Kassouf Healthcare Solutions
Crafting A Blueprint for Medical Practice Success

Medical professionals spend years honing their skills. While many choose to join established practices, a few step into the entrepreneurial realm and set up a practice of their own—a path marked by admirable ambition but laden with business challenges.

Human resources management, accounting, revenue cycle management, strategic planning and information technology can be overwhelming for those trying to focus on patient care.

This is what Kassouf Healthcare Solutions (KHS) has been successfully addressing for 25 years.

Marking its silver jubilee this year, KHS’s illustrious journey shows how it has been shouldering the business burdens so that medical professionals can concentrate on what they do best—patient care.

KHS has observed substantial transformations in healthcare. It has been instrumental in the shift from the initial adoption of electronic medical records—a novel concept at the time—to the sophisticated healthcare technologies of today, which enhance patient care efficiency.

“We guide healthcare professionals through practice management and billing systems, helping them select efficient, cost-effective technologies. As technology evolves rapidly, our team provides timely, practical insight, ensuring physicians adapt quickly and successfully to navigate these changes without conflicted interest in vendors,” says Jeffrey Dance, executive director.

This dedication to unbiased guidance has cemented KHS’ reputation as a reliable partner for healthcare providers, guaranteeing they have access to systems that offer good data integrity, efficient reporting and seamless monthly close processes.

KHS also supports established physician entrepreneurs who express exhaustion with managing everything alone and seek assistance. It alleviates their administrative workload without infringing on the physician owner’s autonomy over their practices. By taking the time to listen to each physician and create customized solutions, KHS ensures its support is effective and aligned with the practice’s goals.

From Practice Inception to Operational Excellence

KHS acts as the practice quarterback, guiding physicians in establishing medical practices. Its hands-on service package helps professionals find a reliable ally in KHS to tackle various administrative and operational tasks.

The process begins by facilitating the various credentialing requirements, including tax ID numbers and National Provider Identifiers (NPI). KHS simplifies the complex credentialing process with insurance payors and regulatory agencies, setting the stage for a compliant and efficient operation.

Identifying the optimal location is crucial. KHS collaborates with healthcare real estate specialists to locate sites that bolster patient access and amplify the practice’s community presence.

Strategically nurturing the practice’s financial health and expansion potential, KHS transforms the chosen space into a pillar of success. Legal documentation, managed by physicians’ legal counsel, covers all essential agreements and partnership agreements, ensuring a robust foundation for success.

As the practice takes shape, KHS provides leadership in choosing and implementing the most appropriate practice management and billing systems. These systems form the backbone of the practice, managing everything from patient records to scheduling and billing and enhancing administrative workflows. KHS’s guidance navigates the choice between server-based and cloud-based solutions, focusing on accessibility and reduced infrastructure needs.

KHS also directs the seamless integration of systems. For example, it integrates accounting software that interfaces directly with the practice’s banking and payroll systems, promoting efficiency and transparency. Maintaining a technology-agnostic but structurally strict approach, KHS allows physicians to monitor their financials and payroll anytime, making operational aspects transparent.

“Solid financial management practices boost profitability while making certain patient care remains at the highest quality. Calculated planning is vital to uncover growth opportunities, optimize revenue and establish achievable long-term objectives,” says Dance.

This planning and financial oversight level ensures that new practices thrive and stand out in the competitive healthcare field.

In keeping with KHS’s model, the physician owner(s) remain in control of the practice. The caliber of a practice’s team directly impacts its success. KHS works in concert with the practice to find the right fit as the practice those who meet the physician’s operational demands and practice values. This holistic approach to staffing transforms the workplace into a unified entity committed to unparalleled patient care. KHS cultivates a harmonious and excellence-driven work environment through rigorous hiring and training on behalf of the practice.

This comprehensive process culminates in a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a celebratory mark of the practice’s launch and the beginning of patient care services.

“The 2019 Medscape Compensation Report revealed that 43 percent of general surgeons surveyed spend 20 or more hours weekly on administrative tasks. We aim to dramatically reduce this time, shifting hours from paperwork to patient care. By doing so, surgeons can return to the operating room—a revenue-enhancing environment—boosting productivity and revitalizing their passion for the vocation,” adds Dance.

A Strategic Turnaround Story

A six-physician specialty group faced challenges managing their ‘buy-and-bill’ biologics program and sought KHS’s expertise to restore profitability.

With a seven-figure deficit, the practice needed help managing complex, high-cost therapies crucial to patient care. The cornerstone of the turnaround plan was reevaluating and restructuring the drug ordering process.

KHS implemented a just-in-time logistics approach to streamline expensive biologics procurement, ensuring the practice purchased only what was immediately necessary for upcoming treatments. This tactic directly reduced costs by minimizing overstock and expired inventory, avoiding unnecessary expenditure on high-dollar treatments that might not be used. KHS also revised the practice’s compensation models, which are closely tied to biologics’ purchase and reimbursement. The compensation framework was realigned through detailed analysis and restructuring to support sustainable financial health, encouraging efficient resource use without compromising patient care.

Rigorous training programs were essential to staff proficiency in managing the prior authorization process, new ordering system and fostering productive pharmaceutical representative interactions. KHS emphasized clear expectations for drug representatives, focusing on the practice’s needs and the optimal approach to supporting physicians.

Another pivotal aspect of the recovery plan was transitioning from a paper-based to an advanced electronic system. This digital transformation facilitated better patient care and drug management, improving operational efficiency and financial oversight.

Initial monthly meetings provided a platform for KHS and the practice to review progress, discuss patient-specific drug utilization and align actions toward profitability. As financial and operational health improved, these meetings transitioned to a quarterly schedule, reflecting successful stabilization.

The turnaround journey also necessitated organizational restructuring to position individuals with appropriate skill sets and decision-making capabilities in key roles. This responsibility reallocation and KHS’s hands-on involvement in areas like prior authorizations proved instrumental in reverting the practice to profitability.

A Focus on Visionary Physician Groups

“Just as physicians provide healthcare to their patients— offering advice, diagnosing illnesses and treating medical issues—we provide an analogous service to medical practices,” states Dance.

This philosophy underscores KHS’s thoughtful approach to partnerships. It seeks to collaborate with evolving practices, offering advice on diagnosing operational inefficiencies and treating financial challenges.

Recognizing improvement as a collaborative effort, KHS has experienced mutual growth with many practices, celebrating shared successes and milestones and remaining committed to a positive, impact-driven goal of empowering today’s healthcare landscape.