Event Recap: Top 10 Ways to Recession-Proof Your Practice

The evening of May 7th, we had the pleasure of hosting our Client Appreciation Evening at Harder Day Café in Lake Oswego alongside our partners at Columbia Bank Healthcare. It was a great opportunity to spend time with our healthcare clients, reconnect in person, and share ideas in a relaxed and engaging setting.

A special thank you to our featured speaker, Lauren Harris, FACMPE, CPPM, CPCO, of Harris Healthcare Consulting, for delivering a timely and practical presentation on “Top 10 Ways to Recession-Proof Your Practice.”

Lauren opened the conversation by acknowledging the reality many practices are feeling today. Economic slowdowns create pressure from all sides. Patients delay care, reimbursement becomes tighter, and operating costs rarely decline. The practices that navigate these environments most successfully are not reacting in the moment. They are planning ahead and staying focused on what they can control.

A central theme of the evening was the importance of aligning every decision with a clear strategic direction. Lauren emphasized that long-term stability comes from strengthening three essential pillars within a practice: People, Profits, and Patients. When those pillars are aligned and supported, they create the foundation needed to execute effectively on the overall strategic vision.

The People pillar centers on staff and provider engagement. Practices that invest in their teams are better positioned to maintain continuity, efficiency, and culture during uncertain times. Lauren discussed the importance of retaining trained staff, cross-training to ensure smooth coverage, and demonstrating appreciation in meaningful ways.

The Profits pillar reflects the financial management side of the practice. Lauren shared several practical ways to strengthen financial performance, including maximizing collections by capturing patient responsibility at or before the visit, closely monitoring accounts receivable, and proactively managing payer relationships. She encouraged practices to revisit contracts regularly, evaluate opportunities for rate adjustments, and understand how changes in payer mix impact overall revenue.

The Patients pillar focuses on maintaining strong patient relationships and protecting the long-term health of the practice. Lauren emphasized that patients who feel valued are more likely to stay engaged in their care, even during economic uncertainty. Consistent communication, proactive outreach, and easy access to scheduling all play an important role. In addition, maintaining strong relationships with referring providers and community partners helps sustain and grow the patient base over time.

Throughout the presentation, Lauren returned to the idea that recession-proofing is not about cutting everything to the bone. It is about being deliberate and disciplined in how decisions are made. Practices that succeed are those that regularly evaluate performance, revisit their goals, and remain agile enough to adjust course when needed.

By the end of the evening, one message was clear. When a practice is intentional about investing in its people, protecting its profitability, and strengthening patient relationships, it puts itself in a position to remain stable and even grow, regardless of broader economic conditions.

Thank you again to Lauren Harris for sharing her expertise, and to all of our clients and partners who joined us for such a meaningful evening. We are grateful for the opportunity to support your practices and look forward to continuing the conversation.