Practice Management

The “hyper-politicized debate” about healthcare reform needs to shift to a thoughtful dialogue about evidence and data, according to former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, in addressing thousands of HIT professionals at the HIMSS 2014 conference in Orlando, Florida.

There will be no more delays to the October 1 deadline to implement the ICD-10 coding system.That was the message from CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner during Thursday’s keynote presentation to the HIMSS 2014 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, Florida.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Aetna’s CEO Mark T. Bertolini both gave keynote addresses at this year's Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society conference in Orlando, Florida. Here are some of the event's highlights.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has announced that it will conduct end-to-end testing for Medicare claims submitted using the ICD-10 code set.

Are decision makers in the healthcare field ready to invest in and adopt the new mobile devices and technology that will link them to patients and other healthcare providers in the future?

A reader says that the MOC certification process is unnecessary and overpriced.

A reader writes that it is nearly impossible under current reimbursement rates to maintain an independent medical practice.

Understanding the basics of the RVU can assist physicians and practice managers in a wide variety of finance and management-related tasks.

While the adult obesity rate went up again in 2013, associated health problems could explode in the next 10 years unless patients and physicians take action.

Primary care physicians are on the front lines of the battle against obesity. Here are five diets to recommend to your patients to help them make meaningful lifestyle changes.

A reader says that maintenance of certification requirements will cause older, experienced doctors to leave medicine.

Many practitioners store, administer, or dispense controlled substances in the office, but they may not be aware of legal requirements concerning the safeguarding and record-keeping of these drugs.

How the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will impact primary care physicians from a financial perspective has yet to be fully realized, but it probably won’t add to your practice’s bottom line if you continue to do what you’ve always done.

Many medical practice owners are required to undergo an annual audit of their financial statements when they’ve borrowed money from a bank or other financial institution, have outside investors, or are considering selling their practice. These steps will help you reduce the expense of an audit and prevent disruption to your operation.

For primary care physicians, the average appointment wait time was 19.5 days across metropolitan areas.

Healthcare professionals should consider whether the benefits of FDA-approved testosterone treatment is likely to exceed the potential risks of treatment.

Hospitals across the United States are merging and purchasing physician practices at a faster clip than they have in decades. While some experts believe the pace of acquisition is not sustainable, the economic forces driving hospital consolidation is also driving up the cost. For employed physicians, that could mean employment trouble. For independent groups, it could signal opportunity.

Staff salaries are among a practice’s largest expenses. These tips will help practice managers fine-tune their pay scales and build merit into their compensation plans.

When hospitals acquire independent medical practices, they will now often reclassify the practice as an outpatient facility. Doing so allows them, under Medicare rules, to add a separate facility charge to a patient’s bill.

Flipping the switch on your EHR system tests your staff’s productivity, relationship with patients, and the reliability of your new system

Has your medical practice received unexpected Medicare denials? Coding expert Renee Stantz helps to sort through the confusion, and she offers more advice for ICD-10 preparation.

During his keynote address at the 2014 Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society conference, Aetna’s CEO Mark T. Bertolini calls for transformative healthcare change focused on wellness, aligned incentives, and a crackdown on wasteful spending.

The number of young adults enrolling in exchange health plans may be less important than the overall health of all new enrollees.

More patients are aware of websites that rate physicians, and they make a growing impact on which doctor they pick.

The debate over the necessity of annual mammograms continues as a recent study suggests that the screenings for breast cancer do not reduce the number of deaths from the disease.

The costs to medical practices for implementing ICD-10 have been grossly underestimated, according to a recent study.

Close to 1.1 million signed up in January, data show

Congress has agreed on legislation to repeal the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula. But the changes not only affect physician reimbursements. The proposed legislation also overhauls current incentive programs, establishing the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System.

The vast majority of practices have done nothing to get ready for ICD-10 or are only "somewhat ready."