“My current employer used Karen Zupko ( Home - KarenZupko&Associates, Inc.) to find me . As it turns out I have been employed by 2 organizations that used her consulting company ( totally unaware of that fact ) . She is knowledgeable , attentive and an excellent resource for moving a practice forward . You will not be sorry if you contact her.”
Activity
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I'm looking forward to attending Platform Global 2024.
I'm looking forward to attending Platform Global 2024.
Liked by Karen Zupko
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Huge congratulations to my dad, Kiya Movassaghi, MD, DMD, FACS, who was officially inducted as President of The Aesthetic Society this past weekend…
Huge congratulations to my dad, Kiya Movassaghi, MD, DMD, FACS, who was officially inducted as President of The Aesthetic Society this past weekend…
Liked by Karen Zupko
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Throwback to last weekend at The Aesthetic Meeting 2024 in Vancouver, BC. What a fantastic meeting! It was an honor to share the stage and/or break…
Throwback to last weekend at The Aesthetic Meeting 2024 in Vancouver, BC. What a fantastic meeting! It was an honor to share the stage and/or break…
Liked by Karen Zupko
Experience
Education
Licenses & Certifications
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Secret Service Agent to faciltate The Customer Experience Cycle Workshop
The DiJulius Group
Issued
Volunteer Experience
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Patron Member
Costume Council of the Chicago History Museum
- Present 9 years 8 months
Arts and Culture
The Costume Council works with the curator at the Chicago History Museum to maintain and expand the current collection of historical garments--dating to the 19th century.
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Contributor
The Lustgarten Foundation
- 9 years 8 months
Health
The Lustgarten Foundation does a superior job of funding pancreatic cancer research. They are working for an early detection test, as well as more innovative treatments. This terrible disease took my husband, Jamie and my friend and colleague Debra Dorf from us far too soon. They are very good managers of financial resources and research.
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Governing Member; serving on Member Engagement Committee
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
- Present 17 years
Arts and Culture
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Board Member
GRANT PARK ORCHESTRAL ASSOCIATION
- 1 month
Arts and Culture
The free concerts in Grant Park, are a Chicago tradition. Sadly this year the season will be virtually online because of the need to socially distance. But a great series of recorded concerts will be broadcast on WFMT on Wednesday evening. Tune in!
Publications
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Will the Real Conversion Rate Please Stand Up?
Aesthetic Society News
Everyone agrees that it’s important to understand how many patients seen in consultation actually schedule surgery. Aesthetic surgeons measure their value on it, and patient care coordinators are rewarded for improving it. Nearly every aesthetic surgeon we talk with wants to know what is a “good” conversion rate.
Other authorsSee publication -
Evidence Based Pricing Strategy for Plastic Surgeons - Winning the Price Wars
Aesthetic Society News
Pricing can be one of the toughest aspects of running a plastic surgery practice. Here are some proven strategies that can help make this intimidating task more manageable.
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High Deductible Health Plans: Take Accounts Receivable Action Now
The American Journal of Orthopedics
As the patient deductibles rise so does your accounts receivables. You would be wrong not to worry about the impact this will have on your practice. By acting now you can help patient's pay their portion while reducing your deductibles.
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Avoid These Five Reasons that Front-Desk Collections Fail
Healio Orthopedics
When front-desk collection implementation is not executed well, we find that the initiative often fails, and staff returns to collecting copays and telling patients they’ll be billed after insurance pays.
This article reviews five common reasons for front-desk collection failure, and how to avoid them. -
Going From Free to Fee Consultations. Yes, You Can. Here's How.
Aesthetic Society News
To charge or not to charge? That is the question many aesthetic surgeons and their staff ask about paid consultation fees.
Read this article for the reasons why I recommend charging how to implement a move from free to fee. -
Practice Management: Unique Selling Points
MedEsthetics
Help your practice stand out by recognizing what makes it unique in the marketplace.
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7 Things to Consider When Retiring from Practice
Physicians Practice
Preparing for retirement can be challenging for any busy professional. But for physicians, the challenge goes beyond office closure procedures and financial details. Of course you'll contact the state medical society, board of medicine, and Drug Enforcement Agency to verify rules about how long to keep records, financial data, and licenses. And practice closure checklists are plentiful.
For physicians, there are a number of "human" issues to be addressed. Here are seven of them, gleaned…Preparing for retirement can be challenging for any busy professional. But for physicians, the challenge goes beyond office closure procedures and financial details. Of course you'll contact the state medical society, board of medicine, and Drug Enforcement Agency to verify rules about how long to keep records, financial data, and licenses. And practice closure checklists are plentiful.
For physicians, there are a number of "human" issues to be addressed. Here are seven of them, gleaned from my recent interviews with a dozen physicians about their retirement and other practice transition experiences. -
Got a Good Governance Agreement? Use This 12-Point Checklist to Find Out
Healio Orthopedics
Having a strong, well-written governance agreement can protect your practice from faltering during challenging times. In this new Healio Orthopedics article, Karen Zupko discusses the most important aspects of such an agreement and provides a checklist to help guide you when creating or updating your own.
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Nine Ways to get the value of your specialty practice right.
