Staff

New technology is supposed to reduce your staffing needs. But how do you get staff on board with a change that may end up costing some of them their jobs?

If you don’t have a policy on staff e-mail usage, you need one. Here’s why.

In times when medical reimbursements are dropping and pressures are increasing for physicians, the need for a well-functioning office is greater than ever.

Rumors of stricter enforcement of privacy and security rules have been heard before but this time there’s reason to believe that tougher scrutiny is indeed coming.

In the market for an EHR? Here’s a step-by-step selection guide by internist and pediatrician Rob Lamberts, who’s been through the process himself.

Few administrators experience daily upheavals in their practices, but most are presented with a major transition at some point during their career. Are you ready?

An internal medicine specialist was fleeced badly by the Mother of all Embezzlers. Don’t think it can’t happen to you until you read what happened to her.

Practice managers who are amicably leaving, be it for retirement or another opportunity, are often tasked with finding and training their own successor. Here’s some advice on this peculiar last act.

What are the secrets of success in an ever changing practice-management climate? Veteran administrators dish.

Hospital-doctor bundling schemes are a near-certainty in any healthcare reform. Will physicians get the short end of the stick?

Is your IT guy too powerful? In a small office, just one staffer often holds the keys to the kingdom. What if he quits abruptly - or worse, holds you hostage?

You’ve got questions - lots of ’em. And we’ve got the answers. We compiled some of the most common practice management questions we hear - from collections issues to dealing with staff problems and so much more - in one place, and got answers from some of the top experts in the business.

Times are tough, and layoffs may be unavoidable. If you must do it, here’s how to do it right - while protecting your practice from litigation.

Are you a small office skating by on IT? Here’s why paying for a quarterly IT checkup might save you big bucks in the long run.

With the recession lingering on, many practices are feeling the sting of unfilled appointments caused by patients who have lost their jobs and insurance coverage.

A little price comparison can help you save big bucks on common goods and services.

Deciding how much to dole out to support staff can be tricky, especially in a difficult economy. But our survey of more than 1,000 practices nationwide will help guide you.

EHR companies are increasingly offering billing services, and vice versa. Is this just another way to squeeze money out of you, or does it make sense to combine the services?

One thing that creates friction in medical practices is the success and subsequent recognition of one of its members.

The traditional practice of primary care is complex - let’s face it, you could more accurately predict the likelihood of a patient presenting with a subdural hematoma based on his or her symptoms than you might Blue Cross’ likelihood of accepting a preauthorization for the CT scan.

Summer vacation season is upon us. Here’s how to keep your practice running when your skeleton crew asks for time off.

Outsourcing billing operations can be a relief to a frazzled practice. But you need to do it right; after all, your practice’s revenue is at stake.

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

In the current economic stimulus bill, large financial incentives are put in place for medical practices that use an approved EMR product.

Getting a new staffer on board is only the first step to easing your office’s work load. It’s just as important to train her properly, lest she become more a liability than an asset.

Dismissing an employee is always an unpleasant event. But when that employee is a physician, it’s also complicated and potentially legally risky. Here’s how to avoid the pitfalls.

Here is how physicians in every specialty can take advantage of these time-saving staffers, and make more money to boot.

Our staff members sometimes arrive late. How do we set a policy regarding what is excessive lateness, and what we will allow? In other words, how do we control tardiness?