Opinion

If you don’t hire and retain service-oriented staff members who can help you deliver value-based care, be prepared to take a hit to your practice’s bottom line.

Improving collaboration between physicians and hospitals.

Impart values, consider what-ifs before calling the estate-planning attorney.

It is safe to say that physicians are none too pleased with the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) and its recertification process.

Society has rightly focused on the Triple Aim-improving population health, enhancing patient experience and reducing costs-as a framework for optimizing the performance of health systems in the U.S. Unfortunately, the administrative burden created in the pursuit of those aims is creating physician dissatisfaction and frustration. As a result, the achievement of those goals is being imperiled rather than facilitated.

As healthcare moves away from the program as it currently exists, physicians must decide to keep EHRs or seek better solutions.

Physicians know that Meaningful Use will soon become part of MIPS, but there plenty of other unknowns about the future use of EHRs.

How women in medicine can confront the wage gap – and increase their earning potential.

If you have a significant income (six figures or more), you are the equivalent of a corporation that is worth potentially millions of dollars. Can you imagine a corporation like this not having a chief financial officer? So why are you any different?

If you have received a Medicare overpayment and have not returned it within 60 days of identifying that overpayment, you may be liable for False Claims Act penalties.

For too long, the nation's health care system has been out of balance. We have lost our focus on prevention and health promotion and spend most of our time and money focused on treating disease.

While geared toward app developers, recent guidance from HHS is also helpful for physicians working on mobile outreach to their patients.

There are apps required to be HIPAA compliant and those that aren’t. If you are a physician, you should know the difference.

We estimate less than 1% of the general population knows what to ask before considering investing in a company. MarketWatch paraphrased Warren Buffett, “Put your money in index funds and move on . . . Seriously, you’ll do better. That's what I plan to do with my own money once I am gone.” In short, buy index funds. Ample evidence proves the vast majority of investors would be considerably better off following this advice. Without unique knowledge, active investing is simply a guessing game.

As part of our election poll, we asked Medical Economics’ readers, “If you could ask the presidential candidates one question, what would you ask?” Here were some of the inquiries that summed up the majority of replies by those taking our poll.

A lung cancer vaccine reportedly costing around $1 in Cuba that more than doubles life expectancies is on its way to clinical trials in the U.S.

A new report alleges that commercial plans provide better coverage than Medicare when it comes to vaccinations.

ICD-10 was much like YK2 in its introduction to the billing process so everyone should breathe a sigh of relief right? Not so quick as some providers are starting to find out.

With the recent publication of the results of the FIRST (Flexibility in Duty Hour Requirements for Surgical Trainees) trial, residency duty hours are again in the news.

Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) agents appear to have a less robust effect in “difficult-to-treat” patients, according to new research.

A new study explores what lifestyle hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients consider when directing their course of treatement.

I can’t help but wonder how long ago Dr. Gilkison retired because he clearly has no clue what happens in a typical doctor’s office today (“Your Voice,” February 10, 2016). Let me share with him what a typical “lazy” day looks like in my practice.

Healthcare’s ongoing transition to rewarding quality and outcomes rather than volume means that practices of all sizes need to pay attention to quality metrics. And while doing so requires time and attention, it’s not beyond the reach of even small independent practices, says Doral Jacobsen, MBA, FACMPE, senior manger with the accounting and consulting firm Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP.

With Medicare’s growing focus on value-based payments, the debate is taking on new urgency

Quality metrics have a growing influence on physician compensation. From my decade of experience in an independent practice association and medical group quality initiatives, I’ll share my top tips on hitting targets.

While physicians often complain of the burden that tracking and meeting quality metrics places on them, to commercial insurance companies they are an important tool for helping doctors improve the care they provide patients.

Be sure you have taken all appropriate steps to obtain patient acknowledgementof your privacy policies.

The potentially wide-ranging impact of site-neutral reimbursements on the practice landscape

Michael Barron, MD, decided it made more sense to quit than fight. After months of wrangling with UnitedHealthcare over inaccurate payments, the University City, Missouri, family physician did not renew his contract with the insurance company last year.

Are the advance care planning codes in place now in 2016?