​Let me tell you about Nancy.
 
Nancy has over 30 years of Billing and Coding experience.  That’s right, over 30 years.  I like to tell her, “You are the cliché.  You literally have forgotten more than all of us know.” 
 
And what does Nancy do with all of that knowledge?  She works full-time for an Optometrist, and she picks up extra money by doing contract work with the other doctors in the area.  In our community, she is the repositor of almost all Billing and Coding info…and she makes a great living. 
 
In the Billing and Coding world, she is many people’s ideal.  She maximizes her skills, makes a good living, and is respected.  In light of that, the question is, “How did she get there?  How did she do it?”  Nancy gives this advice. 
 
Be Patient - First of all, Nancy was patient.  She didn’t get started in the industry and declare herself an expert.  She built a resume of experience and quality work.  She didn’t expect anything to be given to her.  She worked countless hours for her employer, and only after years of work, did she begin contracting with other doctors.  No one doubted her expertise.  All parties knew she could deliver on her promises.
 
Don’t Be Greedy – Before contracting with other doctors, Nancy took lots of phone calls from folks who had questions.  Most every Billing and Coding employee in the area knew that if you emailed or called Nancy, she would do everything she could to answer your question.  She was generous.  She knew that if she did good work, people would see it and appreciate it.  She did this for free because people helped her when she got started.
 
But the thing that made the biggest difference in Nancy’s career was this: Nancy delivered.
 
Deliver on Your Promises - After years of making a difference in her and other offices, Nancy got the call. When a doctor needed help cleaning up their insurance A/R, there was no question who to ask.  No one had a better reputation than Nancy.  They knew she delivered on her promises.  She was the area’s go to.
 
If you are planning a long career in the Billing and Coding industry, Nancy’s example is a good one to follow.  Whether you plan on doing contract work on the side or even starting your own Billing and Coding business, practicing patience, not being greedy, and delivering on your work is a good pattern to follow.
 
So, where are you in your journey?  Are you working for yourself?  Are you working from home?  Are you working for someone else?  In part two of this series, I’ll address how you can get started and how you can develop/grow your discipline, drive, and determination.
 
In the meantime, if you are interested in starting or developing your own billing and coding business, we would love to help.  That’s why we started the HealthCare Pro Academy.  You can find out more about us below.
 
I’m thankful for all of you Billing and Coding Professionals out there.  Hang in there, and keep doing the profession proud.
 
Gordon Duncan
919-412-8161
 
HealthCare Pro Academy
www.jgordonduncan.com
www.prosightsuccess.com
www.prosightworkbook.com
 
ProSight Success offers a training and mentoring program for Billing and Coding Professionals.
 
How does a mentor from HealthCare Pro Academy help? Some of the benefits are…
 
1.     180-Day Personal & Professional Growth Plan
2.     Guidance in Expanding Your Circle of Influence
3.     Training on how to Increase Your Personal Income over a 180-Day Period
4.     Creating a Personal Accountability Model to Keep You on Track
 
And lots more.
 
Our program costs $127 a month, and we will work with you for six months. Upon signing up, you will receive a survey to fill out about your background. Upon completion, email it back, and we will set up our first conference. We will talk online twice a month for 45 minutes, and you will also have access via phone and text throughout the month.
 
Below you will find references, and don’t hesitate to call me directly if you have questions. 
 
I look forward to helping you grow in your career.  You deserve it.
 
Bio:
 
Gordon Duncan is an award-winning educator, salesman, teacher, manager, and writer. He has been in the eye industry since 1999 and is the author of the eight-book ProSight Success System. His book “Practice Progress” has charted #1 in 6 different countries.  Gordon currently consults in the eye care, medical, as well as the manufacturing industry.
 
Reference:
 
“I’ve Known Gordon for seven years and have been thoroughly impressed by his work ethic, professionalism, and knowledge of the practice of Optometry. He’s helped me tackle overwhelming tasks by implementing procedure manuals and simplifying complex employee issues. I highly recommend him as a consultant and feel confident in his abilities to serve as a guide in any optometric practice.”  C. C. Byrd, OD
 
 

Part of the Prosight Success approach is the need to sell glasses well, maximize profits, and to diversify the products/services you offer.  In the landscape of eye care, and with the proliferation of competition, practices don’t have the option of ignoring these basic business precepts.
 
But this truth remains: none of those strategies matter unless you are an excellent eye care provider.
 
I once worked with a practice that had their procedures down.  Their front desk checked in patients with efficiency.  The techs worked up the patients with care.  The optical was full of skilled salespeople who met their patients’ ocular and fashion needs.  All the procedures for success were in place.
 
