The economy is on everyone’s mind these days. Saving money is becoming more of an art than ever. One way people are saving money is to choose health care providers that are “in network”. After all, that’s a no-brainer, right? One looks at the list of options for providers, and calls and makes an appointment with the idea that this will end up costing less than choosing a provider that is “out of network”. Why would anyone want to choose to go “out of network”? (Is it possible that going “out of network” could cost less after all?)
1. LOVED ONES HAVE YOUR BEST INTEREST AT HEART; GO WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS
The list of health care providers the insurance company supplies is merely a list of unknowns. It’s almost like picking a doctor or dentist out of a phone book, only the names are a bit more limited. How does one know an excellent provider from one who is average, then? By talking to neighbors and friends and family, who love you and want the best for you, they become your new supplier list of health care providers. They will share the names of doctors and dentists they know and trust, saving you valuable time and money. There is no guessing game, no eenie meenie minie mo.
At Gentle Family Dentistry, we have patients that drive or fly long distances from such places as Australia, Florida, Iowa, and cities all over Wisconsin because they trust us. They send their friends, family, and neighbors to see us too.
2. QUALITY, EXPERIENCED, PERSONAL CARE
Sometimes, even if unintentional, a health care provider’s bedside manner laxes if he/she knows patients will be recruited for him/her by the insurance company. The drive of executing quality care can be lost as well. If the drive of quality is gone, then the desire for experienced staff is gone, too. A slippery slope consumes what was quality, experienced, personal care. Going to an appointment to find this situation could end up costing you more money.
Gentle Family Dentistry staff is expected to complete more continuing education credits each year than the law requires. We are dedicated to giving our patients the most gentle and compassionate care possible with decades of “years of experience”. We listen to our patients.
3. UTILIZE THE LATEST IN TECHNOLOGY
Certainly, we live in a time of many technologies, making our lives easier and more efficient. However, technology costs money and health care is a business. When choosing a doctor or dentist, find out if he/she puts money back into his/her practice through technological advancements. Your experience as a patient could be less time consuming, less traumatic, less costly, and more enjoyable overall with the right technology.
Dr. Fox continues to invest in the latest technology for her practice. It is an important mission for her to keep Gentle Family Dentistry’s patients healthy and happy and one way to accomplish that is to have the latest in technology. Lasers, Lumineers, whitening options and digital x-rays are a few examples.
Quality care in conjunction with a technologically advanced provider whose name was referred by family or friend is the best bargain around – whether the health care provider is “in network” or “out of network”!
** This article written by Laura Smrecek, RDH at Gentle Family Dentistry in New Berlin, WI. Copyright©2008 Gentle Family Dentistry (http://www.gotogentlefamilydentistry.com) All Rights reserved