Technology & AI

Noteworthy items from February 2011

Times are tight for small and large practices alike. But there are ways to supplement your income without selling out. Here are 10 ways you can leverage your skills to boost your income.

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.

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.

Physician profiling, by patients and payers, has become the norm these days, but it seems some doctors are putting a stop to any online comments about their service.Television station KDAF in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas recently ran a story about a local practice that is asking patients to sign a form prohibiting patients from making comments about their visit on the Internet, essentially, as the report says, "turning over editorial content over " to the physician.

Opting for an in-house pharmacy or office dispensing can enable your practice to maintain higher profit margins, but before you jump onboard examine all the costs first.

Noteworthy in January 2011

Why spend hours on the phone with payers when you can check online in minutes?

Researchers say physician practices need to brace for the era of “e-power” - patients taking charge of their care management on a daily basis through the availability of smartphone apps, e-mail, and other “disruptive” technology.

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.

The future of the direct-pay practice model is bright. Here's how it works, the affect on patients, and where it fits with models promoted by healthcare reform.

Don't make unnecessary work for your office, think ahead.

Patient-physician phone tag driving you nuts? Here’s how to make secure e-mail messaging work for your practice.

A little preparation and communication can go a long way toward a smooth-running practice

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

When patients demur over paying for care, don't be a soft touch - there are things you can do to collect

Consultant Greg Mertz feels there is a robust future for private practice, even though practice models will have to change.

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.

Thinking of selling your practice and getting a job with a hospital? Here's some advice for doing it right from experts who negotiate the deals.

Expert Greg Mertz offers tips on how to navigate the process of EHR implementation through needs analysis, vendor selection, and training.

Honesty may be the best policy. But is complete truthfulness the compassionate course in every case? Here's what you need to know about the legal, ethical, and professional issues around withholding information from patients.

Mainstream EHR vendors have gotten better at catering to physicians in specialties outside of primary care, but don't count out niche EHR vendors. We help you examine your purchasing options.

It's been a wild year in healthcare. And you ain't seen nothing yet.

Do you have an emergency plan in place? You should. Our disaster-planning checklist gets you started.

Happy but worried, American physicians are sorting through the many changes their profession is seeing.

Charitable efforts in your office

Here’s what you need to know about the booming medical apps market

The phones never seem to stop ringing in a medical practice. How does your practice manage incoming calls?

Your system crashed and your data is gone. Now what?

Effectively controlling costs in a medical practice essentially means controlling personnel costs.