And they were losing money every month.
 
Why?  Simple.  Their doctors weren’t good doctors.  Oh, don’t get me wrong.  They knew eyeballs in and out.  They were good clinicians, but their demeanor and practices indicated that they had just quit caring about their patients. 
 
For example, they showed up only once the first patient was seated.  They left the second the last patient was done.  Their conversations with their patients were minimal.  They didn’t make efforts to be relational.  It appeared as if their goal was to get the patient out of the chair and into the optical as fast as possible.  As a result, patients were losing loyalty and affection for their practice.
 
What causes this approach?  Why would any eye care provider lose the personal touch that is essential for eye “care”?
 
Sometimes, the pressure from ownership is to see so many patients, personal interaction is nearly impossible.
 
Sometimes, eye care providers succumb to the temptation of profits over patients.
 
Sometimes, there is no accountability for the doctors that enables them to be personal day in and day out. 
 
Honestly, there are innumerable reasons why this happens.  There is, however, only one thing that is going to change it.  Each doctor has to purpose to make a change.  They have to determine for themselves that they are going to care for their patients’ eyes and their person. 
 
What else can make a change?  Mentorship is an avenue.  Bringing in a consultant to refocus the practice is another.  No matter the approach, and no matter the present profit, if eye care providers don’t care for their patients’ person, their practices will suffer in the long run.  Take action before that is you.
 
If you would like input on these things or would like to talk about practice and personal consulting, please contact us at ProSight Success.  We have been in the marketing business for 20 years, and we would be glad to help you.  Just email Gordon at [email protected], and you can get started.
 
Gordon Duncan is the CEO/Consultant of ProSight Success and has trained employees for nearly 20 years. 
 
ProSight Success has several tools to help you with all of this.  Our international bestseller, Practice Progress, goes deep into the philosophies above.  You can find the paperback at Amazon. 
 
However, your best value is the full 7 Step, 7 Book ProSight Success System.  We offer it in 3 formats:
 
Digital ProSight Success System
Paperback ProSight Success System
 
And our best value:  the ProSight Success Workbook that includes a digital copy and a free hour of consulting.
 
Of course, Gordon Duncan, our CEO, is also available for private consulting.  Email him at [email protected].​

Do you have the temperament to start your own billing and coding business?
 
One thing that the billing and coding industry touts is its home-based business potential.  It is one of the few industries that enables you to work from home.  The question, “Do you have what it takes?” 
 
Having started several businesses (two of them medical based) and having mentored home-based entrepreneurs, I’ve found several qualities that are common among the most successful.  Walk through these, and then ask yourself, and others, if you have them.  In a separate post, I’ll talk about how you can develop them.
 
Discipline – Starting a business from home and working from home demands discipline.  When you work from home, it is easy to be distracted.  The TV is close by.  If you have a family, they may be close by.  The couch is close by.  Do you have the discipline to work from home?  Does your family have the discipline to leave you alone?  If not, working from home might not work.  Be honest about your family, your environment, and yourself before you get started.
 
Drive – Working from home requires you to be a self-starter.  It requires an internal motivation.  This drive is necessary, not only during the day, but in the establishment of your business.  While you may or may not have a great support team, ultimately, working from home requires you to get up and get going without stopping and without a boss telling you what to do.  To do that, you have got to have a goal that is big enough and valuable enough for you to drive towards it every single day. 
 
Determination – How do you respond to setbacks?  Your determination will decide that.  Though similar to dive, determination is bit different.  Drive is based on your “why”.  Determination is based on your will.  Working from home and working for yourself is going to test your determination.  At some point, you will face many obstacles.  You might think, “Maybe working for someone else would be easier.”  Your determination, your grit, your perseverance is what will keep you going.
 
So, where are you in your journey?  Are you working for yourself?  Are you working from home?  Are you working for someone else?  In part two of this series, I’ll address how you can get started and how you can develop/grow your discipline, drive, and determination.
 
In the meantime, if you are interested in starting or developing your own billing and coding business, we would love to help.  That’s why we started the HealthCare Pro Academy.  You can find out more about us below.
 
I’m thankful for all of you Billing and Coding Professionals out there.  Hang in there, and keep doing the profession proud.
 
Gordon Duncan
919-412-8161
 
HealthCare Pro Academy
www.jgordonduncan.com
www.prosightsuccess.com
www.prosightworkbook.com
 
ProSight Success offers a training and mentoring program for Billing and Coding Professionals.
 
