Law & Malpractice

Noteworthy items from February 2011

Whether we like it or not, healthcare is a business. In the past, practice was sufficiently remunerative and it was possible to be a bit sloppy with the business end of things. These days money is tight and, at the same time, practices are under pressure to spend on technology.

It’s no surprise that we’re still seeing reports highlighting the “biggest” trends in 2011. One we think would benefit from more media attention: The growing volume and diversity of mobility products available to providers.

A group of U.S. House Republicans want to take President Obama up on his offer to cut wasteful spending by starting with incentives tied to health information technology.

Good tech support staff is crucial to achieving successful EHR implementation and other priorities like interoperability. Here’s how to find the health IT support you need.

Want to learn more on how to meet "meaningful use" from someone who has already received $42,500 in federal incentives? Let an Oklahoma practice show you how it's done.

The "mHealth" industry has exploded, and smartphones, tablets, and apps are the buzzwords du jour. Trying to figure out how mobile devices and mHealth solutions can work for your practice can be overwhelming, but it’s crucial to stay current. We tell you how to get plugged in.

What was it that induced healthcare institutions to accept and implement products that actually impair efficiency? This is, or should be, a recurring question. It has many facets, but an important one is whether government regulation can result in "meaningful use" of EHR.

As America's battle against illicit drugs shifts focus away from street-level narcotics and toward prescription painkillers, physicians are increasingly finding themselves targeted for investigation - and prosecution. Attorney Marcos Hasbun offers insight into this trend, and guidance on how well-meaning physicians can continue to help their patients while protecting themselves.

In an effort to provide greater clarity for you and your practice staff, we went right to the Federal agency charged with providing the incentives to get you to become a happy EHR user, CMS.

While this year shaped up to be the "Year of EHR Consideration," there were other technology issues facing your practice in 2010. To Tweet or not to Tweet? Who is a "friend," who is a "fan?" What exactly is "mhealth?" Here are the top stories our readers turned to in 2010 for technology information and advice,

Looking to prove "meaningful use?" Start here with our easy-to-use checklist of requirements from CMS.

The old order is fading and a new order is starting to take its place. That new environment will reshape medical practice in ways that can be only glimpsed at present. But here are a few predictions for 2011.

Everyone has an opinion and nowhere is that more evident than Practice Notes, our section where your peers and our experts team up to give you advice, news, and other information from the frontlines. From inside the ER to the halls of Washington, D.C., we bring you news and commentary to make you think and sometimes make you laugh. Here are our top 10 stories on career issues this year, according to our readers.

Are you nearing contract negotiation time? Make sure you understand what you’re reading before you sign. Here’s a detailed analysis of what should and shouldn’t be in your next binding agreement.

Unless prescription penalties outlined in the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ 692-page, mammoth-size 2011 Final Fee Schedule Rule published Nov. 29 are adjusted, physicians aren’t eligible to receive incentives from both the Medicare e-prescribing incentive program and the Medicare EHR incentive program simultaneously, the American Medical Association notes.

Physicians have long been worried about protecting themselves from malpractice claims. But, now the uncertainty of healthcare reform promises to muddy the financial waters. What to do?

Should you buy a standalone app or an EHR-integrated module? We review the pros and cons.

CMS has now published a 44-page "EHR Core and Menu Measures" document putting a little meat on the bones of their objectives through greater explanation of exactly what they expect you to do in return for proper payment.

Hospitals need not control ACOs. There are clinically integrated IPAs and PHOs that could easily become ACOs, and 50 to 75 other physician-led organizations are on the same path. Among these entities is the Beacon IPA of Manhasset, NY. Formed last summer, the IPA already has about 200 physician members, and the IPA’s long-term goal is to become clinically integrated and ready for whatever healthcare reform brings, including ACOs.

The pros and cons of the meaningful use incentive program are not really the problem. The problem is that, once again, we physicians are subject to a mandate over which we have little control and no choice whether to comply.

Have you heard of the blue button? The new government initiative aimed at providing patients with easier access to their healthcare information recently launched and could expand. The idea is that a patient can click on the blue-button icon on their patient portal Web sites, and download their health information into a text file.

Patient portals can offer better customer service and care, but only if you can get your patients to use it. We examine the pros and cons of jumping on the portal bandwagon.

Fretting about how you’ll access government stimulus money for your EHR usage? No need. Here’s advice on how to play the game right.

Looking for great practice management advice but can't get to New Orleans? Let us take you to the annual MGMA conference online.