Calisher & Associates - Improving the quality of healthcare

A concern for many throughout the United States is the cost and quality of healthcare. For Calisher & Associates, helping healthcare facilities provide the best healthcare options at a reasonable cost for consumers is key to maintaining their reputation of excellence. In the same way, many healthcare facilities seeking to make a profit may have lost vision of the patient experience and could benefit from consulting with a company such as C&A in order to improve the upon any inefficiencies and better solidify their place in the market.

Improving the quality of care while maintaining a profit and adhering to state and federal regulations are all key aspects of finding a balance between maintaining excellence while seeing growth and prosperity in your company. Healthcare is an industry that revolves around very personal choices and consumers are now inundated with options. Current trends have helped to push quality higher as facilities work to impress new patients and maintain their current client base.

Calisher & Associates focuses on streamlining processes and can help in almost any area of business for a healthcare facility to optimize their strengths and overcome weaknesses. C&A works with facilities through each stage of the process and is able to jump in at any point to bring a current project or operating business back on the right track. Improving the planning processes and maintaining high standards in management trickles down to employees and patients in the healthcare field as well, improving the overall quality of care at a consistently affordable cost.

Calisher & Associates - Planning in Ambulatory Care

The planning process for healthcare facilities can be exhausting. Calisher & Associates is here to help establishments as they plan and develop their company to best suit the needs of their physicians and patients while adhering to strict rules and regulations. Although the process can be strenuous there are some things to keep in mind that can make all the difference in a facility’s success.

1. Keep in mind industry trends, benchmarks, quotas, and goals you would like to meet. Having a vision for where you would like to see your facility in a year, in five years, et cetera is an excellent way to first establish your organization. Thinking small with a focus on quality in the short term and keeping big dreams and goals in mind for the long term can set you on the path to future success. This is where simulation models can come in handy as well.
2. Be mindful of your design. The manner in which the facility is designed affects opportunity for future growth. Keep in mind population growth and trends as well as the possibility of the need for future care processes. You don’t want to create a design that knowingly limits your growth or options in the future but it also needs to be function in the present and appealing to your patients.

Companies like Calisher & Associates can take a vision for medical facilities and turn them into a reality. Keeping in mind goals, patient and physician needs, as well as process flow and design are important in opening a facility and can impact the future of your company.

Sources: http://www.hfmmagazine.com/display/HFM-news-article.dhtml?dcrPath=/templatedata/HF_Common/NewsArticle/data/HFM/Magazine/2013/Jul/0713HFM_FEA_planning

Calisher & Associates - Medical Practice Consulting – Helping you provide the best care for your patients

Opening a medical practice can be a painstaking experience. After 70 years of combined experience, the experts at Calisher & Associates have seen it all and know the importance of starting your facility on the right foot and building a quality name and reputation in your community. Using the assistance of medical practice consultants can help those in the medical field begin a successful practice and allow medical professionals to focus their attention on what matters most, the health of their patients.

Medical practice consultants assist licensed healthcare providers on numerous administrative and business decisions and procedures, often concerning development and implementation as well as maintenance. These professionals can help in nearly every facet of the industry other than clinical issues and can create a streamlined system of information and patient care. Many of the These consultants often focus on operations, finance and billing, medical coding, human resources, marketing, patient satisfaction, and much more within the medical field. An increasing number of hospitals and outpatient care facilities have chosen to employ consultants in order to optimize their facilities and create lasting results in patient satisfaction and the reputation of the practice as a whole.

Calisher & Associates works with nearly any type of medical facility in the field during any phase of development. Whether the company is looking to open its doors with the help of experts in marketing, processes, and management or requiring assistance with improving daily functions years into operations, C&A can help healthcare businesses reach their full potential and continue improving with advances in medicine and healthcare procedures.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_practice_consultants

Calisher & Associates - Ambulatory Healthcare Services

Ambulatory healthcare includes a wide range of services such as observation, analysis, consultation, treatment, intervention, and rehabilitation services on an outpatient basis. Calisher & Associates is a company, owned and operated by family, which has provided vital healthcare services to the industry for over 25 years. Calisher & Associates realizes that companies in the healthcare industry must stay up to date with current healthcare trends and the needs of their community. Advances in medicine and technology are a driving force in the facilities that patients choose for themselves and loved ones. A facility’s reputation and specialties can attract patients from around the world and are paramount to the success of ambulatory centers.