How does a mentor from HealthCare Pro Academy help? Some of the benefits are…
 
1.     180-Day Personal & Professional Growth Plan
2.     Guidance in Expanding Your Circle of Influence
3.     Training on how to Increase Your Personal Income over a 180-Day Period
4.     Creating a Personal Accountability Model to Keep You on Track
 
And lots more.
 
Our program costs $127 a month, and we will work with you for six months. Upon signing up, you will receive a survey to fill out about your background. Upon completion, email it back, and we will set up our first conference. We will talk online twice a month for 45 minutes, and you will also have access via phone and text throughout the month.
 
Below you will find references, and don’t hesitate to call me directly if you have questions. 
 
I look forward to helping you grow in your career.  You deserve it.
 
Bio:
 
Gordon Duncan is an award-winning educator, salesman, teacher, manager, and writer. He has been in the eye industry since 1999 and is the author of the eight-book ProSight Success System. His book “Practice Progress” has charted #1 in 6 different countries.  Gordon currently consults in the eye care, medical, as well as the manufacturing industry.
 
Reference:
 
“I’ve Known Gordon for seven years and have been thoroughly impressed by his work ethic, professionalism, and knowledge of the practice of Optometry. He’s helped me tackle overwhelming tasks by implementing procedure manuals and simplifying complex employee issues. I highly recommend him as a consultant and feel confident in his abilities to serve as a guide in any optometric practice.”  C. C. Byrd, OD
 

Recently, two devasting marketing campaigns, from massively large companies, proved the need for well-planned and well-executed advertising.
 
A month into their campaign, IHOP claims that their change of name to IHOB (to promote their new line of burgers) was all a marketing ploy[i].  The internet, nor their customers, found it funny, and many have walked away from the franchise.  Whether it was a ploy, or whether they are trying to correct a mistake, may never be known.
 
Then, last week, Build-a-Bear announced that you can buy a bear for the cost of your age (e.g. 12 years old’s pay $12).  The problem was that they weren’t prepared.[ii]  Stores were forced to shut down, police were called, and lines wrapped around many of their stores.  The result was a lot of crying and disappointed children.
 
While the lessons are myriad, let’s narrow them down to two. 
 
Ask Yourself What Could Go Wrong? 
 
Seriously, even if IHOP planned all along to switch from IHOP to IHOB back to IHOP, their campaign went terribly wrong.  They became a joke on late night TV and were the target of jokes from rival Wendy’s.  If they wanted attention, they got it.  It was just the wrong kind of attention.
 
A well-thought-through campaign seeks input from the outside asking questions like, “What could go wrong?”  IHOP could not have asked that question, and if they did, that asked the wrong people.
 
Ask Yourself What Could Go Right?
 
Build-a-Bear was a victim of their success.  Clearly, they didn’t think that so many people would respond that they would have to call the cops to manage the crowds.
 
Yes, sometimes campaigns are so successful, they exceed your ability to meet demand.  Questions surrounding what to do, when the response is that huge, have got to be asked.
 
So, what for you?  Ask yourself:
 
Do you have a marketing campaign for your company?  
Have they been successes or failures? 
If you do, have you asked what you will do if they go poorly or successfully? 
 
What typically happens is that campaigns have a life-cycle.  So, even if you have done these things, redesign them soon because most eventually lead to a flat lined income growth as a result of familiarly.   
 
Gordon Duncan is the CEO/Consultant of ProSight Success and has trained employees for nearly 20 years. 
 
ProSight Success has a team of marketing specialists and social media strategists.  If you are interested in learning about our services, email me at [email protected], and we will be glad to answer any of your questions.
 
ProSight Success has several tools to help you with all of this.  Our international bestseller, Practice Progress, goes deep into the philosophies above.  You can find the paperback at Amazon. 
 
However, your best value is the full 7 Step, 7 Book ProSight Success System.  We offer it in 3 formats:
 
Digital ProSight Success System
Paperback ProSight Success System
 
And our best value:  the ProSight Success Workbook that includes a digital copy and a free hour of consulting.
 
Of course, Gordon Duncan, our CEO, is also available for private consulting.  Email him at [email protected].
 

[i] https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/offbeat/ihops-ihob-is-now-officially-dead-and-the-internet-is-being-hilarious-about-it/ar-AAzQtCx

[ii] https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/316745

​Sunday night, Travis Pastrana “recreated” 3 of Evel Knievel’s most dangerous jumps in a 3-hour, made for TV, History Channel event.  It was a brilliant lesson in marketing and sponsorship tie-ins, and every business owner should pay attention.
 
