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Most physicians were never trained on how to become effective leaders, but luckily, it can still be learned.

The ICD-10 road into November has been smooth for some physicians and bumpy for others in our latest ICD-10 Diary project entries.

Steven Podnos, MD, CFP, shares his insights into how and when to choose a simple IRA for your practice.

With Halloween right around the corner, be on the lookout for some of these lighthearted incidents that may require new ICD-10 codes.

It is magic-you just save, invest wisely and unemotionally, and you have wealth at the end. Really.

Here are physician quotes after week two of the ICD-10 coding transition taken from Medical Economics' ICD-10 Diary project.

Interoperability may be a noble goal, but health care providers are still a long way from reaching it.

From apps to help patients track their wellness to disease research and clinical information at the tap of an icon, here are peer-recommended apps to download today.

Final Rule makes additional changes to reporting requirements

How to avoid coding problems and ensure you earn what you're due

Becoming a patient-centered medical home (PCMH) presents both opportunities and challenges for medical practices. If you’re thinking of seeking PCMH recognition or recertification, take heed of the following lessons from practices that have gone through the process.

The following is excerpted from a response to a letter published in the July 25, 2015 issue of Medical Economics by Elmer F. Toro, M.D. It is followed by his response to this and other letters of support he has received.

The fight against the pressures facing independent primary care practices can take many forms. For some, it has meant joining forces with other practices to attain the benefits that come with size without sacrificing their day-to-day autonomy. Others are taking a different route-minimizing the bureaucratic obstacles to practicing medicine by adopting direct pay practice models.

Owning a primary care practice has rarely-if ever-been more challenging than it is today. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be that way. In this and the following issue of Medical Economics, we present physicians and practices that are beating the odds by fighting back. They are overcoming the obstacles to success and practicing medicine the way they want to. We hope their examples inspire you to fight back too.

Not all pensions are alike. Here are the three ways to consider the value of a pension when physicians are planning for retirement.

Many private practices lack written policies and procedures for data security and haven’t done a security risk assessment. Here's how to secure your practice.

With less than three months remaining until the conversion to the ICD-10 coding system, your planning should be well under way. Whether you are at the early stages or in the home stretch, here are some strategies to be prepared.

The obstacles facing practicing physicians are numerous, but can be overcome with the help of great ideas put into action effectively. In order to foster the sharing of new ideas among physicians, Medical Economics introduces Practice Innovators, an ongoing, periodic series spotlighting your colleagues who are breaking new ground in medical practice-and succeeding.

In this Practice Innovators profile, Medical Economics looks at how John Kulin, DO, makes customer service an important part of treating patients.

On the 50th birthday of Medicare, Medical Economics looks back at this landmark legislation and the effect it has had on physicians and healthcare in general.

Electronic health records (EHRs) promised to revolutionize healthcare delivery. In some respects, they have. But for physicians deluged by patients, EHRs have yet to fulfill their lofty promises and, in many cases, have added considerable strain to the daily workload of physicians. In this article, physicians discuss with Medical Economics how EHRs should-and must-improve to reach their potential.

Underlying much of the controversy surrounding MOC is the question of how much-or even whether-the process as currently structured actually improves physician performance and/or patient outcomes.

Prepare yourself for the potential of malpractice cases by maintaining good relationships with your patients and by following thorough rules.

The push is on for physicians to embrace the concept of high-value care, providing patients with appropriate treatment while avoiding wasteful or unnecessary tests. But high-value care requires physicians to navigate many pitfalls, including lack of time to talk with patients and malpractice pressures.

At first glance, Medicare’s new chronic care management (CCM) billing code, which became available January 1, looks like a major opportunity for primary care practices. But many practices will find it difficult to meet the requirements for billing the code, and a major reason is the limitations of today’s electronic health record (EHR) systems.

HHS’ announcement that, by the end of 2016, it aims to link 30% of Medicare reimbursements to the "quality of value" is the latest sign that, after years of talking about the importance of quality and outcomes in medicine, payers are getting serious about making them part of their reimbursement formulas.

Regardless of how well physicians or their coders understand the new coding system, practices will not fare well on reimbursement unless their providers can document encounters in sufficient detail to support the new codes.

How to weigh the risk and the benefits to your practice of these care delivery and payment models

Many physicians feel they're between a rock and a hard place. If they're participating in the Medicare side of the Meaningful Use program, have attested before, and don't attest to MU2 this year, they'll not only lose financial incentives but will be subject to penalties in 2017.