Practice Management

The American Medical Association (AMA) has released an online tool designed to help physician practices prepare for billing and payment audits by insurers and federal contractors.

During these challenging economic times, many medical professionals are re-examining their personal and professional finances.

The Association of American Medical Colleges estimates that between now and 2015, the shortage of doctors across all specialties will quadruple according to projections.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act includes an element that could have a significant impact on physicians-not as medical providers, but as small business owners.

How to weigh whether to finance a loan for an associate.

The recent downturn in the economy has taken long-standing personal finance calculations and turned them on their head. As a result, many of us face an endless set of questions regarding our financial planning.

Determine whether it is wise to enter into a hospital partnership.

Usually I am able to smoothly transition from daydream to reality without detection when patients go off on tangents. My secret involves attention to the lips. As long as patients' lips are moving, I am safe.

In the past 5 years, independent, multispecialty medical groups reported a slight increase in total relative value units per patient and a nearly 13% increase in work RVUs per patient, according to a new survey.

When this physician remembers to focus on the patient, on the person with a serious need, time stands still, money issues fade onto the horizon, and things are as they were when he graduated a number of years ago.

Everyone wants the best for his or her kids-and for the younger generation in general. That's why we were interested to find out how the readers responding to this year's Medical Economics Continuing Study would answer when we asked if you would recommend that your child or a friend's child pursue a career in medicine.

While 85% of physicians were aware of the financial incentives for implementing an electronic health record system, more than 35% did not know that they face government-assessed financial penalties for not complying.

Learn how to determine hospitalist inpatient service fees.

Most primary care physicians worked longer hours last year than they did in 2008, but saw about the same number of patients.

Learn the ins and outs of development of an employer-based clinic partnership.

Know your lease terms and how these will impact decisions you make in practice.

Understand how to bill appropriately while employing NPs. Also, learn about market data for reimbursement.

The new AAFP president told thousands of his colleagues attending the AAFP's 2010 Scientific Assembly early this month in Denver that "now is our time."

Ever wonder about the pros and cons of a father/son practice?

Understand whether it is wise to institute an electronic health records system just prior to retirement.

Learn how to be reimbursed for a diabetic foot exam on the same day as an office visit. Also, understand nuances of advanced beneficiary notice of noncoverage.

Rural health clinic in Indiana enables one physician to have a rural practice centered on preventive care.

One in five Americans chose not to seek medical care for a recent illness or injury, with 4 out of 10 citing cost as the primary factor, according to one survey.

Determine a reasonable amount to spend on office rent for a new family practice office.

A medical practice has a lot of moving pieces, so the management function-the integration of the parts-is especially important.

How to weigh whether to buy an office space or renew a lease.

The total number of osteopathic physicians this year is 70,480 up from 67,167 last year, according to a report released in September.

Determine how to set a rate for subletting office space to another physician.

Everyone has a story to tell-and we want to hear yours. The entries are already starting to pour in for Medical Economics' 2011 Doctors' Writing Contest, and we would like nothing more than to add your compelling story about practicing medicine or the business of medicine to the mix.

Employers that offer their employees limited medical plans are impacted by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, since they are considered group health insurance plans.