Practice Management

Key coding considerations when treating patients with depression

The American Board of Internal Medicine's finances and widespread dissatisfaction with its maintenance of certification (MOC) requirements have not shaken the organization’s faith in its policies or its president and chief executive officer, Richard Baron, MD, MACP.

Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions in the United States, according to the National Institutes of Mental Health.

Legislators and physician organizations took last year’s failed attempt at reform and pushed it through in a different political climate

Medical Economics looks back on the reporting we did before and after the passage of Medicare 50 years ago to see what came to pass, what didn't, and what's in the future

On the 50th birthday of Medicare, Medical Economics looks back at this landmark legislation and the effect it has had on physicians and healthcare in general.

Is 2015 the year you decide to open an urgent care practice? If you are interested in urgent care medicine, you are not alone. Growth is expected to continue as patients seek immediate access to medical care and lower-cost alternatives to emergency department visits. Despite the rewards, urgent care medicine comes with risks-especially for physicians unprepared for the business demands of operating an urgent care center.

The annual battle over the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula has come to an end. But the program that replaces it will be Medicare’s leap into the world of value-based payment and risk sharing, and the resulting changes will have a massive impact on how physicians are reimbursed.

Medical Economics is proud to unveil the honorable mention entries in our 2015 Physician Writing Contest. We believe the essays exemplify what connecting with your patients is truly about, and demonstrate the levels of heart, determination, and empathy you strive to bring into every exam room, every day. Thanks for reading.

Thanks in part to the growing prevalence of chronic disease among American adults, more and more commercial health plans are introducing chronic care management programs. However, the effectiveness of these programs has been hindered by limited patient engagement and the reluctance of doctors to change the way they practice, according to a recent study.

Maintaining healthy accounts receivable (AR) is essential to strong financial performance, but it’s easy for practices to feel overwhelmed or become complacent when it comes to keeping this piece of the revenue cycle on track. Here's some strategies to keep your AR on target.

A good coder is integral to a high-functioning medical practice. Here's what to look for, where to find the ideal candidate, and how to confirm credentials.

Anders Gilberg of the Medical Group Management Association discusses the effect of a Supreme Court decision challenging part of the Affordable Care Act.

For newly-minted physicians, a big financial decision is: Do I pay off my loans or invest for retirement? Here's help.

One of the most important things that a practice can do is provide for adequate staff training on a new EHR system. Here are four steps for success.

The courts sided with North Carolina physicians over claims that UnitedHealthcare wrongly and systematically denied medical claims. Perhaps the tides are changing?

Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee is not an expert on diabetes, but he's telling patients he is a better resource than their own physician.

A new study published in the Annals of Family Medicine shows that healthcare information technology is not helping providers with the aspects of care coordination they need most.

Medical Economics is proud to unveil the honorable mention entries in our 2015 Physician Writing Contest. We believe the essays exemplify what connecting with your patients is truly about, and demonstrate the levels of heart, determination, and empathy you strive to bring into every exam room, every day. Thanks for reading.

As a result government incentives, new care standards, and the demands of a more technologically sophisticated society, use of patient portals is becoming increasingly commonplace. But physicians must be aware that the specific functionalities of the portal directly impact the risk management strategies that must be employed by the practice to protect itself from liability.

Denials may evoke dismay, frustration and even resentment for your business office, but they can actually be harnessed to improve the performance of your practice. It all starts with identifying the specific denial and the reasons for it.

Electronic health records (EHRs) promised to revolutionize healthcare delivery. In some respects, they have. But for physicians deluged by patients, EHRs have yet to fulfill their lofty promises and, in many cases, have added considerable strain to the daily workload of physicians. In this article, physicians discuss with Medical Economics how EHRs should-and must-improve to reach their potential.

For patients to receive high quality care, healthcare providers must find ways to work together and ensure continuity of care between primary care physicians, specialists and hospitals. For a variety of reasons, continuity of care has not worked as advertised, but many physicians have ideas for how this collaboration can be improved.

Physicians can take steps, ranging from documentation training to taking out a line of credit, to keep their practice financially healthy during the transition to ICD-10

From a daily Starbucks to a high-end BMW, spending to the point of inadequate savings is dangerous to your financial health.

Conducting an internal review of your practice's work using RVUs can help predict, and perhaps ward off, a compliance audit. Here's how.

Primary care physicians often complain that the benefits of using electronic health record (EHR) systems are outweighed by the costs of implementing the technology and meeting government meaningful use (MU) standards. But a new study suggests that in at least one area-reducing adverse drug events-EHRs are having an impact.

Physicians are highly unsatisfied with the maintenance of certification process and question its efficacy, according to an exclusive reader poll

Saving for the future and enjoying the present are two impulses that rarely go hand-in-hand. With Americans living longer, many worry that they may run out of money while still alive. Plan on averages, assumptions, and make a strategic plan in the years prior to retirement. Steven Podnos, MD, CFP offers advice on balancing saving for the future and paying for the present.

Medical Economics is proud to unveil the honorable mention entries in our 2015 Physician Writing Contest. We believe the essays exemplify what connecting with your patients is truly about, and demonstrate the levels of heart, determination, and empathy you strive to bring into every exam room, every day. Thanks for reading.