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Home » Increasing profits
PRODUCTIVITY

5 reasons to hire a medical scribe

March 21, 2023 by

As the manager of a medical office, you understand how crucial it is to provide quality patient care while also maintaining efficient operations. One way to achieve this is by hiring a medical scribe. In this article, we will explore what a medical scribe does, why your office might want to hire one, and how to find the right candidate. What is a Medical Scribe? A medical scribe is a trained professional who works alongside healthcare providers to assist with patient documentation. This can include recording patient histories, physical exams, lab results, and other important information in the patient’s electronic health record (EHR). Medical scribes can also help with administrative tasks, such as entering orders and scheduling appointments. Why Hire a Medical Scribe? There are several reasons why your medical… . . . read more.

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PURCHASING

9 things to know about billing software

March 21, 2023 by

The large majority of medical offices use billing software. If you haven’t made the leap to billing software yet, or if you are shopping for a new software vendor, here are things to know. With billing software, you can automate the entire billing process, from sending out invoices to processing payments. This can save you a lot of time and reduce the risk of errors. This starts with shopping for medical billing software. s a medical office manager, there are important factors to consider before purchasing medical billing software. To choose the best software for your small practice, consider the following factors: Budget: Determine your monthly and annual budget for the software and whether you prefer a monthly or annual payment structure. Practice Management Software: Decide if a comprehensive practice… . . . read more.

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INCREASING PROFITS

Track these 5 metrics for practice profitability

January 6, 2023 by

By Mike Rigert “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times … , ” wrote author Charles Dickens in his classic novel, “A Tale of Two Cities.” While it’s certainly not the worst of times for most healthcare practices (that honor likely went to 2020-2021), things could always be better, right? You’re likely still dealing with the impacts of rampant inflation and ongoing short staffing, among other things. Despite these setbacks, there’s clear opportunities to move your practice forward to improve both production and productivity to help you reach your financial goals. It all goes back to numbers—the key performance indicators (KPIs) that determine whether your practice sinks or swims. Some metrics are more important and vital to the success of your practice than others. We’ve outlined five… . . . read more.

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COVID-19

Jan. 3 deadline for MIPS Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances application

December 15, 2022 by

The deadline to submit a MIPS EUC Exception application for the 2022 performance year is 8 p.m. ET on Jan. 3, 2023. If you believe you’ve been affected by an extreme and uncontrollable circumstance (such as the public health emergency triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic), you can apply whether reporting traditional MIPS or the APM Performance Pathway (APP). MIPS eligible clinicians, groups, and virtual groups may submit an application to reweight any or all MIPS performance categories if they’ve been affected by extreme and uncontrollable circumstances that impact these performance categories. Alternative Payment Model (APM) Entities may submit an application but are required to request reweighting for all performance categories. Beginning in the 2023 performance year, clinicians will also have the option to report via the MIPS Value Pathway (MVP)s framework instead of traditional MIPS. Learn more: CMS’s Current Emergencies Medicare IFC: Revisions in Response… . . . read more.

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STAFFING

Is it a recession or not? The answer may surprise you

August 11, 2022 by

By Lynne Curry My in-box filled with questions after I posted a Recession Fears Loom blog. Readers asked how I made sense of the different views voiced by economists and politicians. As a medical office manager with responsibilities around staffing and profitability, you are probably watching to see which way the economy goes. Here’s the background, and my answer to “are we headed into a recession?”: Some say “yes.” Over 60 percent of the 750 CEOs surveyed by the business research firm Conference Board expect a recession in the next 12 to 18 months1. Another 15 percent of surveyed CEOs report their region is already in recession.1 The most recent gross domestic product report that tracks our overall economic health showed a second consecutive quarter of negative growth, the textbook… . . . read more.

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ONBOARDING

Don’t forget this crucial first step with your new hires

July 5, 2022 by

 By Lynne Curry It’s a crucial first step many managers fail to take. Swamped by other work, they greet their new hires, introduce them to the employees they’re replacing, and leave to attend to other pressing duties. On the surface, this makes sense. The departing employee can easily explain the work that needs to be done. Beneath the surface, this approach carries with it significant risk. If you’re a new hire’s  manager, you want your new employee’s first experience with you to be “I’m looking forward to working with you. Let’s establish what your priorities are and how we can best work together” and not “hello, see you later.” Although your departing employee may be able to outline your new employee’s job duties, they may also communicate an impression different… . . . read more.

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MANAGING THE OFFICE

4 day workweek: Is it in your future?

June 26, 2022 by

By Lynne Curry If you’re an employee, you’re immediately interested. If you’re an employer, you’re doubtful—yet you keep hearing about this new strategy that might make a significant difference in your company’s ability to survive and thrive. It’s the four-day workweek, though not the compressed 4/10’s workweek that oil patch and similar companies used. Employers adopting this four-day workweek ask each employee to work 8.5 hours four days a week, providing them full salaries for 34 rather than 40 hours weekly. Forty U.S. and Canadian employers are trying out this strategy in a pilot program run by 4 Day Week Global.1 Another 32 U.S. employers have adopted it.2 The concept asks employees to maintain 100% productivity for 100% of their pay while working only 80% of the time. It requires… . . . read more.

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MANAGING THE OFFICE

7 ways to cut costs with a greener office

April 18, 2022 by

By Daryll Esposito The well-being of our planet is a universal concern, but it’s not always front-of-mind when we’re busy at work. The good news is that making greener choices at the office is not only better for the environment, it’s better for your budget too. With Earth Day this week on April 22, it’s time to look at some environmentally friendly improvements. Some common repurposing and recycling advice is not appropriate for a medical office, where confidentiality requires paper to be properly shredded for safe disposal. Infection control requires single-use items, often made of non-biogradeable plastic, and the pandemic has only increased the need for these disposable items. On the other hand, the move to electronic health records greatly reduces paper use. 7 simple, sustainable and cost-saving steps that… . . . read more.

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MARKETING YOUR PRACTICE

Is healthcare SEO really worth the investment?

February 8, 2022 by

Years ago, planning a marketing campaign was a simple process. With fewer mediums available to reach potential clients, it was more about how much to spend and less about where to invest those resources. Today, though, the healthcare digital marketing landscape has changed dramatically. Instead of just print options, we now have things like pay-per-click (PPC), search engine optimization (SEO), email marketing, social media, influencers—just to name a few. One of the most talked-about of these options is SEO. But is SEO as powerful as people claim? More specifically, is healthcare SEO worth the investment? Can it really move the needle when it comes to new business? First—what is SEO? Before we discuss the validity of this marketing investment, we need to define what SEO actually is. Search engine optimization… . . . read more.

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WORKING WITH DOCTORS

Nearly 7 in 10 physicians now employed by hospitals and corporations, says report

July 28, 2021 by

Once upon a time, a medical degree was a ticket to life-time self-employment. That no longer seems to be the case—at least not the “self” part of the phrase. For years, hospitals and health networks have been gobbling up physician practices at increasing rates. And now a new study from the Physicians Advocacy Institute (PAI) finds that, as of the beginning of 2021, just 30 percent of all physicians in the U.S. are practicing medicine independently. The remaining 70 percent are employed by hospitals, private equity firms, health insurers or other corporate entities. Whither the independent physician? In addition to being a fixture of the U.S. health care system, the independent physician has been a part of Americana itself perhaps best captured in the paintings of Norman Rockwell. But now… . . . read more.

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