Vertess
Surgeon friends on LinkedIn will find this article of value especially if they are over 55 and they consider
a Practice Transition. -
9 Mistakes You Don't Want the Patient Care Coordinator to Make
Aesthetic Society News
Looking to build the skills of a newly hired Patient Care Coordinator (PCC)? Need an objective approach for showing the PCC how to polish her professionalism? Want to help your PCC go from good to great?
This article offers some options.
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Profiles in Plastic Surgeons' Practice Transitions
Aesthetic Society News
Planning your retirement or transitioning out of your life's work is an involved process with many aspects to consider. If you don't plan ahead you might find yourself scrambling or regretting the timing of your decision.
Karen Zupko interviewed a variety of plastic surgeons in various stages of "exit." Read what made these surgeons' transitions successful, and challenging, in this article. -
10 Non-Financial Reasons Patients Don’t Schedule
Aesthetic Society News
There is a common perception among aesthetic surgeons that the primary reason a patient doesn’t schedule surgery is because of the fee. You aren’t “cheap” enough. You won’t discount or haggle. Someone across town charges less so they probably scheduled with him/her.
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Dropped Leads, Why They Happen and What to Do About Them
Aesthetic Society News
After mystery shopping over 150 aesthetic plastic surgery practices through their websites and by phone, we’ve come up with a pattern of kerplunked leads. Whether the “lead,” (AKA “prospective patient”) calls or writes your office you’ll’ be surprised how many inquiries are not answered or answered well.
Here are six recommendations on how to avoid dropped leads which are the ‘termites’ eating away at your promotional return on investment follow. -
Maximize Your Practice Management System
Physicians Practice
A look at five powerful and often overlooked features that we recommend and why you should use them.
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Practice Transition Planning: When Is the Right Time?
The American Journal of Orthopaedics
If you are a solo orthopedic surgeon or practice in a small group and are 55 years or older, this article is for you. The answer to the question: "When is the right time to begin planning for the transition out of practice?" is now! And planning is the most important word in that sentence.
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The 5th P. "Personnel" is Essential to Your Practice's Marketing Mix
Aesthetic Society News
The Classic "4Ps" of the marketing mix Product/service; Place; Price and Promotion need a 5th P for plastic surgery practices to be successful. That 5th P is Personnel. All the money spent on websites and SEO and special events is worthless if the staff drop leads and don't provide superior service.
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Employee Verification
MedEsthetics
Because employees of medical practices and medspas have easy access to patient information, employers must conscientiously verify information provided by applicants. One way to decrease the risk of hiring staff members who may jeopardize patient or practice safety is to perform reference and background checks. Some of the key areas medical practices are wise to review include: past employment history, educational experience and credentials, credit history, and civil and criminal records.
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Build Better Patient Relationships, Faster, Using the FORD Method
Aesthetic Society News
“How long will I have to stop running after surgery?”
It’s a simple question that many patients ask. You can choose to give the patient a simple answer, for example, six weeks, and move on to the next topic on your laundry list of risk factors and scheduling logistics. Or, you can choose to hear this question for what it really is: an opportunity to deepen the relationship with the patient and get to know her as a person. Because if you ask follow up questions such as “What kind of…“How long will I have to stop running after surgery?”
It’s a simple question that many patients ask. You can choose to give the patient a simple answer, for example, six weeks, and move on to the next topic on your laundry list of risk factors and scheduling logistics. Or, you can choose to hear this question for what it really is: an opportunity to deepen the relationship with the patient and get to know her as a person. Because if you ask follow up questions such as “What kind of running do you do? How long have you been running? Have you ever run a race?” the patient will lighten up and share her story. Plus, even if she can’t run, you can tell her what she can do. -
Consumers Sitting On Their Wallets - Cosmetic Case Dip
KarenZupko & Associates, Inc.
Plastic surgery economics and why not to discount procudures
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Tighten Cash Handling & Audit Controls: 9 Best Practices That Reduce Embezzlement Risk
Aesthetic Society News
How to lower the risk that employees steal from employers.
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Make Your Last Impression as Good as Your First: Fine-Tune the Fee Quote
Aesthetic Society News
You’ve spent thousands on attractive branding and Web design. You’ve hired a capable team that excels at personalizing the patient experience. Your office decor rivals the Four Seasons.
So why on earth would you give your patients a fee quote that looks like that? So much for “branding.” -
The Do’s and Don’ts of Discounting
CareCredit
“We aren’t getting as many phone calls as we used to…”
“Fewer patients are scheduling and more are postponing…”
“Website and social media traffic is down…”
Staff comments like these can cause even the most confident plastic surgeon to hastily discount his or her fees. But although it might put one or two surgeries on the books, reactionary discounting delivers no long-term benefit to your practice. -
Strategic Scheduling: A Competitive Advantage
CareCredit
There is an old Zen story about a man who watched his neighbor zipping down the road on a fast running horse. “Where are you going?” he shouted to the neighbor as he whizzed by. “I don’t know,” the neighbor responded. “Ask the horse!” In many plastic surgery offices, the schedule is like this horse: out of control.
