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Showing 17–32 of 59 results

  • Physician awareness of Rx costs boosts patient compliance

    Summer 2012
    Newsletter: Vital Signs

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 846

    Abstract: Prescription medications account for nearly 10% of total U.S. spending on health care, and an even larger share of the average patient’s out-of-pocket medical spending. Yet, despite the impact of prescription costs on patient finances and drug compliance, physician awareness of retail prescription costs has remained spotty, according to several studies, even as increases in the cost have skyrocketed. This article lists several actions physicians can take to maintain accurate information about prescription costs. This can lead to greater patient compliance and keep patients returning to the practice.

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  • The measure of your success: 4 key financial metrics for physicians

    Summer 2012
    Newsletter: Vital Signs

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 479

    Abstract: All financial data are not created equal, and some metrics provide more bang for the buck than others. This article describes four of the most important metrics for monitoring a practice’s financial health: days in receivable outstanding, percentage of receivables over 120 days, net collection rate and denial rate.

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  • Is in-house lab testing right for your practice?

    Summer 2012
    Newsletter: Vital Signs

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 688

    Abstract: Both practices and patients can benefit when lab tests are performed in-house and results are available during the office visit. Patients can avoid trips to a commercial lab and thus be diagnosed and treated more promptly. Moreover, their lab costs may be lower. And the practice can potentially enjoy a new revenue source. However, this article looks at a couple of key factors to assess the pros and cons of in-house testing.

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  • Navigating the ins and outs of esMD

    Summer 2012
    Newsletter: Vital Signs

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 868

    Abstract: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is launching a new program — Electronic Submission of Medical Documentation — that could help physicians keep a lid on documentation-related costs by helping to streamline the collection, submission and review process. This article examines how the program will be phased in and how practices can take advantage of it. A sidebar explains some of the mechanics of participation.

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  • 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.

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  • 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.

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  • 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.

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  • 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.

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  • 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.

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  • Are you up to speed on sample medication management?

    Fall 2009
    Newsletter: Vital Signs

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 746

    Abstract: Physician practices that distribute sample medication need to have policies and procedures that guarantee medication safety to its patients and staff. Insurance carriers and auditing entities will review practice manuals and logs to determine whether an office is following appropriate medical management procedures. There are a number of specific policies a practice should implement to meet this challenge, and some pharmaceutical companies also offer programs that can help.

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  • The process of partnering with a health system

    Fall 2009
    Newsletter: Vital Signs

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 1018

    Abstract: Throughout the country, hospitals are looking at ways to partner with physicians in order to create comprehensive health systems that will serve the needs of their service community as well as the physicians with whom they partner. But, to meet the requirements that are necessary to perform a comprehensive review and meet all Stark requirements, health systems must perform due diligence in regard to productivity, compensation, profitability, overhead and staffing. The overwhelming nature of the requests for documentation may foster fear or resentment among some practices, but they should think of it as merely a way for the health system to be introduced to the practice and how it operates, not as an intimidating or judgmental process.

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  • Increasing revenue by managing denials in a rough economy

    Fall 2009
    Newsletter: Vital Signs

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 985

    Abstract: Hard economic times are causing medical practices to increasingly write off accounts because of bad debt. Thus, cash flow is more important than ever for providers. One of the biggest factors in improving cash flow is reducing the frequency and occurrence of denials and ensuring clean claims on the first submission. To effectively manage denials, physicians must identify the type of denial, educate staff, know how to edit claims and prepare appeals, and monitor progress.

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  • Patient complaints — Turning negatives into positives

    Fall 2009
    Newsletter: Vital Signs

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 825

    Abstract: With the advent of online doctor reviews, patients can anonymously spread the word about the good, bad and ugly of their experiences with a particular office. And the impact of a negative online review to a practice could be significant, without the doctor having any control or say. But there are ways to prevent a patient’s negative opinion or turn it into a positive one. It involves various methods of listening to the patient. And, if he or she does request to transfer records to another practice, an exit interview may be able to resolve the problem — and help physicians understand where their practice might need improvement.

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  • The $65,000 question — Will your practice get all it can from Medicare/Medicaid incentives?

    Summer 2009
    Newsletter: Vital Signs

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 1252

    Abstract: The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) has significantly increased the potential return physicians may receive from either Medicare or Medicaid, depending on their payor mix. But to get the most from this opportunity, practice leaders will need to stay on top of the details. This article discusses participation criteria, along with details concerning Medicare incentives, HIPAA privacy rules, and penalties on physicians who don’t meet the “meaningful user” criteria. Medicare and Medicaid payment schedules for the coming years are provided.

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  • 8 key elements to an effective EHR system action plan

    Summer 2009
    Newsletter: Vital Signs

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 1039

    Abstract: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (also known as the stimulus bill) includes a section known as the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) that devotes $17 billion to the implementation of electronic health records (EHR). The good news is that funding for implementation is finally available to physicians and health systems. The bad news is that the funding is the easy part — the hard part is the implementation of an EHR system. An outline of eight key elements points the way.

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  • Marketing your practice in a difficult economy

    Summer 2009
    Newsletter: Vital Signs

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 769

    Abstract: No matter what changes come to the medical profession, a basic reality is that all medical practices will need patients to exist. Great opportunities exist in this time of change. Marketing your practice is a crucial way of keeping up your patient base. It doesn’t always have to cost money, but it does require energy and focus. This article offers tips involving networking, getting your name into the marketplace, and maintaining high standards of service.

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