Practice Management

Dermatologists are one step closer to understanding how to access the electronic health record (EHR) incentive payments promised in the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Enacted in February 2009, ARRA provides incentives for physicians who demonstrate "meaningful" use of a certified EHR system.

We are receiving a lot of calls and e-mails regarding which Medicare fee schedule dermatology practices are supposed to use starting Jan. 1. There is a lot of incorrect information floating around from various sources.

Recently, a 27-year-old woman consulted me about hair loss of several years' duration. She was in otherwise good health, and she proved this by showing me an impressive list of perfectly normal laboratory results indicating, among other things, that she did not have anemia or thyroid disease.

A recent study that ranks dermatology among the most satisfying medical specialties to practice finds agreement among dermatologists, who count the specialty's diversity, flexibility and visual nature among its charms.

With all of the talk about the government's EMR stimulus package, new CPT codes, and the impact of the turbulent economy, you wouldn't pick dress codes as a big concern for medical practices. But as the newest generation entering the work force starts filling positions at your dermatology practice, it won't be long before you, too, may need to establish - or update - your practice's dress code.

Politics is a popular but touchy subject. We wondered whether dermatologists' patients are raising the issue of healthcare reform during visits, and, if so, how the derms are handling those questions.

As a physician, do you realize that, between income, capital gains, Medicare, self-employment and other taxes, you spend 40 percent to 50 percent of your working hours laboring for the IRS and your state?

The entire financial world was turned upside down during the years 2008 and 2009. Investors, executives, employees and the general public are left wondering, "Whom can I trust?" and "How will all these changes affect me?"

Physicians' efforts to collect from patients are exponentially better nowadays, but patient statements haven't changed in decades: a slip of paper is popped into an envelope and mailed every 30 days. In this volatile, changing economy, it's time to overhaul your dermatology practice's approach to patient statements.

The entire financial world was turned upside down during the years 2008 and 2009. Investors, executives, employees and the general public are left wondering, "Whom can I trust?" and "How will all these changes affect me?"

Physicians' efforts to collect from patients are exponentially better nowadays, but patient statements haven't changed in decades: a slip of paper is popped into an envelope and mailed every 30 days. In this volatile, changing economy, it's time to overhaul your dermatology practice's approach to patient statements.

With the House and Senate attempting to advance differing visions of healthcare reform, a long-term fix for Medicare's broken sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula hangs in the balance, dermatologists say.

In healthcare reform discussions, there is an emphasis on primary care. We wondered what dermatologists think of this, and whether this could diminish specialty practices and/or impact patient care.

Looking for ways to reverse your dermatology practice's declining reimbursements, but don't know where to start? Try going to the source, or rather, sources - the terms of your payer contracts, that is. This article suggests some key items to seek in your next contract.

If you think medicine is a difficult business today, you are about to face your largest financial challenge ever. There is an approaching confluence of events that could have a significant financial impact on most doctors, unless you do something to protect yourself.

Are dermatologists coming out of residencies prepared for dealing with the challenges of running a practice? We asked dermatologists around the country if they think young physicians are prepared to make business decisions.

To combat declining revenues during this recession, dermatology practices must pay close attention to customer service - everything from the reception area to staff interactions.

Neither being on the brink of major health reform nor living through the tumultuous economy will give you any relief from the challenges to your dermatology practice's bottom line. As employers continue to push more financial responsibility to employees, the ranks of the uninsured surge daily,

Next to biopsies and the destruction of premalignant lesions, the third most common bread-and-butter service for dermatologists is the destruction of benign lesions (CPT codes 17110 and 17111). In this article, we will discuss the proper use of these codes, rules that govern their use and bundling issues

New Haven, Conn. - The shortage of dermatologists in the United States is getting progressively worse, and patients and practicing dermatologists are being affected.

To address the U.S. healthcare crisis, some dermatologists suggest everything from overhauling the FDA to abandoning it - and Medicare as it's currently configured. However, not all dermatologists agree with these proposals.

Tips for an efficient, harmonious office range from staying on top of patients' deductibles to taking regular four-day weekends, an expert says.

Efficient patient flow makes wise business sense - there's no CPT code for the time you spend waiting to talk to the nurse, or idling while a patient is being roomed. Eliminate this non-productive, non-reimbursable time by streamlining your workflow.

With the appropriate software, electronic medical record (EMR) systems will enable physicians to e-prescribe medications and send them directly to the pharmacy before patients leave the exam room.

If staff overtime is common in your dermatology practice, it?s time to take note. Overtime is costly, and can be abused.

As attorneys and consultants to thousands of physicians across the country, we are constantly astounded by the attitudes of physicians regarding the sale of their medical practices. Most often, today, we hear the complaint that doctors do not feel they can sell a practice for any significant value. They generally do not feel the practice is "worth anything," especially if they do not have younger partners to buy them out.

Practice management consultants Elizabeth W. Woodcock, M.B.A., the founder of Woodcock & Associates, Atlanta, and Pamela L. Moore, Ph.D., director of content and strategy for Physicians Practice, Inc., offer these tips for protecting your practice during tough times

Revenue is flat, even dropping, at many dermatology practices. The recession that began last year is leading more Americans to cut back on preventive care, as well as elective procedures and treatments.

Dermatology is not recession-proof. However, protecting revenue and containing costs can help your practice survive and even thrive, even in challenging economic times.

Among the most hard-hit victims of today's troubled economy are the nation's banks. New service charges, confusing account options and wildly varying interest rates are just some of the techniques some banks are using to help pump up their slumping profits - at your expense.