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No ICD-10 Immunity for Aesthetic Surgeons: Why & How to Prepare Now
Aesthetic Society News
Plastic surgeons preparation for ICD-10
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Pitfalls of Electronic Consultations
Aesthetic Society News
Proper e-consultation ettiquette
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Demographic Good News for Plastic Surgeons
CareCredit
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Are Your Business Associates Agreements HIPAA (Omnibus) Compliant?
Plastic Surgery News Connection
Checking HIPPA compliance
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Upcoding: Is Your EHR Putting You at Risk?
Physicians Practice
Electronic health records are being blamed, in part, for the skyrocketing payments associated with level four and level five evaluation and management codes in private practices and hospital emergency departments. Over the last decade, the additional costs for E&M coding increases are estimated to be in the billions.
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Stopping Medicare Fraud CMS Predictive Modeling Initiatives
Physicians Practice
When CMS releases news that a medical practice or DME provider has been busted for submitting millions of dollars in fraudulent claims, it makes many legitimate physicians and their staff wonder “How did that happen when we can’t even get paid for a new patient visit or test?” The reason is that CMS is stepping up efforts to ferret out fraud through its new Center for Program Integrity (CPI), whose mission is to watch suspect providers/suppliers, their coding, and their claims.
Other authorsSee publication -
How to Reduce No-Show Patients at Your Medical Practice
Physicians Practice
When a physician hears “What is your hourly rate?” she most likely assumes the question is directed to an accountant or an attorney. Unfortunately, physicians rarely think they possess an hourly rate like other professionals.
While it’s true that payment systems do not lend themselves to billing an hourly rate, every doctor has one. Not realizing the importance of hourly compensation causes many practices to fail to appreciate the enormous pickpockets. They steal your opportunity to…When a physician hears “What is your hourly rate?” she most likely assumes the question is directed to an accountant or an attorney. Unfortunately, physicians rarely think they possess an hourly rate like other professionals.
While it’s true that payment systems do not lend themselves to billing an hourly rate, every doctor has one. Not realizing the importance of hourly compensation causes many practices to fail to appreciate the enormous pickpockets. They steal your opportunity to completely schedule your day with revenue-producing visits.Other authorsSee publication -
Discounting Can Be Dangerous
Organization of Facial Plastic Surgery Assistants
The DO's and DON'T of Discounting
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Hiring Right Makes Your Practice More Profitable and Pleasant
Aesthetic Society News
When Lucy showed up for the interview, you thought your prayers were answered. Here was the patient coordinator/office manager candidate you had always envisioned. Actually Lucy’s resume and cover letter caught your attention; they were among the best you’d seen. Well-groomed, articulate with a soothing slightly Southern accent, she was on time and had a great handshake.
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Make Interviewing Easier
American Society for Surgery of the Hand
The questions to ask when interviewing a candidate
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Why Patients Don't Schedule Surgeries
Facial Plastic Times
Try these reasons on for size and take action
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Hiring Technologically Advanced Staff
The American Journal of Orthopedics
Hiring the right people to optimize the software and hardware investments
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Boomers: Demographic Good News for Plastic Surgeons
Aesthetic Society News
How to market plastic surgery to the Baby Boomer generation
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Cost-Cutting Practices Share 20 Strategies to Boost Your Bottom Line
Plastic Surgery News
Recommendations on how to reduce a plastic surgeon's overhead and boost their bottom line.
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From Entrepreneur to Employee: Part 1. Ambiguity in Attitudes About Hospital Employment
The American Journal of Orthopedics
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Five Mistake to Avoid to Keep a Full Surgery Slate - Even in this Economy
Plastic Surgery News
Simple financial solution during an economic downturn
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Use Technology to Speed Payment
The American Journal of Orthopedics
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Interviewing Made Easier
Plastic Surgery Practice
Steps and tips to avoid expensive mishires
Courses
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Secret Service
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Honors & Awards
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The Jerome R Klingbeil Award
The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc.
Appreciation for commitment and dedication to teaching excellence
Languages
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English
Native or bilingual proficiency
Organizations
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Costume Council of Chicago History Museum
Board Member. Grand Patron
- Present -
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Governing Member
- Present -
Women's Athletic Club of Chicago
Board Member
- Present -
Costume Council of the Chicago History Museum
Patron Member
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Currently attending The Aesthetic Society meeting in Vancouver! Excited to be presenting 15 hours of programming, including today's session on…
Currently attending The Aesthetic Society meeting in Vancouver! Excited to be presenting 15 hours of programming, including today's session on…
Posted by Karen Zupko
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Last week, at the 2023 Administrator Support Community for ENT conference in Chicago, ENTA’s very own, Robert Glazer, was awarded the prestigious…
Last week, at the 2023 Administrator Support Community for ENT conference in Chicago, ENTA’s very own, Robert Glazer, was awarded the prestigious…
Liked by Karen Zupko
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If you missed the April 7th NYTimes expose on health plan abuses using Multiplan be sure to read it The AHA wasted no time asking for Federal action.…
If you missed the April 7th NYTimes expose on health plan abuses using Multiplan be sure to read it The AHA wasted no time asking for Federal action.…
Shared by Karen Zupko
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