Operations

Here’s how to stay on top of requests for up-to-date immunization records, from low-tech solutions to Web-based answers and electronic medical records.

Is your practice deluged with faxed refill reminders from pharmacies and last-minute calls for new scripts from frantic parents? That’s life in pediatrics. Here’s what you can do to better manage the flow, save time and money, and improve patient safety.

Oncology practice-management expert Risë Marie Cleland answers your most common questions.

Radiology groups are feeling pressured to provide 24-hour coverage, or at least extended hours. From groups who have confronted the issue head on, here’s advice on how to make it work - or why you shouldn’t try.

Compensation is a challenging subject for oncologists - more so now than ever. In our second edition of Your Best Practice we address some of the tougher questions on how and why some oncologists are paid more than others. We also give timely advice on reducing denials through technology. As ever, our goal is to help you manage your practice more effectively, one expert tip at a time.

Negotiating with payers is tough for pediatricians. But you have more power than you think. In our second edition of Your Best Practice we share the nitty-gritty on presenting your case for better compensation. We also give timely advice on managing requests for prescriptions and immunization records. As ever, our goal is to help you run your practice more effectively, one expert tip at a time.

Pediatricians are among the lowest-paid of all the medical specialties - and yet they are also among the most dedicated and passionate. Read this month’s Your Best Practice for easy-to-implement tips on getting paid for filling out those endless forms and advice on billing strategies.

The holidays are fraught with opportunities to offend. Here’s some advice for avoiding the blues.

Front and back offices are at war with one another in many practices, with each side accusing the other of “not getting it.” Here’s how to get everyone on the same side.

It’s important for every practice to have an identifiable brand - especially when they are trying to attract cash-paying patients.

It’s true that more physicians are choosing group practices, but reports of the death of the solo practice have been greatly exaggerated.

If you’re trying to go broke, our list of common money-losers will get you there fast! We can show you how to tighten those nuts and bolts, and stem your cash drain.

You didn’t think you could just hang a shingle and wait for the patients to come, did you? Most new practices have to do a little bit of horn-tooting to build their patient base. We’ll show you how.

What Dr. Eckerling sees as innovation, his staff sees as nonstop flux. Can harmony merge with vicissitude?

Robert Lamberts, MD, offers his tips for effective delegation of duties.

Some primary-care physicians love hospitalists; some won’t touch ’em with a 10-foot pole. Here’s what you need to know about the hottest new specialty in medicine.

Surgeon Bhagwan Satiani on why his group’s plan to open a satellite office crumbled.

Every practice can benefit from some professional advice from time to time. Here’s how to hire the right pro.

Family physician Brian Forrest on how his cash-only practice works for him and his patients.

Patient-entered histories can streamline office visits. But can you trust them to tell their stories without you?

Opening Day for your new practice is drawing nearer, and all the little details are starting to bear down on you. Relax: The key to a successful opening - and ongoing profitability - is to know which little details are most important.

Practice partnerships can be like families - and sometimes, family members fight. But when partners know how to fight fair, disagreements between them shouldn’t spell doom for your practice.

As a practice expands, so do its management needs. Here’s how to delegate authority while retaining overall control.

These are the patients that try physicians’ souls. They never pay on time. They don’t respect personal boundaries. They’re demanding and, sometimes, even abusive. What to do with these dark clouds?

Internist Rob Lamberts on his walk-in clinic experiment.