What was this event?  The History Channel described it this way:
 
During “Evel Live,” American professional motorsports icon and Nitro Circus ringleader Travis Pastrana will honor legendary daredevil Evel Knievel by attempting three of his most dangerous feats in Las Vegas, Nevada, all while riding a modern day recreation inspired by the motorcycle Knievel used. These include: breaking Knievel’s record jump over 52 cars, another record-breaking jump over 16 full size buses, and aiming to make history as the first person to successfully jump the Caesar’s Palace fountain on a bike similar to the one Knievel used 50 years ago – an attempt that ended with a crash that left him grasping for life. If Pastrana rides away from all three, he will be the only person to successfully beat two of Knievel’s distance records and land a jump over the fountain on a v-twin motorcycle. All of this will happen in the span of just three hours, and HISTORY will capture every exhilarating, nerve-wracking moment live.
 
What the History Channel did was combine the nostalgia of 70’s Evel fan’s (me) with the X Games crowd while tying in its already strong gear head and Vegas viewership.   
 
Additionally, while watching the event, you could see that multiple sponsorships were getting major air-time.  Indian Motorcycles created the modern-day versions of Evel’s bikes - one for each jump.  Pastrana’s touring group, Nitro Circus, was mentioned numerous times, and Las Vegas got tons of exposure.
 
Then, there was the risk of death.  While these jumps were nowhere as long or seemingly as difficult as Pastrana’s previous stunts, these jumps were cloaked in the history of Evel’s wrecks, and riding similarly designed bikes added just enough danger to make people wonder if Evel-type crashes were inevitable.
 
As you can imagine, all the jumps went as planned.  Pastrana landed each safely.  3 hours of programming for less than a minute and a half of action.  Brilliant.  
 
Was it a success?  While the overnight viewership numbers are not in yet, the History Channel can claim victory for this reason.  The event was the number three headline on the Today Show behind only the Thailand Cave Rescue and President Trump’s nominee for the next Supreme Court seat.  That’s not bad for a Sunday night event on History Channel with an X Games athlete recreating events that happened 50 years ago.  So, yes, with that kind of exposure, it was a success.
 
The fair question is, “How do you create marketing like this?”  Well, you don’t have to risk your life, but the answer is simple:  copy the formula.
 
Tie your marketing into a past event that covers multiple generations.
 
For example, you can run a marketing campaign that celebrates the moon landing, past Olympic Events, or some event more local.  Really, just look at landmark events in history, and connect it to today in celebration. 
 
Find partners who have an invested interested in its success.
 
That’s on you.  Who are your vendors?  Who are your business partners?  Create a campaign that has a mutual benefit for both parties, and you’ll find marketing partners.
 
Make the payoff and payout big enough to get people to tune in and care about the outcome.
 
Again, no one needs to risk their life, but is there an end game for your campaign?  Create a massive giveaway or reveal something new about your company (a renovation or new location for example).  Just make the campaign around something that piques your customers’ or patients’ curiosity.
 
After a couple of successful campaigns, you’ll be a pro.  If you would like help getting started in marketing, just let us know.  Gordon and ProSight Success would love to help.
 
Gordon Duncan is the CEO/Consultant of ProSight Success and has trained employees for nearly 20 years. 
 
ProSight Success has a team of social media strategists.  If you are interested in learning about our services, email me at [email protected], and we will be glad to answer any of your questions.
 
ProSight Success has several tools to help you with all of this.  Our international bestseller, Practice Progress, goes deep into the philosophies above.  You can find the paperback at Amazon. 
 
However, your best value is the full 7 Step, 7 Book ProSight Success System.  We offer it in 3 formats:
 
Digital ProSight Success System
Paperback ProSight Success System
 
And our best value:  the ProSight Success Workbook that includes a digital copy and a free hour of consulting.
 
Of course, Gordon Duncan, our CEO, is also available for private consulting.  Email him at [email protected].
 
 

​Are you a Billing and Coding Specialist?
Is your big goal to eventually start your own business?
Well, I did 15 years ago, and it has made all the difference in my life.  Let me give you a few tips.
 
First, of all, don’t do this alone.  I am not trying to be self-serving.  Do this with a mentor.  Just don’t do it alone.  Some questions require more than a Google search.  Get, “Should I start an LLC or go the 1099 route” wrong and your tax bill will do you in.  Like my mentor told me, “The only reason people don’t have a mentor is because they’ve never had one.”  True. 
 
Second, be prepared to become a salesperson.  I got my first gig by approaching a doctor I knew with this proposition.  I told him, “If you will let me work for you for free, will you then be a reference for me as I cold-call doctors?”  You have to sell yourself if you want to start your own business.
 
