell may be a hiring stumbling block because of the housing market. Employers want to know you’ll be available to work when they want you. If you don’t have a home to sell, mention that in your cover letter/e-mail.
9. When you apply for a position, ask the receiver to let you know that your e-mail arrived. If they respond, take the opportunity to respond back, which helps you to stand out from the pack and gives you a name to follow up with in a few weeks by e-mail.
10. There is a pack! Some employers told me they had received more than 200 mostly qualified applications for open positions. How do you stand out in that kind of a crowd? Network, network, network. Find out whether you or someone you know knows someone at the potential employer and work it.  LinkedIn has an excellent system for finding out who you know that works at the employer you are targeting.
11. Join more listservs on the MGMA Member Community (members only). Step outside your current/past specialties and join other professional e-mail lists to listen and contribute to the conversation. Respond when someone talks about a job opening.
12. Talk to recruiters. Recruiters don’t owe you anything, but they are worth including in your search. Get into the minds of a recruiters and see what tactics they’re using on social networking platforms to fill jobs.
13. Don’t spend much time on non-healthcare job boards. The likelihood that you will find the job of your dreams on Monster.com or CareerBuilder.com is low.
14. Don’t be afraid to look for a job on Twitter. This is what I tweeted: “Calling on the Power of Twitter: looking for new job: private (phys) practice mgmt/other healthcare opp. Innovator, Blogger. DM me – Thx.” If you want to jump into Twitter but don’t know what it’s all about, read this post at my blog, Manage My Practice, or MGMA’s Twitter guide. Twitter has recruiters, consultants, employers, job boards and colleagues and is one of the fastest-growing social networks. It can significantly expand your networking scope.
15. Share information with other job seekers in your market. Don’t be afraid to share your leads with others – it’s good networking karma!
16. Two sites I found useful during my job search are CareerAlley.com and Alltop.com. Career Alley is a good all-purpose site with lots of job search information and resources, such as a tracking spreadsheet that helps you document your leads. Alltop is an ever-growing aggregator of other sites – try looking under “jobs” and “careers.”

Remember, the Internet doesn’t replace traditional networking – it supercharges it! The important thing is to get out there and make connections, share information and let people know what value you bring to a practice. Even with all the social networking I did, my opportunity came the old-fashioned way: A colleague and consultant I knew well from the state and regional levels of MGMA recommended me for a job, and here I am. Good luck!

Nextgov.com’s Bob Brewin reported June 8, 2009 that the Military Health System (MHS) has added social networking tools to its web portal serving 1.4 million people on active duty. The social networking tools are designed to connect with the 18-24 year-old demographic which makes up a large portion of the active duty personnel.

In addition to MySpace, FaceBook, and Twitter, Brewin notes:

The agency also uses sites such as YouTube to reach to the younger age group with videos on subjects ranging from prosthetic legs to golf therapy clinics for combat wounded veterans to a short profile of an occupational therapist who works with combat-wounded veterans.

The video on prosthetic legs had the most views last month. The second-most-viewed video was a 2008 video on the Bataan Memorial Death March at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., which features Army medic Staff Sgt. Matthew Sims, an indication that troops crave more than just medical information. Kilpatrick said MHS posted 66 videos on YouTube in May, with the top five viewed 3,785 times.

The portal has been available for about two years, but the Twitter feed was just launched in March.

The MHS web portal is impressive as is their stated mission: The Military Health System mission is to provide optimal Health Services in support of our nation’s military mission—anytime, anywhere.

I know many people are having trouble understanding how Twitter could be relevant to a medical practice. Here’s a list that might help.

1. Tweet patients when doctor is running late.

2.  Tweet doctor when patient is running late.

3. Tweet staff to remind them of staff meeting Monday morning.

4. Tweet patients to remind them of appointment.

5. Tweet when physician is giving a talk somewhere.

6. Tweet patients that medical report is available.

7. Tweet patients to call to make next appointment for vaccine or treatment series.

8. Tweet patient to complete patient questionnaire so payer will process claim.

9. Tweet patients to remind about NPO, golitely, drink water before test.

10. Tweet staff to remind of lunch event at work (forget the brown bag or remember your potluck offering.)

11. Tweet patient that medical records are ready to be picked up or have been sent.

12. Tweet patients that auto payment will be drafted tomorrow.

13. Tweet patients to take meds (especially meds that change: z-pack, coumadin.)

14. Tweet staff to turn payroll in, managers to look over payroll.

15. Tweet lab tech to go to exam room # for lab work.

16. Tweet x-ray tech to go to exam room # to escort patient to x-ray.

17.  Send notice to patients when new info is on website.

18. Tweet patient that earlier appointment is available when patient no-shows.

19. Order lunch for physicians.

20. Announce new services, physicians, locations.

21. Let patients know when flu shots are available.

22. Remind patients about drugs (interactions, refills, take meds.)

23.  Remind patients to take blood sugar, blood pressure.

24. Alert patient ride that patient is ready for pickup.

25. Alert referring physician that new test reports are available for them via the web.

26.. Tweet staff to give them inclement weather update.

27. Tweet patients to remind them of support-group meetings.

28. Tweet patient that last payment in payment plan is less or more due to EOB notice.

29. Tweet patients about drug recall.

What great ideas do you have for Twitter?

I learned about this product on Twitter (if you’re not on Twitter yet, you’re missing out on a lot of the conversation!) and I thought it was too great not to pass it on.

BEDSCAPES “turn cubicle curtains into a nurturing therapeutic patient-friendly bedside comfort zone for the relief of pain, anxiety and insomnia.”  BEDSCAPES are special bedside curtains used to create a “comfort cocoon” in patient rooms that have no visual access to the outside world or to nature.  Patients can choose from a number of calming nature scenes printed on fire-retardant washable fabric, and to further enhance the experience, can choose to listen to recorded sounds (water, birdsong, wind) associated with the nature scene to complete the wonderful ambiance.

It has been proven (more…)