Physicians Practice Pearls®

E-prescribing has not only improved the efficiency of this practice, it has improved quality at the same time.

Here are six ways you can maximize your time and improve practice performance.

A pleasant office décor is easier to achieve than you think.

Don't allow your staff meetings to become mired in the muck, stay positive

Looking for the proper way to use modifier -25 at your medical practice? Here is some expert medical coding advice.

It happens every day in a busy medical practice - the things that need doing often get done by whomever can do it at the time. But that can be a costly mistake.

The one thing that can never be replaced by sophisticated equipment is the level of courtesy that is extended to patients, colleagues, and staff.

When I demonstrate that I care about the people I work with, they work harder for my patients.

Involving your support staff is essential to achieving meaningful use of a certified EHR. Do you have a plan?

Whatever area of your practice needs improvement, consider lean thinking as a way to get the most out of your time - your patients, staff, and practice will be glad you did.

When an employee calls in sick, the pressure's on. Here are some ways to avoid chaos and keep patients happy when you are short-staffed.

There's nothing more disruptive than hiring someone who doesn't work out. Here are some tried-and-true tips to head off disaster.

It isn't easy for practices to become accredited as a patient centered medical home. To help you assess your readiness and make the transition, here are a few guidelines to get you started.

The Office of Inspector General included "identical notes" as an area of interest in its 2011 Work Plan. Make sure your patient notes reflect each unique encounter.

You might feel more justified than most in taking out your frustration on others, but be careful - the emotional hangovers you might create can often have a long-lasting effect on your practice.

Many physicians believe that they open themselves up to potential liability risks by engaging in social media. In practice, it is always prudent to be concerned with malpractice risk. That said, the key to effectively utilizing social media is twofold.

What yardstick should you use to measure your practice against those of your colleagues?

Electronic records require regular upgrades. Don't be fooled into thinking you can get by on the cheap.

Inflation can be both good and bad for a practice. Therefore, understanding the nature of inflation can save your practice money.

Corporations know exactly what their costs are and how much they need to charge to make a profit. Do you?

The Affordable Care Act added a new Medicare Annual Wellness Visit. Contrary to patient and physician expectations, it is not a physical exam.

In-house referrals have the longest tenure and highest satisfaction of all newly hired employees.

Why spend hours on the phone with payers when you can check online in minutes?

Don't make unnecessary work for your office, think ahead.

Coding for observation services can be confounding. Currently, CPT and CMS disagree on which code to report on the second day of observation. In 2011, that is changing.

Consultant Greg Mertz feels there is a robust future for private practice, even though practice models will have to change.

The cost of staffing can consume as much as 30 percent of operating expenses for a medical practice. However, don't be tempted to cut staff. Instead, invest in your staff so you get and keep highly motivated, productive people on your team.

Medical practices face two significant deadlines that require planning and testing in 2011. The first is the new 5010 electronic claims transmission standard, the second ICD-10.