HIPAA Compliant Appointment Reminders From HcPro s newsletter Briefings on HIPAA Q I send patient reminders for annual examinations and follow-up appointments. Are postcards permissible or does this method disclose... Read More >
Here is an article that appeared in my local newspaper, the Houston Chronicle Concierge Medical Practice Consultant Doctors who charge an annual fee to patients in exchange for customized care... Read More >
These Tips appeared in the August issue of the Journal of Accountancy They apply to physician practices today just as well as to accounting firms Hire carefully Establish workplace standards... Read More >
I m sure everyone by now has heard about the Allscripts Mysis combination the announcement below was posted by Modern Healthcare. I m glad to see further consolidation of healthcare... Read More >
As part of your monthly financial reporting and analysis work, you should be looking at payer mix analyses. You should prepare a trended report of both charges and payments. By... Read More >
Many group practice agreements are silent on the issue of when a physician can opt out of the call schedule. As such, make sure this issue is addressed in writing... Read More >
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn R-Texas has introduced legislation to improve healthcare access for Medicare patients by guaranteeing that physicians Medicare reimbursements would not be cut over the next months. The... Read More >
nbsp The article excerpt below was published at cnn.com today I wonder how many medical offices protect patient files from the peering eyes of their employees? UCLA Medical Center will... Read More >
Many practices leave sign-in sheets at the front desk, where patients can easily write their names and just as easily see who else has an appointment. And therein lies the... Read More >
From Briefings on HIPAA It depends on the specific scenario. The child s personal representative is the individual who has authority, under the HIPAA privacy rule, to exercise the child... Read More >
The following is a brief summary of the role of a managing physician in a group practice, who is usually elected for a one or two year term, depending on... Read More >
If you put into place a system to accept credit cards, don t assume that your staff already know how to use it. Review with them the following basic steps... Read More >
Medical groups are getting more creative with their efforts to recruit and retain physicians, a new survey found. The use of mentoring programs, part-time work schedules and sabbaticals were found... Read More >
To offer a physician candidate a position, use the following three-step approach Trial close Begin by asking the candidate outright whether he or she is interested in pursuing this opportunity.... Read More >
In an easy-to-use binder format, this toolkit walks practice administrators through the many challenges of managing both physicians and staff. Packed with advice gathered from renowned experts in practice management,... Read More >
On Feb. , the Senate passed changes that would double civil penalties to , per false Medicare claim and quadruple criminal penalties to , , according to the Congressional Record.... Read More >
Q Is it permissible to leave appointment reminders on patients answering machines or voice mail if no one answers the phone? A Leaving messages containing PHI to remind patients of... Read More >
Seems the Medicare carriers are starting to conduct chart review audits around the country. The following are excerpts from recent listserv posts Recently we have seen more requests for Medicare... Read More >
Auto Depreciation Limits The Economic Stimulus Act of increased the Section F luxury auto depreciation limit by , for qualifying vehicles placed in service during calendar-year . To reflect this... Read More >
Understanding Medicare Supervision Levels for Diagnostic Tests Here is a good summary provided by Part B Insider newsletter www. Partbinsider.com Question Our carrier asked us to verify that our tech... Read More >
From Vinson Elkins www.velaw.com On February , , the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services CMS announced that, for fiscal year , . million in improper Medicare payments has been... Read More >
For a sampling of recent criminal enforcement actions investigated by OIG, go here: http://www.oig.hhs.gov/fraud/enforcement/criminal/08/0108.htm Read More >
FROM THE BOSTON GLOBE Senate President Therese Murray proposed a total ban on all gifts and freebies to doctors from pharmaceutical companies, a move that would make Massachusetts the first... Read More >
See if patients can easily notice the check out area as staffers escort them back toward the exam rooms. A wide, two-way hall helps patients remember how to exit after... Read More >
To help businesses this includes medical practices , the Economic Stimulus Act of authorized a special depreciation allowance and an increased Section expense limit. To qualify for the depreciation allowance,... Read More >
Q HHS guidelines require us to notify individuals of the availability of our Notice of Privacy Practices NPP and how they may obtain a copy at least once every three... Read More >
As I ve always said, you can t manage what you don t measure. For those of you that get in to the numbers, you might want to check out... Read More >
Tamper-Resistant Prescription Pads As another reminder, to be considered tamper-resistant on April , , a prescription pad must contain at least one of the following three characteristics One or more... Read More >
There s nothing more vexing than to lose control of the day s patient schedule. Successful scheduling requires a concentrated effort to identify problems, create solutions and monitor daily processes.... Read More >
CMS has published guidance on the use of Remote Electronic Devices for purposes of HIPAA Security. Here is the link. http://www.cms.hhs.gov/SecurityStandard/Downloads/SecurityGuidanceforRemoteUseFinal122806.pdf Read More >
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