Third, as I mentioned, be prepared to cold-call.  Cold-calling is reaching out to potential doctors and office managers that you don’t know and selling your services.  You can do this via phone or in-person, and to a lesser extent, via email.  But potential clients won’t come to you.  They don’t know you until you have crazy word of mouth.
 
So, am I trying to discourage you?  Not at all.  If you are not ready to make the leap into starting a full-time business, pick up a few billing gigs on the side.  Build it alongside your day to day gig until it is ready to sustain you.  Just remember this.  You have a specialized skill.  Most people don’t have it.  Your skills are valuable and marketable.  Own these truths, and go for it.
 
Gordon
 
The above experiences were the genesis of the HealthCare Pro Academy.
 
 Our HealthCare Pro Academy is $127 a month for 6 months.  During that time, we will
 
·       Create an attention-getting resume that will help you stand out above the crowd.
·       We will talk on the phone at least 6 times for personal coaching.
·       I will interview you at least 3 times and give you verbal and written feedback.
·       And so much more.
 
Think about the cost like this.  Each week you are unemployed or underemployed, you lose around $800 at a $10 an hour start rate.  Our program costs less than what you lose by remaining unemployed.
 
Don’t hesitate.  This is the launch of my mentoring program, and the price will increase soon.  If you have any questions, just call me at 919-412-8161.
 
I can’t wait to help you get the job you want.
 
Gordon Duncan
919-412-8161
HealthCare Pro Academy
 
Seriously, just give me a call if you have any questions.
 

​Lebron James is now an L.A. Laker.
 
Late Sunday night, he signed a 4 year, $154 million contract, keeping him in California until he is 37 years old. 
 
Every eye doctor in the state should pay attention because Lebron just affected their businesses.  Whether his signing increases profits or not is up to them.  So, let me speak to all those California eye care professionals out there.
 
Here is the deal.  L.A. is accustomed to major athletes and stars.  Every star either gets their start there or winds up there.  So, if that’s the case, why does Lebron matter?  California is not lacking for stars.  Here is why.
 
Lebron is the second most popular athlete in the world and the second highest income earner behind Cristiano Ronaldo in the world.  Take that in:  his income is higher than Tom Brady, higher the Floyd Mayweather, higher than Tiger Woods, and pretty much any other athlete you can think of.  Right now, the World Cup is taking place.  It is larger than the Olympics in popularity and market share.  Lebron James just trumped all their headlines to make the ESPN lead story and he also make the nation’s second story on major news outlets.
 
So, why should an eye doctor care?  Here are a few reasons.
 
Lebron cares about fashion.  He has a lifetime, $1 billion contract with Nike.  He designs $51,000 watches.  And while fashion in California is not a new thing, it is not everyday that someone of Lebron’s influences walks in the door.  What he wears, California is going to wear.  Someone on your team needs to get on his Instagram immediately and find out who he is wearing so you can offer the same or similar eye fashion.
 
Lebron is going to be in California for the rest of his life.  Be a part of what he is doing or be left behind.  First, Lebron signed a 4-year deal.  Cleveland, his hometown, never got the security of a four-year deal.  He is not going anywhere.  And after his career?  Lebron already has a production company, Springhill Entertainment, that created hits on TV “The Wall”, Cable “Survivors Remorse”, and Film “Trainwreck”.  He has an office at the Warner Brothers’ lot.  He is not going anywhere.  
 
Moving to L.A. is not just about basketball.  It is not just about championships.  Other teams offered him better chances.  It is about positioning his influence.  It is about setting himself up for the rest of his life.
 
So, ask yourself.  When a cultural force, not just a basketball force, but a cultural one like Lebron James, moves to town, how do you ride the wave of his influence?
 
Market what he markets.
Stylize as he stylizes.
Know what he promotes.
 
And customize your marketing, style, and promotions around what he is doing.  He’ll be in your backyard for the rest of his life.  He’s only 33.
 
Gordon Duncan is the CEO/Consultant of ProSight Success and has trained employees for nearly 20 years. 
 
ProSight Success has a team of social media strategists.  If you are interested in learning about our services, email me at [email protected], and we will be glad to answer any of your questions.
 
ProSight Success has several tools to help you with all of this.  Our international bestseller, Practice Progress, goes deep into the philosophies above.  You can find the paperback at Amazon. 
 
However, your best value is the full 7 Step, 7 Book ProSight Success System.  We offer it in 3 formats:
 
Digital ProSight Success System
Paperback ProSight Success System
 
And our best value:  the ProSight Success Workbook that includes a digital copy and a free hour of consulting.
 
Of course, Gordon Duncan, our CEO, is also available for private consulting.  Email him at [email protected].