A transformative law is on track to fundamentally change how physicians and other clinicians are reimbursed under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), but half of recently surveyed physicians have never heard of it, according to the "Deloitte Center for Health Solutions 2016 Survey of U.S. Physicians." The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) … [Read more...] about Is your practice aware of significant changes to Medicare’s MACRA program?
Managing the office
Avoid these 3 deadly age discrimination traps
Age discrimination has become today's big employment law issue. And it's because people live longer than in the recent past and also work longer. Some work longer by choice; others have seen their retirement funds obliterated and are forced to continue working. It's yet another danger spot managers need to watch. Older job applicants and employees have strong protection under … [Read more...] about Avoid these 3 deadly age discrimination traps
How to help a grieving employee
By Lynne Curry bio How do you, as a manager, best help an employee who loses a loved one? This is one hot potato that few medical office managers feel equipped to handle. When tragedy befalls an employee, most of us don't know what to say. As a result, we often say nothing. This creates a complete disconnect between the individual for whom everything has changed … [Read more...] about How to help a grieving employee
Smartphones sapping productivity at work
Technology helps workers stay connected while away from the office, but in many cases it is causing them to disconnect while in the office, leading to a negative impact on productivity. According to a recent survey conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of CareerBuilder, a global leader in human capital solutions, 19 percent of employers think workers are productive less than … [Read more...] about Smartphones sapping productivity at work
Study finds overwhelming support for employment background checks
A recent survey on employment background checks finds the vast majority of Americans supports and expects employers to conduct regular background checks on prospective employees. Of additional importance to medical office managers is that the number one place Americans expect to feel safe is their doctor's office. Some key takeaways from the survey include: 95 percent … [Read more...] about Study finds overwhelming support for employment background checks
Do you have a practice bully?
By Lynne Curry bio At first you hear rumblings, and then they turn into a rockslide. If you have a practice bully, a domineering charge nurse, an it's-all-about-me IT manager or a physician so aware of the dollars he brings to your clinic that he could not care less about those he rides roughshod over, you've got a problem. What happens if you don't address a … [Read more...] about Do you have a practice bully?
$900 million in false billing results in charges against medical practices throughout the U.S.
Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell have announced an unprecedented nationwide sweep led by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force in 36 federal districts, resulting in criminal and civil charges against 301 individuals, including 61 doctors, nurses, and other licensed medical professionals, for their … [Read more...] about $900 million in false billing results in charges against medical practices throughout the U.S.
Study of 20 years of employee benefits trends finds important changes
Over the past 20 years, employers have increased and decreased benefits strategically in response to the needs of the workplace and employees, as well as to economic and technological changes. And some of these changes have been significant. So finds "2016 Employee Benefits: Looking Back at 20 Years of Employee Benefits Offerings in the U.S.," a recently released report from … [Read more...] about Study of 20 years of employee benefits trends finds important changes
Avoid these 5 deadly personality traits when hiring staff
Just as important as being able to do the work and being willing to do the work is having a personality that fits the job. Five traits can spell disaster in medical office staffing. Those five traits can cause severe friction within the staff. They can stymie the work. And they can undermine the manager. Here's a definition of each plus the detection questions to ask and … [Read more...] about Avoid these 5 deadly personality traits when hiring staff
Can’t they just get along?
By Lynne Curry bio We think personality clashes are inevitable. But are they? After 36 years spent unraveling people dynamics in the workplace, I've learned that while we give lip service to the idea others do things differently than us, we continue to hope that if they would instead do things the right way, our way, everything would run smoother. It helps to realize … [Read more...] about Can’t they just get along?