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You are here: Home / Archives for topics / Technology
COVID-19

Telemedicine calls for new etiquette guidelines

June 11, 2020 by

By Dr. Neil Baum bio Coronavirus has changed the playing field and methodology of caring for patients. We no longer will be seeing all our patients in our offices. Also, there has been a relaxation of the restrictions, such as HIPAA, for using telemedicine and now, or the first time, there are codes and reimbursements that make it possible to be compensated for virtual care. Just as there are proper behaviors expected of physicians who are face-to-face with patients, there is a new code of behavior for telemedicine. Even though telemedicine appointments are becoming popular, video conferencing etiquette can be a challenge to many physicians. I would like to offer a few suggestions for making your telemedicine visits more professional. Use good gear Use the top-of-the line equipment. Even though… . . . read more.

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TECHNOLOGY

Choosing an automated compliance partner

June 11, 2020 by

By Kristi Williams bio Sometimes the obvious isn’t so obvious.  And sometimes it takes fresh eyes to see what has been right in front of you all along.  Such is the case with automation in healthcare. Today, healthcare organizations find themselves continuously challenged to keep up with changing regulatory requirements and to ensure that their business practices adhere to external rules and internal controls. That responsibility falls directly on the shoulders of the compliance department who is tasked with identifying risks that an organization faces and implementing controls to protect the company from those risks. The need for an effective compliance program is not new.  It has been understood by health plans for years.  What is new, however, is that an increasing number of health plans are turning to automation… . . . read more.

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CORONAVIRUS

AMA puts out telemedicine guide

April 22, 2020 by

The American Medical Association (AMA) has compiled a guide to help physicians get telemedicine up and running so they can safely care for patients. The telemedicine quick guide outlines the first steps to get started and lays out key considerations to implementing telemedicine and explains policy, coding and payment. Even if your practice didn’t use telemedicine before, it may be an option now. Federal government agencies temporarily relaxed certain federal privacy regulations during the COVID-19 crisis and expanded payment policies. For example, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is letting physicians provide beneficiaries a wider range of health care services without having to visit a health care facility. This CMS fact sheet explains more. Also, the Health and Human Services (HHS) Inspector General is waiving Medicare’s cost-sharing requirements for COVID-19 treatment delivered via telehealth from a doctor’s office or hospital emergency department. Learn more with… . . . read more.

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TELEHEALTH

Public health emergency jumpstarts remote care

April 13, 2020 by

From video chats to relaxation of state licensing requirements, the coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the adoption of remote and virtual healthcare services. Here is an update from CMS: Medicare Telehealth Visits: Effective for services starting March 6, 2020, and for the duration of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE), Medicare will make payments for Medicare telehealth services furnished to patients in broadened circumstances. During the PHE, clinicians can use popular applications that allow for video chat such as Apple FaceTime and Skype, thanks in part to enforcement discretion by the HHS Office of Civil Rights. Clinicians who seek additional privacy protections for telehealth while using video communication products should provide such services through technology vendors that offer HIPAA business associate agreements (BAAs) with their video communication products. In addition, clinicians… . . . read more.

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PANDEMIC

Protecting your medical practice during uncertain times

April 9, 2020 by

By John W. McDaniel bio Given the recent disruption and decreased demand for physician office services, coupled with the foreboding predictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, both hospital- affiliated and private medical practices are having to adjust their operations in order to provide billable patient care services while salvaging the cash flow/liquidity of the practice. Indeed, physicians have been slow to adopt telemedicine as an essential adjunct service; yet, the current external environment beyond our control has caused physicians to respond and explore ways to optimize operational changes in terms of modifying the traditional business model of physician practices in order to be financially viable now and in the future. The greatest change has resulted in realizing the benefits of telemedicine as physicians are discovering the benefits of performing patient assessments… . . . read more.

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HIRING

Should you notify applicants they didn’t get the job?

September 6, 2019 by

Open positions, especially those advertised, often generate many applications. If your practice is located in a major metropolitan area or…


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CMS UPDATES

Tell your patients about the new eMedicare app launched this year

August 19, 2019 by

Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched a new app that gives consumers a modernized Medicare experience with direct access on a mobile device to…


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BLOG

Top 4 trends shaping the healthcare industry

August 2, 2019 by

By Leora Borgenicht  bio
Before the healthcare industry can ambitiously transform to offer more accurate and personalized patient care, certain stepping stones must…


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BLOG

What you need to consider before getting started in telemedicine

July 26, 2019 by

By Nick Hernandez  bio
Many practices are hearing about telemedicine and becoming increasingly interested in how such a program could…


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TECHNOLOGY

How to handle patients who diagnose themselves

July 26, 2019 by

There’s a wealth of medical information online, and increasingly patients are tapping it to come up with their own diagnoses. Needless to say, this results in numerous challenges for medical practitioners and office staff.
But how exactly do you navigate the issues that arise from…


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