Practice Management

According to a New York Times article, individuals, arranged by the federal government, were to pose as new patients, calling physicians' practices up to three times to ask for expedited appointments.

Physician alignment is the most serious obstacle to forming accountable care organizations, according to a new study.

Physicians saw patients less often last year, and fewer patients began drug therapy for chronic conditions, according to a report.

One reason to have an office manager in a medical office is to have someone to whom patients - and staff - can complain without interrupting the doctor.

The author resolves to practice medicine on her own terms.

Letters discuss empathy, partners in care and lifestyle changes and prescribing practices.

These practice management pearls are derived from Medical Economics' readers and editorial board members and reflect years of experience.

More and more physicians are choosing to incorporate their practices.

Modifier 33 has created much confusion in the coding and billing world. Learn why.

If you open your own pharmacy, determine whether it would be profitable.

The authors dispute a recent New York Times' article assertion that the reason for physician shortage is related to the female gender.

Learn how health information exchanges can benefit physicians in paper-based practice.

How to update your practice management system.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) gave physicians a break in its recently proposed rule on meaningful use requirements for electronic health records (EHRs). The revision would allow eligible providers (EPs) to ?continue to report clinical quality measure results as calculated by certified EHR technology by attestation? through 2012. Previously, CMS had required eligible providers (EPs) to start submitting quality measures electronically to CMS next year.

Overwhelmed by changing reimbursement models, emerging regulations and adopting new technology? You?re not alone. Respondents to a recent survey said four of the top five ?considerable or extreme challenges? they face relate to these operational issues.Three of the most troubling issues for practices had not even been on practice group leader?s radars in previous years.

Prescription drug abuse is the nation?s fastest-growing drug problem, and, unless primary care practices take appropriate precautions, it also could become one of their fastest-growing regulatory and liability issues. With increased regulation on the horizon, a new study recommends ways that physicians can improve prescribing practices for opioids and other often-abused drugs.

Money isn?t everything, but 35% of primary care physicians (PCPs) say it is the most important factor in changing practices. Compensation was 50% more important to PCPs in evaluating a professional move than location or quality of practice, the most significant factors for residents and fellows.

When patients seek your help in getting a device that can allow them live at home instead of having to move to a long-term care facility, you have to navigate through a confusing maze of Medicare regulations to submit the order, only to find out that you are being blamed for the latest government healthcare expense boondoggle. What is really behind a recent government report blaming physicians for insufficient documentation for power wheelchairs?

State medical boards and legislatures are responding to public demands that information about disciplinary action against physicians be timely and easy to get by publishing disciplinary, criminal, and liability histories online. But what about the physicians' rights?

Get your black bag ready. House calls could be in your future. While Medicare prepares to roll out the Independence at Home pilot program next year, commercial insurers have been testing variations on the concept for some time, especially to provide care to the sickest of the sick.

Fed up with the hours on the telephone to untangle claims issues with insurers? A new proposed rule could help. It requires insurers to use uniform transmission formats and standardized forms when they seek information or provide claims and coverage information to doctors.

Practicing defensive medicine is an activity unique to the United States, according to new report, and a congressman with an MD degree says it must end. He has introduced a bill to create limitations on recovery in health care lawsuits based on compliance with best practice guidelines.

A recent study suggests that outpatient computer-generated prescriptions may be just as error-prone as your old paper versions. There is a solution to reduce mistakes, however. You can program your e-prescribing system to help you avoid common errors.

Much of the hoopla has focused on a nearly 30% cut in rates in the proposed update to the physician fee schedule for 2012, even though Congress is likely to intervene to keep the reductions from being so severe. But, a provision calling for review of all of the evaluation and management (E&M) codes is likely to be more significant in the long term for primary care physicians.

Medical malpractice cases would be better managed with a mediation system that includes both parties being involved, not just the lawyers.

The ability to sell a practice is contingent upon finding someone who wants to be where you are, when you want to sell.

On-site assessments help doctors and office staff insulate themselves from malpractice liability in the office setting.

Our training as physicians doesn't include any information about insurance, one of the most expensive purchases we make during our careers.

Letters discuss the vocational pursuit of medicine, weight loss programs, and lifestyle changes.

It is common in a lot of hospital or health system contracts to use RVUs as an indicator of productivity.