Finance

It may be too early to tell the degree to which participating physicians will reap benefits from the Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative.

Yet another study reveals a shortage in primary care physicians. Specialties in short supply include urology, dermatology, psychiatry, and neurosurgery.

Recently, as part of our virtual trade show, Physicians Practice Live!, I gathered some of healthcare's more perceptive thinkers for an in-depth talk about the future of private-practice medicine.

More physicians are opting for employment over the partnership track, hoping to avoid the headaches and hassles of owning a business. But is that that the right choice for you?

Poor layout and cramped quarters can decrease efficiency and patient well-being - here are some simple, low-cost solutions.

To simply dismiss outsourcing hurts you, your practice, and possibly your patients.

Without the repeal, physicians will experience a 30 percent pay cut for Medicare reimbursements with the beginning of the new year.

Two proposals that could dramatically influence the rate at which physicians are paid for their services were released this week.

Like all other arrangements into which physicians enter, you must take a moment to consider whether there are any regulatory implications.

Here are some important points about billing for services delivered by physician assistants in your practice.

Here's my prediction: your practice will be audited in the next 24 months and asked to return overpayments.

What they are, how they work, and whether it’s a smart choice for physicians to participate.

All three of my ideas are not radical to all, but I think everyone will find at least one of these ideas is a way to take you to that opposite extreme.

Claims denials can hurt practice revenue, so stay on top of your billing process to collect every penny you've earned.

With so much else changing in healthcare, it's understandable that you'd want to avoid thinking about transitioning to the coming ICD-10 code set. But the longer you wait to start, the tougher it will be to make the switch, and the more likely you are to lose money. Here's what you need to know to avoid claims denials and ensure a smooth conversion.

RVUs determine the amount Medicare, Medicaid, and private payers compensate physicians for various services. But it’s long been questioned whether RVUs are fair.

Where do you stand on exchanging medical services for something other than a direct payment?

Bartering is a concept that is generally not practiced in today's times. In years past when patients had no money to pay their physician, it was common for them to bring an object other than money for payment: a chicken, a barrel of vegetables, etc.

Here's a quick video to get you started with conducting Medicare's Annual Wellness Visit at your medical practice.

As practices struggle to do more with less money, they’re making some difficult budgetary decisions - among them, compensation cuts.

A new report based on a survey of health information exchanges highlights some of the challenges and other concerns that might temper growth.

How much of a role does your personality play in determining your ability to treat patients? A big one, according to many medical schools.

Physicians, if quality of care and productivity measures are not yet influencing your compensation, a new reimbursement model is likely headed your way. Health reform initiatives are significantly altering the way physicians - even those that remain independent - will be paid in coming years.

Learn when and what CPT codes to use with prolonged services codes 99354 and 99355 at your medical practice.

Who's worse to deal with: Medicare or private insurers? The answer to that question will determine which Medicare cost-reduction plan is worse for physicians.

The feds have aggressively stepped up their fraud and abuse efforts. Your practice may play by the rules, but that doesn't guarantee it will escape federal scrutiny.

More evidence released recently shows that the era of independent practice may be gradually falling to the wayside.

I know that there are going to be significantly more codes with ICD-10, but will the rules change regarding how codes are assigned?

The battle over how to fix Medicare comes down to which unelected bureaucrats you trust more to impose painful reforms

How often are physicians recommending mobile apps to their patients as tools for improving their health?