Most medical practices take time once a year to create new office goals or a business plan and, hopefully, to upgrade their policy manuals. And consideration of collecting on co-pays and deductibles needs to be an integral part of that business plan, according to Michael Glass, a medical consultant with Transworld Systems Inc. (TSI). Why bother with an office policy? The … [Read more...] about Why you need an office policy on collecting fees
Working with physicians
5 essential steps to ensure an effective HIPAA program
By Danika Brinda bio HIPAA Compliance is a term that is often thrown around the healthcare industry; however, I commonly ask myself: Is the meaning of HIPAA Compliance the same throughout the industry? The answer is NO! Walking into a healthcare organization in the last month, the HIPAA Privacy Officer was excited to tell me that they are fully HIPAA compliant and … [Read more...] about 5 essential steps to ensure an effective HIPAA program
Physician burnout, depression, and suicide: Medscape 2019 National Report finds little progress despite greater awareness
Burnout and depression rates among U.S. physicians failed to improve in 2019, despite growing efforts by healthcare organizations, hospitals, and academic centers to address the issue through wellness programs and other interventions. Nearly 44% of U.S. physicians reported feeling burned out, with female physicians 28% more likely to experience burnout than male physicians, … [Read more...] about Physician burnout, depression, and suicide: Medscape 2019 National Report finds little progress despite greater awareness
7 reasons to consider a physician partnership
By Nick Hernandez bio Physician partnerships are often a great idea providing you give thought to how you will structure one and why you wish to create a partnership. Sometimes physician partnerships aren't so successful—so it is crucial to choose your partner well. This is somebody who you're going to spend a lot of time with and who, like your spouse and your family, will … [Read more...] about 7 reasons to consider a physician partnership
What you need to know when a bully takes you on
By Lynne Curry bio You've met bullies who play a win/lose game, even as you aim for a win/win solution. Guess who loses when they take you on? You do. Would you like to win, or at least not lose? Here's what you need to know: Fail the bully's test We believe or like to believe the best of everyone. When a bully first tests us with a demeaning slam, we often … [Read more...] about What you need to know when a bully takes you on
Avoid These 5 Common PowerPoint Mistakes
By Cheryl Toth, MBA bio Who among us has not suffered (or slept) through a deadly PowerPoint presentation in a meeting or at a conference? We all know a bad set of slides when we see them. Yet many of us make the same mistakes in our own presentations that we hate to sit through in someone else's. PowerPoint will continue to be a ubiquitous tool for business presentations. … [Read more...] about Avoid These 5 Common PowerPoint Mistakes
Are you “aggressive” or “assertive”? Take this quick self-evaluation and find out
To manage people, a manager has to be assertive. But be aware that there's a strong difference between being assertive and being aggressive, says Judy Belmont, MMF, LPC, a psychotherapist and workplace wellness trainer in Philadelphia. The assertive manager sets limits and enforces standards. Every manager has to do that. If the rules aren't enforced, or if there are no … [Read more...] about Are you “aggressive” or “assertive”? Take this quick self-evaluation and find out
Should you ‘friend’ your coworkers on social media?
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?
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