Medical Office Manager

Technology

Tell your patients about the new eMedicare app launched this year

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has launched an app that gives consumers a modernized Medicare experience with direct access on a mobile device to some of the most-used content on Medicare.gov. The "What's Covered" app lets people with Original Medicare, caregivers and others quickly see whether Medicare covers a specific medical item or service. … [Read more...] about Tell your patients about the new eMedicare app launched this year

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

The 10 things HHS says you should be doing to stop phishing, ransomware and other threats

HHS has published a Guidance on cybersecurity for healthcare organizations. Even though it's voluntary, the new HHS Guidance is significant to the extent it lays out the agency's expectations of the measures medical offices and other organizations should take to protect medical data from cybersecurity threats. How the Guidance came about The genesis of the Guidance is a … [Read more...] about The 10 things HHS says you should be doing to stop phishing, ransomware and other threats

How telehealth can transform your medical practice

Telehealth— the practice of providing a range of healthcare services remotely, as opposed to face-to-face— is revolutionizing the practice of medicine. Adopting it can help you substantially grow your medical practice, according to Nick Hernandez, founder and CEO of ABISA, a consultancy specializing in strategic healthcare initiatives. "I have been helping … [Read more...] about How telehealth can transform your medical practice

Don’t put your vendor contracts on autopilot

It's easy, to say nothing of convenient, to get comfortable with business relationships and not to question what the vendors are doing. But in the meantime those vendors have every ability to slip in added costs the manager does not notice. Don't just renew vendor contracts automatically. The practice can often save money and get better service by putting those contracts out … [Read more...] about Don’t put your vendor contracts on autopilot

Do you have the ‘right stuff’ to be a successful medical office manager?

As the office manager of a medical practice, you have an opportunity to learn, grow, and make a valuable contribution. "You really get the chance to be a part of a small business and to wear a lot of different hats," says Mary Pat Whaley, co-founder and president of Manage My Practice, a medical practice consulting firm. What's more, because most physicians are not business … [Read more...] about Do you have the ‘right stuff’ to be a successful medical office manager?

What? Not another upgrade!

How to ensure a smooth transition when you upgrade your EMR software or install a new system Just when everyone is trained and comfortable with your EMR system, along comes an upgrade. Keeping up with the demands of meaningful use and changing regulations has software vendors sending out upgrades with alarming frequency. This means that you may be spending far more time and … [Read more...] about What? Not another upgrade!

Use weekly meetings with doctors to keep office running smoothly

Meeting every week with the doctors makes a tremendous difference in how smoothly – and also how successfully – an office operates, says the manager of a pediatrics practice in Colorado. For her office, it's an 8 a.m. meeting every Monday, a good time, because it sets the tone for the week. It also keeps everybody on the same page. And it ensures that the doctors know all the … [Read more...] about Use weekly meetings with doctors to keep office running smoothly

What happened when a doctor cried on social media

By Ron Harman King, MS  bio There's a lot of debate in the healthcare profession these days about social media. On one hand, I've heard some good arguments against doctors taking precious time from successful practices for social media and also against using social media to communicate directly with patients, which obviously creates big privacy problems. On the other … [Read more...] about What happened when a doctor cried on social media