Todd Shryock is managing editor of Medical Economics.
Patients still don’t understand payment options
How much they are responsible for and overall communication are concerns.
Why are so many health organizations embracing non physician practitioners?
Health organizations can better control non-physicians even if money isn’t an issue.
Patients often want an appointment as soon as possible, and don’t understand the difference between a physician and a non-physician provider
All types of providers are needed for a health care team, but should these teams be led by doctors?
Are health care organizations using the physician shortage as an excuse to install non physician practitioners in roles that a doctor should be leading?
Patients often don’t understand the different levels of training required by practitioners, so organizations often push non-physicians into more roles.
How has the physician shortage exacerbated the physician burnout problem?
Increasing demands on physician time and not being able to treat all patients takes a toll.
Why have rural and underserved areas suffered more physician shortages during COVID?
Early retirements and a declining population of practitioners make staffing difficult.
What has COVID taught us about the physician shortage in the U.S.?
A bad problem got even worse as the pandemic swept through the country.
What does a practice need to approach collections?
Treat the process as an important cog in your revenue generation.
How can you tell who is making a genuine effort to pay you and who is lying to avoid paying?
Listen carefully and search for mutual solutions.
Cancer care costs U.S. $156.2 billion – mostly in drug expenses
Medication is the biggest expense for breast, lung, lymphoma, and colorectal cancers
How can you handle patient collections without creating ill-will?
Empathy and financial options go a long way.
How important is consistency when it comes to patient collections?
Following the same guide for everyone avoids problems.
How do you determine who to send to collections?
Create a process that everyone should follow.
Telehealth usage surges, but satisfaction declines
Telehealth technical challenges frustrate many patients
What mistakes do practices make when it comes to collections?
Take the right approach to maximize your return.
More non-physicians projected to handle primary care
Increasing retirement and proliferation of non-physician practitioners driving changes
How often should physicians review their investment strategy?
Markets change over time, so don’t let your plan be static.
Will the number of cyberattacks on health care organizations continue to increase?
Medical practices and health care organizations have data that hackers value.
How physicians can protect their income with insurance
What would happen if you couldn’t practice medicine any longer?
How long can it take a healthcare organization to recover from a cyberattack?
A breach can hurt profits and reputation, doing long-term damage.
Covid exacerbates physician shortage
The physician shortage means doctors face increasing burnout rates, loss of autonomy, and greater financial threats from non-physician practitioners
Don’t make your loan situation worse
Physicians who enter practice for the first time often rapidly increase their lifestyle, which can have dramatic consequences for them in the long-term.
How often should a practice’s incident response plan for cyberattacks be reviewed?
Cybercriminal tactics change regularly, so a response plan needs to reflect that.
Delta variant hit hospitals hard
Margins in August still low along with many volume metrics
What an incident response plan for a cyberattack should include
Every practice should have a detailed plan that outlines what steps need to be taken and in what order if a breach occurs.
Is there a point in time when physicians should just pay off their remaining loans if they have the means to do so?
Being rid of student loans once and for all can be a gratifying feeling, but will it jeopardize your retirement?
Federal Reserve: No rate hike…yet
Economic outlook for the year cut as inflation increases.
Telehealth can boost patient acquisition, loyalty
Study shows patients more loyal when telehealth is offered as an option.
What investments should physicians focus on when they start to invest?
There are many financial vehicles that can work with doctors, as long as they have a solid strategy.
4 ways to stop ransomware from destroying your practice
Don’t let this major IT threat take you hostage.