Ambulatory care centers have become increasing popular as many surgeries have advanced with medicine and technology allowing for quicker recovery times and less invasive procedures. These operations often require less observation and offer lower risks which allow patients to return home without hospital stays and resume normal daily activity relatively soon. There is little surprise to why these types of procedures would be desirable among patients as they create a shortened disturbance in everyday life and are often more cost effective as well. 

There is a wide range of facilities that offer these outpatient services including outpatient and public health clinics, physician offices, emergency and urgent care centers, ambulatory surgical centers, imaging facilities, dialysis centers, and many more. Calisher & Associates believes in developing turnkey healthcare solutions for ambulatory centers in nearly any division of the healthcare industry.

Sources: http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/epidemiology/surveillance/hai/ambulatory.htm
http://www.hoovers.com/industry-facts.ambulatory-health-care-services.2051.html

Calisher & Associates - Helping Ambulatory Healthcare Facilities Through the Medicare Certification Process

Any ambulatory healthcare facility in the early stages of development should have Medicare Certification at the top of their to do list. The process of obtaining certification can be a lengthy one and ample time must be allotted to ensure completion.  Calisher & Associates has helped countless facilities though the certification process and offers the following advice for facilities seeking Medicare certification.

Obtaining a National Provider Identifier (NPI) through the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) is the first task in Medicare certification.  This step can be expedited by going through the online system at NPPES.

Medicare enrollment through the state channel is the next step.  Online enrollment can be completed through the Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System or by filling out paper form 855b and filing it with the Medicare Administrative Contractor for your state.  Enrollment with the state needs to be reevaluated every five years.

Conditions for Coverage (CFCs) is the next condition for certification. This requirement pertains to all aspects of an ASC including operations, facility design and patient services. ASCs also have two additional requirements that are needed for certification that include the Survey Procedures and Interpretive Guidelines for Life Safety Code Surveys and the Guidelines for Determining Immediate Jeopardy.

In addition to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, the following private entities are also able to determine if an ASC has achieved compliance with all CFCs:  The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, Health Care Facilities Accrediting Program and the Joint Commission and the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, Inc.

Calisher & Associates - Advice For Growing Your Business

Calisher & Associates has been a steadily growing business since their inception over twenty-five years ago.  In their early years, Calisher and Associates aided in the construction and development of health care facilities, consulting clients throughout the process on regulatory rules, state laws and facility administration.  The company has grown to include full scale management of health care facilities throughout the country.  The company offers this advice for growing and expanding business endeavors.

Be Aware of the Risks

Taking risks in business can be intimidating, but taking measured risks can aid the growth of your business.  If you can determine the downside of a possible business venture, then you can prepare for that scenario.  Focusing on the benefits of the risk and working to make the venture come to fruition is the ultimate reward.

Be Aware of the Competition

Competition in business is healthy as it can bring out the best in all parties as they compete to be better, offer a stronger service, or offer more cost effective strategies.  Businesses can also learn from those successful in their field by determining what makes them stand out, and then striving to do better.

Always Offer the Highest Level of Service 

Providing a great service to clients is the cornerstone of any successful business.  By offering great service, businesses also create great rapport with their customers, ensuring not only repeat business, but also recommendations from happy clients.  Testimonials from satisfied clients remains to be one of the best avenues for growing business.

Calisher & Associates thrives on offering the best of service to all of their clients.  Over the course of 25 years, the company has grown to serve a myriad of clients in the healthcare field in more than 30 states.

Calisher & Associates - What Is Endoscopy?

Calisher & Associates have been providing services to the medical field for over two decades, mainly in the development and management of Ambulatory Surgery Centers, including Endoscopy Centers.  Endoscopy Centers provide a valuable health service—a place where patients can receive various types procedures on an outpatient basis.

Endoscopy is any procedure that uses an endoscope to look inside the body to determine any ailments going on within a specific region.  Endoscopy is unlike other imaging procedures such as X-rays and CT’s, which do not require inserting devices into the body.  There are many types of endoscopes, each entered into a specific part of the body to view a certain body part.  Endoscopes are inserted through the nose, cuts in the skin, mouth, anus, vagina and urethra.  The name of each procedure using an endoscope determines which body part is being looked at and there are a variety of different endoscopes.

Endoscopy was first introduced to look at body parts that couldn’t be viewed any other way.  Now endoscopy can be used for a wide variety of medical reasons including early detection of ailments, prevention, diagnosis and even treatment of certain cancers.  Examples of diagnostic procedures include colonoscopy for those with blood in their stools, laryngoscopy to determine the cause of chronic hoarseness, and upper endoscopy for patients that have pain while swallowing.

