How to use data to diagnose business problems in your practice

Your specialty is taking care of patients, managing complex cases, & keeping your practice running smoothly. That often doesn’t leave much time to step back & look at the business data your practice produces every day. However, hidden in that data are the answers to some of your biggest challenges, including cash flow problems, increasing administrative pressure, staff burnout, or even shrinking profitability.

Without clear, accessible data, it’s easy to make decisions based on instinct alone or miss issues entirely until they become costly. That’s why practically using your everyday practice data as a diagnostic tool is one of the smartest things you can do to build a stronger, more sustainable business.

We spoke with Healthbridge National Sales Manager Devan Chinsamy to explore what data every practice owner should be looking at and how to use it effectively.

Look beyond patient numbers

It’s easy to assume that more patients equals more income. But volume doesn’t always translate into profitability. To really understand your revenue, you need to look at:

Claim turnaround times: How long does it take from submission to payment?
Rejection rates: What percentage of claims are denied & why?
Debtors age analysis: Are there delays in collections, & from which sources?

“A full waiting room can give the illusion that the practice is doing well,” says Devan Chinsamy, National Sales Manager at Healthbridge. “But without reviewing the right data, you could be overlooking serious cash flow challenges or inefficiencies in how claims are processed.”

This kind of data can highlight bottlenecks. Whether it’s coding errors, delays in claim submission, or inefficiencies in how your team follows up on payments that result in bad debt. Knowing where the gaps are can help you find practical solutions to address them.

Spot admin overload before it leads to burnout

When admin pressure builds, the first symptoms are usually stress, mistakes, or staff resignations. But the root cause often lies in your systems.

Track data like:

Time from patient check-in to claim submission
Number of touchpoints per billing cycle
Tasks still being handled manually

“Many practices try to solve admin problems by hiring more staff,” Chinsamy explains. “But often, the issue isn’t headcount. It’s a lack of automation or clarity in the workflow. That’s where good reporting helps.”

These indicators can reveal where automation or support, like Healthbridge’s Bureau Services, can save time & reduce errors.

Understand how your practice performs day to day

You don’t need complicated analytics. Simple, regular reports can show:

Which days or times are busiest
Where no-shows or cancellations are high
Which services are most in demand

This helps with everything from staff scheduling to marketing your practice ethically. It also enables you to make data-informed decisions rather than relying on memory or guesswork.

“You can’t manage what you can’t measure,” Chinsamy adds. “Day-to-day data helps doctors run their practices proactively instead of reactively.”

Don’t ignore patient payment trends

More patients are paying out of pocket, but are your payment systems set up to keep up?

Monitor:

Average payment turnaround time per patient
Percentage of payments made on the day
Payment method breakdown (card, EFT, mobile payment options, etc.)

If payment is slow or complicated, it affects cash flow & patient satisfaction. Data helps you see where the friction is so you can fix it.

Use data to drive meaningful change

The goal isn’t to turn your practice into a spreadsheet. It’s to get the right information at the right time so you can fix what isn’t working, improve what’s going well, & grow with confidence.

With Healthbridge, you get easy-to-use reports that track billing, claims, patient trends, & admin workflows in real time. You don’t need to be a data analyst to use them, just a practice owner who wants to work smarter.

“We designed our billing system to give practitioners real-time visibility into the health of their business,” says Chinsamy. “It’s about helping you make confident decisions with the facts in front of you.”

Partner with a team that helps you see the full picture

Over 7,000 private medical practitioners choose Healthbridge as their trusted technology partner to run more efficient, more profitable businesses.