Medical Office Manager

Increasing profits

Strong practice leaders understand the competition

By Nick Hernandez  bio Practice managers must be keenly aware of what competing practices are doing as well as practices outside of their catchment area. Practice management requires a firm focus on the competition; identifying its strengths and vulnerabilities is crucial. Since managing a successful practice requires decision and action based on situational … [Read more...] about Strong practice leaders understand the competition

Involving staff in marketing generates good ideas and sense of teamwork

An office manager looking for ways to encourage a team atmosphere decided to ask staff to help market the Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) practice where they all work. The goal was to help staff see that everyone plays a key role in the four-physician, 22-staff practice. The office manager began by holding a meeting focused on the important role everyone plays in marketing the … [Read more...] about Involving staff in marketing generates good ideas and sense of teamwork

Should your physicians blog?

Blogging, when successful, results in a certain notoriety, which, in the case of a physician blogger, calls attention to his or her medical practice. Such notoriety can help market the practice and result in new patients. But there are other reasons doctors blog—and, in fact, marketing the practice isn't one of the primary reasons physicians take to the keyboard. Dr. John … [Read more...] about Should your physicians blog?

New Quality Payment Program resources are now available

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has recently posted the following new and updated resources on the Quality Payment Program website: 2018 Self-Nomination Toolkit for QCDRs & Registries:Offers step-by-step instructions for potential Qualified Registry and Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR) vendors to self-nominate to qualify for the 2018 … [Read more...] about New Quality Payment Program resources are now available

In the News: Alliance helps member physicians collect patient reviews and manage online reputation

Physicians belonging to Collier County Medical Society (CCMS) in Florida now have help boosting their online reputation and gaining insight into their practices from patient reviews about their experiences, thanks to a new strategic alliance with Testimonial Tree. For a discounted price, member physicians will have access to Testimonial Tree's reputation management services, … [Read more...] about In the News: Alliance helps member physicians collect patient reviews and manage online reputation

Choosing the right medical practice technology lease

By Nick Hernandez  bio Medical practices often find themselves trying to keep pace with advancements in technology, but keeping up is easier said than done. Investment in technology places heavy demands on capital resources. As a result, administrators are exploring alternative sources of capital beyond customary bank loans.  When you buy equipment and finance it with … [Read more...] about Choosing the right medical practice technology lease

Now available: 2017 CMS QRDA III Implementation Guide for Eligible Clinicians and Eligible Professionals, Schematron, and sample files

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published the 2017 CMS Quality Reporting Document Architecture Category III (QRDA III) Implementation Guide (IG) Version 1.0 (7/07/2017) for Eligible Clinicians and Eligible Professionals (EPs) Programs with Schematron and sample files. This version replaces the 2017 CMS QRDA III IG for Eligible Clinicians Reporting … [Read more...] about Now available: 2017 CMS QRDA III Implementation Guide for Eligible Clinicians and Eligible Professionals, Schematron, and sample files

AMA launches campaign to maximize physician success in MACRA

The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) promises to reshape how Medicare pays physicians under the Quality Payment Program (QPP). Yet, a survey of 1,000 practicing physicians who have been involved in practice decision-making related to QPP shows that fewer than one in four physicians feel well prepared to meet its requirements in 2017, according to a … [Read more...] about AMA launches campaign to maximize physician success in MACRA

3 mistakes that cause medical practice change initiatives to fail

By Nick Hernandez  bio Good is rarely good enough, and opportunities for improvement are never lacking. Unfortunately, the success rate of major change initiatives in medical practices is often low due to poor management of the change. Physician leaders and practice managers should expect and accept disruption and resistance to change, and never lose sight of the fact that … [Read more...] about 3 mistakes that cause medical practice change initiatives to fail