With the rise of value-based care, practices have the option to join accountable care organizations (ACOs). CMS describes ACOs as groups of doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers, who come together voluntarily to give coordinated high-quality care to their patients. Both public and private payers...
Negative reviews are difficult to read and crafting an appropriate response can be extremely challenging. It’s best not to respond immediately - in the end, an upset patient deserves a thoughtful and measured reply, even if their complaint may not. Before posting the response, have someone...
An article in Becker’s pointed us to a study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine analyzing the impact of hospital integration of physician practices on patient out-of-pocket spending in combination with an examination of quality measures. Researchers from Rice University and the Baylor College...
Have you ever calculated the payor mix for your practice? Your practice’s payor mix is a measurement that allows you to look at what percentage of your total business is attributed to a particular reimbursement source, whether managed care, government payors, or self-pay. Having a diverse payor...
Patients are at the heart of your practice. Understanding their perception of their experiences with you and your staff is essential to keeping your practice healthy. Giving patients the opportunity to express their thoughts to you directly allows you and your practice management the ability to...
As of January 1, 2020, Illinois will be the first state in the nation to mandate insurance companies cover epinephrine injectors for individuals under the age of 18. Governor JB Pritzker signed House Bill 3435 this week, after outrage in recent years regarding the increase in...
We discussed some potential changes in E/M visit leveling in last week’s blog. One key point was that the amount of time spent face-to-face with the patient could be used as the key factor in determining a visit’s level of service if CMS decides to...
In a fact sheet released on July 29, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) appeared to have reversed its earlier announcement of a reduction in evaluation and management (E/M) office visit CPT codes. In 2018, the agency proposed collapsing the number of E/M codes...
Social media can be a powerful tool in your toolbelt when marketing your practice and engaging with patients. There’s no faster way to share news about your office and maybe have a little fun too. There are dangers, though. Seemingly innocuous posts can inadvertently disclose protected...
Amazon announced a new feature for Alexa, its digital personal assistant, last week. British users of the device will now be able to ask the device for medical advice, with responses provided by the UK’s National Health Service. This new development raises concerns about the privacy...