Calisher & Associates has worked with a multitude of Endoscopy Centers throughout the nation over the past twenty-five years.  The company has aided in the development, management and operations of countless endoscopy centers, aiding in patients receiving affordable, convenient and state of the art treatment for all endoscopy needs.

Calisher & Associates - Tips For Running a Family Business

Calisher & Associates is a family business with over 25 years of service in the medical field; the company has been providing development, consulting and management practice services to Kevin Calisher, President and COO of the company, offers the following tips for successfully running a family business.

Whether the family business is a small corner store, a mid-sized collaboration between multiple generations, or a multimillion dollar corporation, working together as a family presents great opportunities to share success with those you love the most.  These pieces of advice can go a long way in keeping the family business running smoothly.

Set Expectations

The role of each family member needs to be clearly defined when sharing business responsibilities.  No matter how large or small the business is, having each family member’s role in writing further cements expectations.

Keep the business formal

Even though you are working amongst family, stay cognizant that this is a business.  Each member of the team needs to carry their own weight in order to bring harmony and financial success to the venture. 

Family Time is Still Important

At the end of the day, don’t forget that this is your family.  Family time spent together can be just as important as time spent together doing business.  While it can be tempting to constantly talk business during gatherings, keep in mind that having fun together and enjoying hobbies can be just as important. These people are in your life to stay; make the most of it.

Kevin Calisher of Calisher & Associates has been involved with the family business for more than 17 years.  Calisher began as a project manager in 1998 and worked diligently throughout the years to expand the business, eventually taking over as President and COO in 2006.

Calisher & Associates - Tips for Advancing in Your Career

Calisher & Associates, Inc., like many other companies, is dedicated to nurturing its employees and providing them with all of the tools that they need in order to advance in their careers. However, this is not always enough and there are a number of things that people need to do for themselves in order to highlight their value to the company. By following these tips you will find that career advancement is a much more likely prospect.

Show Initiative
Never settle for simply doing enough when there is the potential for more to be done. Better yet, take the time to question business processes and look into developing new ideas. While you can’t guarantee that all of your suggestions will be taken on board, this does demonstrate that you are willing to work towards the betterment of the company and will often be noticed by senior management. Simply put, the more you bring to the table, and the more you work on your own accord, the better your chances of progressing.

Network
A lot of people are wary of networking, particularly if they don’t want to seem like they are trying to use connections to get ahead over talent. However, professional networking is very important. Not only does it provide you with the chance to meet new people and develop further opportunities, but it also shows that you care about gaining the trust of the management team. Be personable and get to know those you work with in addition to potential business partners. After that, simply ensure that your work is of a quality that speaks for itself.

Pursue the Right Goals
Your goals for career enhancement should stretch beyond simply wanting to earn more money. The people who are best at what they do often have a passion for it, so be sure to carefully consider where you want your career to go. This offers you an end goal to shoot towards, allowing you to better judge the steps you take in order to climb the career ladder.

Hard Work
While all of the above will factor into building a reputation within a company, Calisher & Associates, Inc., and companies like it, also place a lot of value in people who work hard and meet the goals that are set for them. Never let the quality of your work slip while following any of these other pointers. Ideally, you should be able to demonstrate the quality of your work at all times, while also showing that you are ready to progress and take on new responsibilities as well.

Calisher & Associates - Elements of a Good Feasibility Study

Before beginning work on the design and development of new outpatient facilities, the team at Calisher & Associates, Inc. always conducts a thorough feasibility study. This allows them to determine whether or not it is worth going ahead with the project, or if it would be best to consider moving the location or changing a number of other factors. A good feasibility study should contain the following elements.

Competitor Analysis

No new business of any kind should open its doors before determining whether or not they will be facing any competition. Established companies may prevent you from building a client base, which could lead to failure of the venture before it ever gets off the ground, so be aware of the competition you face.

Budgeting

You should already have an idea of the sort of budget you wish to stick to as part of the project, so consider the various costs that the project will generate at this stage. While this won’t be set in stone just yet, the study will allow you to determine if you can comfortably afford to carry out the project.

Your Approach

Before the development stage begins, there will likely be a number of ideas floating around in regards to how best to deliver the project. Be sure to consider each of these at the feasibility study stage, allowing you to determine which ones have potential for further exploration.

A Review

With all components put in place, Calisher & Associates, Inc. finds that it is best to conduct a full review of the feasibility study with all involved parties. This allows for the highlighting of any issues that were not spotted during the course of the initial study.