Winter
Showing 657–672 of 772 results
-
ACOs can help assure quality and slow cost growth
Winter 2010
Newsletter: Rx for Practice Management / Practice Management Advisor
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 709
Abstract: An “accountable care organization” (ACO) is a combination of primary care and specialist physicians, hospitals and other care providers that accepts collective responsibility to meet patients’ health care needs. ACOs are considered the ideal vehicle for achieving the integration and cooperation demanded by “bundled payments.” But group practices will need strong leadership to carry out the many changes involved. Doctors will need to either acquire hard-core business skills and assume major management roles, or be willing to hire professional business managers to whom they can delegate significant business decisions.
-
Is your practice’s compensation system fair?
Winter 2010
Newsletter: Rx for Practice Management / Practice Management Advisor
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 874
Abstract: Many physician groups are operating with compensation systems that were developed years ago for reasons that may no longer be relevant in the current environment. But, before embarking on changing one’s current system, it’s important to review all aspects of compensation. Does the system account for all costs incurred, or only a subset of expenses? In allocating revenues and expenses, does the system use RVUs, equal shares or professional service charges? This article looks at the components of a fair package, and discusses how to fairly compensate physicians whose professional duties, time commitments and outside activities vary. A sidebar discusses pending health care legislation, and the impact that reform will have on all health care providers.
-
Contractor’s Toolbox – Is your immigration program up to date?
Winter 2010
Newsletter: Construction Industry Advisor
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 431
Abstract: In recent years, the U.S. government has shifted its focus from employees working in the United States illegally to the employers who hire them. To protect one’s company and its management against civil fines and possible criminal charges, it’s important to have an immigration compliance program that’s up to date. This article provides answers to four important questions employers should be asking themselves.
-
Long before you’re ready to retire … Take time to build a solid succession plan
Winter 2010
Newsletter: Construction Industry Advisor
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 605
Abstract: The earlier succession planning begins, the better. Developing and grooming a successor will take time, as will preparing employees and managers to adjust to a new ownership structure. It’s also necessary to bring together a team of experts to help create a workable succession plan that provides for a sound management structure and includes a buy-sell agreement. Or it may be better to sell the company to an outside party, or to employees through an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). All options require planning well in advance of an owner’s retirement.
-
6 tips for boosting profitability
Winter 2010
Newsletter: Construction Industry Advisor
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 655
Abstract: The construction business is risky not only from a safety perspective, but from a financial perspective as well — thin profit margins, unpredictable site conditions, volatile costs, change orders and the use of multiple subcontractors. There are six ways a contractor can improve profitability, including evaluating one’s estimating procedures, knowing indirect costs, and building sufficient profit into the bid.
-
Accounting for long-term contracts – Understanding look-back is in your best interest
Winter 2010
Newsletter: Construction Industry Advisor
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 869
Abstract: When the percentage-of-completion method (PCM) is used to account for long-term contracts, income might end up being understated or overstated. Either way, it’s important for tax reporting purposes to understand the look-back rules, in which one “looks back” at the income or loss reported for the job for each tax year during which the contract was performed. This article takes a look at the procedures involved, and instances in which the look-back rules don’t apply. A sidebar discusses the simplified marginal impact method (SMIM) that non-closely-held pass-through entities are required to use.
-
Standardized patient-feedback surveys extend their reach
Winter 2010
Newsletter: Vital Signs
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 649
Abstract: A public-private initiative, called the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) program, has developed standardized surveys for patients to evaluate their health care experiences. Given current trends, it would not be surprising if payments for physicians eventually become linked to participation. But participation can also help identify a practice’s strengths and weaknesses involving its communication and service to patients.
-
Paging Dr. Right — How HCOs can best target their physician hires
Winter 2010
Newsletter: Vital Signs
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 884
Abstract: Before a health care organization (HCO) begins employing physicians and physician extenders, questions need to be answered. What does the HCO want from the physician? What does the physician want from the organization? This article looks at two scenarios: hiring to fill an HCO’s community need vs. hiring to suit an individual physician’s desire to join the HCO in question.
