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Withholding Care
Can a doctor refuse to see an established patient until he pays his account balance? Would this be considered withholding treatment?
Question: Can a doctor refuse to see an established patient until he pays his account balance? Would this be considered withholding treatment?
Answer: You can set a written policy, communicated to patients in advance, that you will refuse to see established patients who have not met their financial obligations. You’ll want to define this very clearly - any bill left unpaid after three months? Account balances exceeding $500?
You’ll also want to define what you’ll do when the patient is re-instated. Do they need to pay for all services in advance, for example? Are they dropped from the practice if they go into arrears again? If so, promise to see the patient for the next 30 days, on a cash basis, until they can find another physician or arrange a payment plan/pay in full.
Download our sample dismissal letter to use as a guide.
You might also want to confirm that your malpractice carrier agrees with this advice.
Asset Protection and Financial Planning
December 6th 2021Asset protection attorney and regular Physicians Practice contributor Ike Devji and Anthony Williams, an investment advisor representative and the founder and president of Mosaic Financial Associates, discuss the impact of COVID-19 on high-earner assets and financial planning, impending tax changes, common asset protection and wealth preservation mistakes high earners make, and more.
Reducing burnout with medical scribes
November 29th 2021Physicians Practice® spoke with Fernando Mendoza, MD, FAAP, FACEP, the founder and CEO of Scrivas, LLC, about the rising rates of reported burnout among physicians and how medical scribes might be able to alleviate some pressures from physicians.
