Physicians Practice - June 2008 - (Page 65) THE TECH DOCTOR DO PHYSICIANS AND CELL PHONES MIX? DISPENSING CORPORATE CELL PHONES MAY BE A GIVEN IN YOUR PRACTICE, BUT DON’T FALL INTO A MONEY TRAP B Y J O N AT H A N M c C A L L I S T E R These days, cell phones are often just as much a standard issue for new physicians as are new pagers and new on-call schedules. So when issuing this equipment, it’s important to consistently spell out your expectations for its use. Setting some ground rules can help you avoid unexpected costs and unpleasantness when the bills come due. Unfortunately, many practices don’t think such “small perks” can cause much trouble. administrative staffers can easily amass $4,800 in annual cell phone costs. Sprinkle in a couple bills containing roaming charges incurred when two physicians were out of town attending CME programs, and you’ve suddenly exceeded $5,000 in annual costs. That’s a serious chunk of change for such a small “perk.” So agree to a set of simple rules upfront, make everyone aware of 2. Establish rules for personal use. It’s important to recognize that cell phone companies often conspire to make their costs substantial. BUYER BEWARE STEALTH COSTS, SNEAKY CHARGES, AND SLICK SALESPEOPLE Cell phones companies are notorious for promulgating misleading promotional material when it comes to pricing. How many of us have seen the $29.99 per month deal advertised on company billboards or from slick salespeople at the local mall, only to get our first bill containing overage charges, unexplained taxes, and dubious fees that quickly make that $29.99 bill a distant fantasy? It’s important to recognize that cell phone companies often conspire to make their costs substantial, so “buyer beware” should be your first rule of thumb. For example, at the cost of only $40 per month, per phone, an eight-physician practice that also provides cell phones to its two WWW.PHYSICIANSPRACTICE.COM them, and stick to them. Everyone will feel treated fairly, and it will be easier to be consistent and evenhanded when handling problems that may arise with this expense. 1. Set a standard cost limit on phone hardware, and require anyone wishing to buy a more expensive model to pay for the difference out of pocket. If a physician in your group insists on the latest $500 “cutting edge” phone, and your practice has set a $100 hardware limit, then tell the doctor upfront that he’ll need to pony up the $400 difference or must settle for an existing handset. You’ll be surprised how well this argument holds up with reasonable physicians who appreciate fair play. While some practices allow unlimited personal use of corporate-owned cell phones, you’ll have to decide what’s best for your business. If you choose to allow company phones to be used for personal use, be specific. Does that include loaning the phone to your spouse or child for a weekend trip? Clearing up those issues beforehand can avoid misunderstandings later on. Also be sure to touch base with your accountant to see if there are any potential legal ramifications for your business regarding the personal use of cell phones. 3. Proactively control overage costs. If you don’t have unlimited usage plans, then make your staff abundantly aware of the number of minutes available to them per month. Ask your salesperson if they allow “minute pooling,” which allows minutes that go unused by one person on your account to be used by others on your account, reducing the risk of incurring overage costs. 4. Prepare for breakage. I once worked in a practice in which a technophile physician was so angry that our company policy would not upgrade him to the latest version of a cell phone, he maliciously slammed his existing phone in a car door to destroy it. Much to his chagrin, our practice had bought spare “cold storage” phones of our discontinued model before they became unavailable, which we used to replace broken phones. I’ve also been handed phones that have JUNE 2008 | PHYSICIANS PRACTICE | 65 http://WWW.PHYSICIANSPRACTICE.COM
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