Legal

How often must the physician perform subsequent services that reflect the continued active management of a patient’s care in order to bill incident-to?

Congress has taken what some are calling largely symbolic steps to address the issue of opioid abuse.

Nearly 40% of doctors in the U.S. are aged 50 or older, and one in four are 65 or older, according to the American Medical Association. For these baby boomers, retirement is a fast-approaching reality. As they ponder their next life phase, doctors who own private practices face several challenges unique to the profession.

Data thieves are getting craftier with their methods-and are actively targeting healthcare records.

There are over 600 accountable care organizations (ACOs) in the United States-and half of them are physician-led.

Traditional primary care is failing, and physicians are burning out at a high rate.

Many experts view bundled payments as a critical part of cutting costs and reforming healthcare.

When it comes to nutrition, Americans in droves are ignoring the advice to eat more fruits and vegetables. Instead, we’re eating donuts. Lots of donuts.

No doubt you’ve seen the report suggesting that even a single free meal can sway a physician’s prescribing habits.

Researchers are testing a new type of immunization, using a bacterium found in soil, to help trigger the body’s defenses vs. stress and psychiatric disorders.

A new study reveals that Google can also show places where mandatory vaccination is in place to reduce preventable diseases.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently released the latest data on physicians’ average salaries across the country, and the results could not have been more diverse across the map.

A new report shows office-based physician EHR use has dipped below 60%

The advance directive. The words instill a sense of foreboding, a finality not many are prepared to face.

The cure for the ills of healthcare lies within our grasp. It’s called “managed care,” which simply means care that is efficient and effective.

Consumers don’t think twice about using an ATM or firing up Amazon to buy anything and everything, but engaging with their physicians via telemedicine-two-way video, emails, smartphones, wireless tools-is not yet a natural instinct.

What does this mean? Why is it a challenge? What’s happening to fix it?

Even if your practice can share data electronically, what do you want to share?

Every device with a wireless internet connection can potentially be broken into, and studies show that 1 in 4 people has been hacked. Over the past few years, white hat hackers have breached a variety of medical devices, proving that a skilled hacker could gain access to medical equipment and wreak havoc from a remote location.

There was a day when medical transcription was neat and clean. A doctor dictated what happened during an exam and a transcriptionist accurately typed each detail into the patient’s record. Each future encounter built on that record, a detailed history meant to ensure quality care. It wasn’t a perfect system, but it worked.

Free clinics are wonderful and an important part of the fledgling healthcare infrastructure in economically struggling areas, but should not be necessary in a wealthy country. Americans deserve better.

New guidance on the use of text messaging by physicians shows some flexibility when it comes to HIPAA, notes a healthcare attorney.

With smartphone use in healthcare on the rise-both by patients and providers-there are important steps to take to avoid a HIPAA violation.

Leverage your value.

Our office is having adifficult time reachingpatients within therequired two businessdays from dischargefor transitional care management(TCM) codes. Will this precludeus from billing the codes whenall of the other criteria are met?

Understand the clinical and legal risks surrounding these plans that require patients to pay more up front.

There are more than 50 policies that medical practices may have to implement to comply with the Health Insurance Portabilityand Accountability Act (HIPAA), so it’s no wonder meeting these requirements may appear overwhelming, especially for smaller practices with limited time and resources.

Last year, U.S. representatives Phil Roe, MD, (R-Tennessee) and John C. Fleming, MD, (R-Louisiana) learned an important lesson about the power of the GOP Doctors Caucus to affect legislation.

Experts explore the operational requirements, from care coordination to patient engagement.

The government wants physicians to identify overpayments, but many say the responsibilities remain unclear.