Virtually any medical practice can immediately improve its revenue, cash flow, profitability, and growth, along with streamlining its operations by embracing five levers for medical practice improvement. John W. McDaniel, founder and chairman of Peak Performance Physicians LLC of New Orleans, LA, says these five levers apply to any type of healthcare business, whether it is a … [Read more...] about 5 proven levers for improving your medical practice
Managing the office
The MIPS 2018 data submission period is now open
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has officially opened the data submission period for Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligible clinicians who participated in Year 2 (2018) of the Quality Payment Program. With the exceptions noted in the paragraph below, data can be submitted and updated any time from January 2, 2019 to April 2, 2019. … [Read more...] about The MIPS 2018 data submission period is now open
Compliance officers must establish credibility with consistent, well-documented decision-making
One of the tougher issues a non-lawyer compliance officer faces is a challenge to their decisions and recommendations by other members of the management team. This happens more often when the person is new to the company or the position. In a large proportion of these challenges, the challenger cites a lawyer's comments or an interpretation they saw in a newsletter or on the … [Read more...] about Compliance officers must establish credibility with consistent, well-documented decision-making
How to be a strong manager even when dealing with over-controlling physicians
The sad truth about working in a medical office is that a manager often has no real job description and not much authority either. Here are examples of situations that come as a result. They are outlined by Ana McGary of PeopleFirst Enterprises, a human resource management consulting firm in Powder Springs, GA. The doctors never seem to agree on my role as manager. Many times … [Read more...] about How to be a strong manager even when dealing with over-controlling physicians
Employment Law Update: The New Year’s Resolutions Edition
By Mike O'Brien bio A lawyer and doctor were talking together at a New Year's party when the doctor complained about how people always asked her for free medical advice. She said to the lawyer, "People probably always ask you for free legal advice…as a fellow professional, how do you deal with it?" The lawyer thought about it, and then said, "I always answer their … [Read more...] about Employment Law Update: The New Year’s Resolutions Edition
Employee handbook compliance 101
An employee handbook is a living, active guide that your medical practice looks to and points to when your employees have questions about their employment. It is also a vital document that backs you up when you are making your management decisions. And most importantly, on the legal side, a properly crafted employee handbook is a litigation-avoidance tool, according to Paul … [Read more...] about Employee handbook compliance 101
A half dozen plus one good ideas
A good manager = a good people-problem solver. Here are some solutions readers have told MOM about in the past. They are easy to implement, and they work. • To keep little problems from getting big, name a head staffer for the clinical area, front desk, billing department, and so on. When staff have comments or problems, they have to e-mail them to those … [Read more...] about A half dozen plus one good ideas
For a better new year, ask staff what’s going wrong and right with the office
To be a leader, a manager has to know the satisfaction level and where staff need and want to change – and also where personal changes are in order. And now is the time to find out exactly that, says Andrew Sobel, a New York City management and business development consultant. Addressing issues in January and February “gets people charged up for the year,” he says. It also … [Read more...] about For a better new year, ask staff what’s going wrong and right with the office
Make these your 2 top goals for 2019
Goal No. 1: Win the doctors' respect Everyone knows communication is key and, when it comes to managing a medical office, communicating poorly with the doctors can sabotage your ability to do your job well. Here are a few rules for communicating in a way that generates respect, establishes your credibility, and demonstrates that you can be trusted to manage their … [Read more...] about Make these your 2 top goals for 2019
Five reasons why staff hate their jobs and look for greener pastures
Turnover should be at the top of every manager's worry list. Yet it isn't because managers don't realize how expensive it is, says Jennifer Loftus, national director of Astron Solutions, a human resource and compensation consulting firm in New York City. "They think it's just a matter of being behind the eight ball for a couple of weeks." It's far more than that. Even on … [Read more...] about Five reasons why staff hate their jobs and look for greener pastures