Practice Management

Time was when violating the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act got you little more than a warning letter from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Learn the ins and outs of long-term care insurance.

For more than a decade, Congress and physicians have agreed that the Sustainable Growth Rate isn't sustainable. Noted at a recent hearing, the 29.4% cut in reimbursement scheduled for January 1, 2012, would have a "disastrous effect on access to care for Medicare beneficiaries," which in turn may cause 82% of physicians to "make significant changes in their practices that will affect access to care."

The new proposed rules for accountable care organizations haven't been well received, to say the least. All 10 of the clinics that participated in the prototype program, and 93% of American Medical Group Association members, said they would not participate in ACOs under the proposed rules.

Last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services mailed the first Medicare checks to physicians who had attested that they had achieved meaningful use of their electronic health records (EHRs). What effect will these payments have on you and your colleagues? Will everyone rush out to buy EHRs now or will they let this opportunity pass them by? Read on to find out.

Researchers involved with a study published in a recent Archives of Internal Medicine hypothesized that you could improve colorectal screening rates among your patients by sending reminder messages and personalized risk assessments via their personal health records (PHRs). The results didn?t turn out quite the way they had thought.

Good news if you use an electronic health record (EHR) system?and a tip on how best to use it, courtesy of the Sage Healthcare Insights survey: Patients feel more comfortable with physicians who use an EHR system, and they believe that the information contained in the medical record is more accurate when they physically see the information being entered electronically.

A newly published study by Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) researchers may lead to electronic health record (EHR) system improvements that facilitate your ability to follow up on your patients? abnormal test results?if vendors heed the findings.

Your physician colleagues in Michigan may be able to offer insights into American Medical Association subsidiary Amagine Inc.?s health information technology (IT) platform, Amagine, which now is available to physicians nationwide.

Primary care, as it is currently practiced, is unsustainable in the current marketplace.

Sometimes questioning the efficacy of a practice manager is not the best approach, as the problem may lie elsewhere.

It's important to consider ways you can practice without enduring the problems associated with third-party payers.

How to handle patient records if you depart the country to practice as a locum tenens.

Although it may not be for everyone, in today's economic climate, many medical practices are using "captive" insurance arrangements to stay competitive, reduce expenses, and reap tax savings.

The equipment used by primary care physicians grows more advanced by the day, but its rapid evolution also means you must think carefully about the risks involved in purchasing equipment.

Be aware of hiring pitfalls to avoid when staffing.

Learn how to stay organized to remain competitive.

More practices are choosing the extra lean model.

Understand whether claims will be denied if you use the GZ modifier.

Letters discuss geriatric medicine, rural family physicians, honesty, and bedside manner.

How to improve quality of service outcomes.

Consider the risks if you choose to drop a disability policy.

A majority of physicians believe more doctors will choose employment over independent practice in the next two to three years.

Physicians play a critical role in national and state economies, according to one expert.

Have you decided to practice medicine as an employee rather than a business owner?