Lifestyle

This year Americans will spend 114 days working to pay their taxes, including federal, state, and local income taxes, payroll taxes like Social Security, sales tax, and property tax.

Pulling the Rip Cord

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Doctors are quick to encourage patients to plan for the end, with living wills and other documents. Physicians who own their own practices should follow the same advice and craft an exit plan.

April is National Donate Life Month, a month set aside to raise awareness about the need for organ donors. Surely no one is more acutely aware of the need for organ donation than physicians and the patients awaiting transplants. These states have the greatest need, on a per capita basis.

If physicians want to take a positive step toward improving patient satisfaction, avoiding medical malpractice, and positively impacting their practice's bottom line, they don't have to go so far as to say, "I'm sorry." All they have to do is show empathy.

The fact is that we have very little data to show that continuity of care by the same doctor or the quality of the doctor-patient relationship improves outcomes.

Will physicians of the future work less and get paid more? One doctor suggests that could be one outcome of pay-for-performance health care. That story, plus a tale of a murder-for-hire plot involving doctors, and Dr. Oz's attempt to rehabilitate his reputation, in this week's list of must-read stories.

For a busy physician, a shortcut to homemade bread turned into a new career opportunity as the author of a line of successful cookbooks.

Another round of "Meaningful Use" guidelines has just been announced by the federal government. As providers continue to evaluate their Electronic Health Record options, here's a look at 10 of the most popular EHR systems.

People generally do not like surprises, especially related to money. That's because they are not usually positive. Here are a few examples of surprises, the knowledge of which may help your personal bottom line.

In the final part of our EHR video series, Summit Medical Group Chair and CEO Jeffrey D. LeBenger, MD, FACS, talks about his growing practice, and the growth opportunities presented by population health management.

With the finance sector expecting double digit earnings growth in the second half of 2015, it would be advantageous to look into mutual funds that have high levels of financial exposure. These 5 are worth a close look.

Academic Medical Centers (AMCs) need to transform themselves into entrepreneurial AMCs to a create a product that will satisfy the needs and wants of a growing section of both high-net-worth and medium-income earners who want to make a difference. Universities are uniquely positioned to tackle big problems but they will need to change to do it.

Most visitors to New York City visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Museum of Modern Art. Fewer people visit the Museum of Art and Design, better known as MAD. In failing to notice, visitors miss one of the best museums in the city.

In Part 3 of our EHR video series, Summit Medical Group Chair and CEO Jeffrey D. LeBenger, MD, FACS, discusses how his practice transitioned to Electronic Health Records in a cost-efficient way, and how it leverages the efficiencies of digital health.

Decades ago, most physicians spent time on the golf course. More recently, however, the game has declined in popularity for most of today's busy doctors. Columnist Greg Kelly hopes the sport makes a comeback.

If you decide to do some non-clinical work – consulting, writing, or starting a side business – you'll want to be able to keep track of your revenues and expenses and present yourself and your new business. Here are some things to put on your to-do list.

It took 2 extra weeks and a late-night session, but the Senate on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate formula that has frustrated Medicare providers for more than a decade.

Far too many physicians are not prepared for retirement. In his latest episode of The Alemian File, David Alemian outlines 7 financial problems that can be fatal to one's retirement savings.

In Part 2 of this series on Electronic Health Records, Summit Medical Group Chair and CEO Jeffrey D. LeBenger, MD, FACS, talks about the importance of getting physicians and patients to accept and utilize EHR systems.

Raise Your Innovation Bar

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Most sick-care or disease-prevention efforts fail because managers (not leaders) set the bar too low. The results are solutions looking for problems, process improvement that improves value minimally, or tinkering.

The new president and CEO of the Medical Group Management Association has made a career as a change agent in the health care sector. In an interview with Physician's Money Digest she discusses the major issues facing her industry.