Do you "like" the idea of office friendships crossing over into social media? More than seven in 10 professionals (71 percent) polled by staffing firm OfficeTeam said it's appropriate to connect with colleagues on Facebook. Slightly fewer feel it's okay to follow coworkers on Twitter (61 percent), Instagram (56 percent) and Snapchat (44 percent). In contrast, less than half of … [Read more...] about Should you ‘friend’ your coworkers on social media?
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Top 4 trends shaping the healthcare industry
By Leora Borgenicht bio Before the healthcare industry can ambitiously transform to offer more accurate and personalized patient care, certain stepping stones must be reached. These four trends are inevitable if the healthcare industry is to reach its goals. Trend #1: Interoperability The transformation towards value-based healthcare care and a more personalized … [Read more...] about Top 4 trends shaping the healthcare industry
Trap to avoid: Asking employees about their latex allergies
"Are you allergic to latex?" It seems like a perfectly legitimate thing to ask, especially to an employee who's expected to wear latex gloves on the job. The problem is that asking the question may expose you to risk of liability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Risk The ADA bans employers from discriminating against individuals with disabilities. EEOC … [Read more...] about Trap to avoid: Asking employees about their latex allergies
Weekly applause sheet creates positive attitude among staff
Any office experiences negative feelings among staff. But Sharon Hunter, manager of Granbury Internal Medical Associates in Granbury, TX, found a positive and lasting solution to the problem. It's what she terms an "applause sheet." At the top of the page is the name of one staffer, and the directions are to write down "the most valuable qualities that person has." The answers … [Read more...] about Weekly applause sheet creates positive attitude among staff
2017 QPP performance information is now available on Physician Compare
CMS has added new performance information to the Physician Compare website. Medicare patients and caregivers are able to use the Physician Compare website to search for and compare clinicians and groups who are enrolled in Medicare, as shown in this patient story video. The overarching goals of Physician Compare are, 1) to help people with Medicare make informed health care … [Read more...] about 2017 QPP performance information is now available on Physician Compare
What you need to consider before getting started in telemedicine
By Nick Hernandez bio Many practices are hearing about telemedicine and becoming increasingly interested in how such a program could be implemented in their operations. Physicians want to start a telemedicine program quickly. Practice managers don't want to learn by trial and error. The biggest issue I see by far is that practices immediately focus on the technology. … [Read more...] about What you need to consider before getting started in telemedicine
Illinois manager challenges the status quo, creates taskforce committee
A new manager comes to a medical practice with enthusiasm and new ideas. But it's easy to allow both to get sidelined by a staff comfortable with routine. "When I started as practice manager three years ago, I constantly heard from people, 'that's not the way we've always done it,'" says Mary L. Banks, CPC, CHISP, practice administrator at AOS (Associates in Orthopaedic … [Read more...] about Illinois manager challenges the status quo, creates taskforce committee
“What’s it really like around here?”
By Lynne Curry bio You feel it the moment you enter the organization. Ask the employees "What's it like around here?" and they confirm the vibe. An employee in one organization says, "I love working here. Everyone helps each other out." At another you're told, "You've got to watch your back; it's cutthroat here. And you can't trust the managers." Every … [Read more...] about “What’s it really like around here?”
What to do when a staffer lodges a valid complaint against a doctor
Any complaint from a staffer about a boss is unpleasant to address. But when the alleged culprit is a physician, the situation can get grim. Confronting the doctor could put the manager in a job-threatening position. It's a touchy situation, says Linnda Durre, PhD, a business consultant, corporate trainer and author of "Surviving the Toxic Workplace: Protect Yourself Against … [Read more...] about What to do when a staffer lodges a valid complaint against a doctor
CMS releases preliminary data on 2018 Quality Payment Program participation
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published a blog post and released an infographic to share preliminary participation data for the Quality Payment Program during 2018. Key findings include: Overall, MIPS participation rates increased between 2017 and 2018 from 95 percent to 98 percent, respectively. Small practices participation increased … [Read more...] about CMS releases preliminary data on 2018 Quality Payment Program participation