MDNews - San Antonio

Revenue as Rewarding as Your Practice Medical Practice Revenue Cycle Reviews Medical Practice Operational Assessments Medical Practice Start Up Consulting 16170 Jones Maltsberger, Suite 106 San Antonio TX 78247 210.704.1014 www.concordispm.com TSAOG ORTHOPAEDICS IS PLEASED TO WELCOME NICHOLAS NIRA, DC Nicholas Nira, DC, is a San Antonio-area native and graduate of Samuel Clemens High School. At a young age, he suffered serious knee injuries while participat - ing in baseball and football, which gave him a special interest in the management of sports-related injuries. While working to obtain his undergraduate degree, he managed the rehabilitation center at a chiropractic office, which taught him the importance of a multi - disciplinary approach to patient care. He works with orthopaedic specialists, pain management specialists and physical therapists to ensure that each patient receives the comprehensive spinal care and treatment they deserve. Dr. Nira specializes in the nonsurgical and drug-free treatment of neck pain, back pain and extremity pain for patients age 2 and older. He has a special interest in the holistic treatment of neck, back and extremity pain, spinal manipulation, disc decompression, spinal rehabilitation, headaches migraines, and sports-relat - ed injuries. Dr. Nira speaks fluent Spanish and has new patient ap- pointments available in Schertz and New Braunfels. n Nicholas Nira, DC Patients, Customers or Both? I N A N E R A when smartphone apps succeed or fail based on how intuitive they are about what users want, it is not surprising that patients increasingly view themselves as customers. They have a point, says Len Schlesinger, Baker Foundation Professor at Harvard Business School. Writing on the athenahealth website athenaInsight, Schlesinger explains some benefits and limits of that model. In matters such as scheduling and billing, patients indeed should be viewed as custom- ers, according to Schlesinger. " H o w p a t i e n t s a re t re a t e d i n t h e s e 'moment-of-truth' interactions will determine their likelihood of referring other patients, or indeed remaining patients themselves," he observes. H o w e v e r, i n c l i n i c a l i n t e r a c t i o n s , Schlesinger adds, patients are more like partners, or even employees. They must adhere to medication regimens, follow up on referrals and so forth. Those tasks, while deserving of support from clinical staff, cannot be reduced to a mere transaction. n — Steve Barrett M D N E W S . C O M /// M D N E W S S A N A N T O N I O ■ 2 018 A R O U N D T O W N ❰❰❰❰❰ 1 5

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