-
Incentivizing the CMS quality health care reporting measures
Winter 2010
Newsletter: Vital Signs
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 515
Abstract: There have been marked improvements to the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI). The CMS Web site provides program guides on topics such as eligibility, measures and reporting mechanisms in understandable terms. Now is the time to start reviewing the information for the 2010 program year. There are four specific steps a practice can take to get started.
-
Would your hospital-physician arrangement pass regulatory and public scrutiny?
Winter 2010
Newsletter: Vital Signs
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 712
Abstract: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that it will periodically require hospitals to provide information about compensation arrangements with physicians. The rules for physician-hospital relationships are known. What’s not known is how an arrangement with physicians may look in the local newspaper. So it’s essential to develop a well-defined, transparent policy for physician arrangements. Once the policy is in place, it will be necessary to stay organized through the use of contract management tools that monitor physician financial relationships through hospital compliance officers and other administrators.
-
So you want to grow a hospital-owned physician network … Recognizing the 3 stages of maturation
Winter 2010
Newsletter: Vital Signs
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 829
Abstract: The resources necessary to acquire, manage and sustain one or two practices with less than 15 physicians are different from those required for groups of 25 to 50 physicians. The complexity increases significantly with larger groups. So it’s important to recognize the three stages that groups go through as they mature. Ultimately, these phases are less about the number of physicians, and more a reflection of the management skills and systems the group has developed.
-
Managing vendor risk
Winter 2010
Newsletter: Community Banking Advisor
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 407
Abstract: Many banks outsource a variety of activities, but that doesn’t mean they can sign the contract and forget about it. Federal regulations require banks to develop and maintain a vendor management program designed to protect customer information. And while these requirements may seem daunting, especially for smaller community banks, a risk-based approach can minimize the burden. There are several steps a bank should take to ensure compliance; an important part of the process is a formal risk assessment.
-
OTTI: What it is and why you should care about it
Winter 2010
Newsletter: Community Banking Advisor
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 587
Abstract: A crucial accounting issue for banks is the treatment of other-than-temporary impairment (OTTI) for investments. Under previous rules, assets that experienced OTTI were written down to fair value, with a corresponding charge to earnings. Many banks felt that this treatment was unfair, particularly for securities they had no intention of selling. In mid-2009, FASB issued guidance that changes the way these impairments are recorded for certain securities. OTTI can have a significant impact on bank earnings and regulatory capital, so it’s important to have policies and procedures in place for classifying securities, determining fair value, assessing securities for OTTI and measuring the credit and noncredit components.
-
Credit card overhaul – Comprehensive Reg Z and UDAP changes take effect July 1
Winter 2010
Newsletter: Community Banking Advisor
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 573
Abstract: Banks that issue credit cards have until July 1, 2010, to line up their compliance strategies for a massively changed set of UDAP (unfair or deceptive acts or practices) and Regulation Z (truth in lending) rules. The UDAP changes affect payment allocation, double-cycle billing, fee-based accounts and other issues, while the Regulation Z changes have an impact on credit advertising, billing error resolution, and other matters.
-
Do you have a capital defense plan?
Winter 2010
Newsletter: Community Banking Advisor
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 1009
Abstract: Today, one of the biggest concerns of regulators is whether banks have adequate capital to withstand potential losses associated with high concentrations of commercial real estate loans. So it’s important that banks develop a capital defense plan as part of their preparation for regulatory exams. This article lists a number of best practices in this process, including reviewing and classifying one’s loan portfolio and reviewing and documenting the methodologies used to determine the allowance for loan and lease losses. A sidebar discusses a new FDIC rule regarding limits on deposit interest rates offered by institutions that are less than “well capitalized.”
-
Getting cash to flow
Winter 2010
Newsletter: Auto Focus
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 715
Abstract: With sales still lackluster at many stores, having enough cash on hand to meet obligations remains a management challenge. The first step in strong cash-flow management is maintaining an organized system for cash accounts. It’s also important to maintain a tight collection policy and to properly account for inventory.