Health IT

Say goodbye to photocopies: Machine-readable cards could make billing and collections easier. When will payers make them widely available?

In this podcast, Justin Barnes, chairman of the HIMSS Electronic Health Record Association and vice president of marketing and government affairs at Greenway Medical Technologies, explains the EHR incentives.

A Michigan pediatrician is seeking his second EMR. Can he get over his old baggage and anxieties enough to make the right choice?

Most practices still accept a lot of paper checks from patients - and it costs money when they bounce, as they too-often do. But electronic check services can help you get rid of the rubber.

Medical Practice Management Technology Resources

Is your practice in the market for a new EHR or other new technology you’re not all that familiar with? Or do you want to upgrade some outdated software or IT tool, and you’re not sure how to start looking? Physicians Practice’s new Product Assessment Worksheet, adapted from a checklist created by New Jersey’s Regional Women’s Health Group, can help you compare products and ensure they are appropriate for your office’s specific needs.

Whether a staff departure is amicable or not, it’s vital to formalize and document a process for removing an exiting employee’s IT access.

You’re ready to buy an EMR. But how do you know which one is right for your practice?

Of all Wal-Mart’s innovations, the most surprising is its plan to sell EMRs off the shelf. Few private practices use EMRs - most cite cost as the biggest hurdle. Can Wal-Mart really make a difference?

As credit-card processing fees rise, you may be tempted to stop accepting them, but this would be short-sighted. Still, you can be savvy about choosing payment processors and equipment, negotiating rates, and other particulars.

You want to go electronic but you worry that the technology will mystify you. An ASP may be the answer.

The Obama administration is putting serious money behind its determination to make all medical records electronic. Has the time finally come to get that EMR?

We hate to say it, but there’s a big one coming: ICD-10. The new coding system will not take effect until 2013, but it’s still going to cost you. Here’s the scoop.

Autodialing machines can be a nuisance, but using them for appointment reminders is a cheap, easy way to reduce no-shows.

Your patients are going online to get their health questions answered. Might as well point them to sites they can trust. Here’s a good start.

One of the major advantages of adding an EMR is a decrease in staffing needs. Will that mean layoffs? If so, how can you encourage your staff to get on board?

With more emphasis being placed on patients to self-manage their care, you’d better know what personal health records are, and how they will affect your practice.

So you need a software update. But the vendor isn’t cooperating. Now what?

We’ll keep our eyes peeled for trends and changes that may affect your practice. This month: The government is offering incentives to physicians who prescribe electronically. Here’s the lowdown.

It’s time to get those annual coding upgrades to your billing software. But, how can you defray the cost without losing the upgrades?

An effective Web presence can be a boon to your practice and your bottom line, and a great help to your patients. Here’s how to get started.

Think you have IT problems? You ain’t heard nothin’ yet.

Patients say they want e-mail contact with you. Is it time to make it happen?

With most tech-savvy practices now equipped with EMRs, the market must learn to appeal to smaller practices. But is it even worth the trouble?

For those sick of managed care intervening in physician-patient relationships, read on to find out new ideas on how to use technology to tighten your patient relationships.