Practice Management: Recent Episodes
ReachMD
Host: Pranshu Mohindra, MD
Guest: Melissa Teply, MD
Guest: Judith Paice, PhD, RN
Guest: Fionnuala Crowley, MD
This enduring program of the live-virtual symposium will focus on the challenges of managing cancer pain using the Evolve KOL Knockout™ case-based format. The key opinion leaders (KOLs) will be challenged by the host/moderator to diagnose and manage patient scenarios with varying levels of difficulty. Learners will vote on the winner of each case presentation round and the moderator will declare a match winner at the conclusion.
There will be learning, laughter, and only one KOL left standing!
Guest: David E. Bernstein, MD, MACG, FAASLD
Guest: Steven Flamm, MD, FAASLD, FACG
Join us as expert faculty, Dr. Steven Flamm and Dr. David Bernstein, take us through the clinical care pathway to help PCPs recognize patients with risk factors for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). This 15-minute activity incorporates elements of role-play, reflection, and learning from one’s mistakes to improve the competence of PCPs in recognizing risk factors for NAFLD/NASH in their patients and taking the best next steps for their care.
Host: Peter Buch, MD, FACG, AGAF, FACP
Guest: Douglas Drossman, MD
We all face angry and disruptive patients from time to time, making it essential to know how to properly de-escalate and handle the situation. That’s why Dr. Peter Buch speaks with Dr. Douglas Drossman, co-author of an article that was published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology titled “De-escalate, Don’t Escalate: Essential Steps to Effectively Recognize and Manage the Patient Who Is Angry and Disruptive.”
Host: Paul Paik, MD
Guest: Catherine Shu, MD
Take a deep dive into current and ongoing clinical trials related to MET inhibitors and discover the key distinctions between these agents, such as dosing differences. Our experts also have recommendations on appropriate therapy selection for your patients with advanced NSCLC harboring MET exon 14 skipping mutations.
Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare field has been hit hard—facing employment challenges, increased burnouts, and more. Yet salaries have been slow to rise, and conditions haven't improved. Dr. Thuy Nguyen from the University of Michigan School of Public Health joins Dr. Charles Turck to share how employment in the healthcare field has changed over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Host: John J. Russell, MD
Guest: Joseph E. Bavaria, MD
Featuring a wide range of disciplines and a new approach to comprehensive care, what do we need to know about the Aorta Center at Penn Medicine? Dr. John Russell is joined by Dr. Joseph E. Bavaria to dive into this aortic program and discuss a new approach to comprehensive care.
Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Guest: Kathryn Gallagher, MS, RN, BSN
Guest: Kate Newcomb-DeSanto, MSN, RN, MSW
What does Penn Medicine’s newly-opened patient room facility have to offer? Dr. Charles Turck is joined by Penn Medicine Clinical Advisors Kathy Gallagher and Kate Newcomb-DeSanto to discuss the new pavilion and how it's revolutionizing patient care.
Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Guest: Sandy Marks
Guest: Kim Horvath, JD
Guest: Kyle Thomson, JD
With telehealth services expanding during the COVID-19 pandemic, has our access to them changed? To better understand this, Dr. Charles Turck meets with Sandy Marks, Kim Horvath, and Kyle Thomson from the AMA to explore what’s been done to provide Medicare coverage during a public health emergency and what’s on the horizon for telehealth access.
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
Guest: Barbara Levy, MD
Guest: Peter A. Hollmann, MD
In response to physicians’ feedback, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed some big changes to the documentation guidelines for office visits. But is there still room for improvement?
Co-chairs of the American Medical Association’s CPT/RUC Workgroup on Evaluation and Management Services Dr. Peter Hollmann and Dr. Barbara Levy join Dr. Matt Birnholz to discuss the Workgroup’s effort to further simplify the work of the healthcare provider and improve the health of patients nationwide.
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
Guest: Barbara A. McAneny, MD
There were a lot of changes made to the 2019 Medicare payment policies. Here to review what these updates mean—and what’s being done in response to them—is Dr. Barbara McAneny, President of the AMA.
Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO
Guest: Mark Friedberg, MD
With the use of alternative payment models (APMs) on the rise, the American Medical Association and the RAND Corporation joined forces to investigate the impact of APMs on physicians across the country. So what exactly did the study uncover? Diving into the study’s findings with Dr. Jennifer Caudle is Dr. Mark Friedberg, senior physician policy researcher at RAND and director of its Boston office.
Host: Tim Rush
Guest: Noel Lumpkin, MD
Dr. Noel Lumpkin, author of Road Warrior Physician, produces a must-read for all physicians, no matter their career stage. Through her insights, Dr. Lumpkin will equip you with the tools you need to begin your career as a locum tenens physician—from the steps to take, the benefits received, and job landscape.
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
Guest: Koryn Rubin
Some big changes are taking effect in one of the performance categories under MIPS. The cost category is now affecting your MIPS score differently, and here to make sure you don’t fall behind is Koryn Rubin, Assistant Director of Federal Affairs at the American Medical Association.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Guest: Lorina Marshall-Blake, MGA, FAAN
Complicating the already-complex issue of the opioid epidemic is the stigma that it often comes with, which defers those who so desperately need help from seeking it. Fortunately, there are organizations like the Independence Blue Cross who are doing their part in humanizing opioid addiction and encouraging those affected to find help through its awareness campaign “Someone You Know.”
To dive deeper into this campaign, Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by the Independence Blue Cross Foundation's President Lorina Marshall-Blake.
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
Guest: Carol Vargo, MHS
Amid all the changes to quality reporting under MIPS, many hospital-based physicians are unsure about what effects, if any, there will be to their employment and compensation. Luckily, there are experts to help break down everything from performance-based changes to compensation accuracy, and providing a how-to guide for navigating the Quality Payment Program in the hospital setting is Carol Vargo, Director of Physician Practice Sustainability at the AMA.
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
Even though more and more physicians are becoming aware of the option to participate in the Quality Payment Program as a virtual group, many still may not have all the details needed to decide whether this is right for them—or how they can even go about joining one. To help clarify the confusion, Dr. Matt Birnholz is joined by Ashley McGlone, Washington Counsel for the AMA.
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
Alternative Payment Models, or APMs, were introduced as a way to reduce costs and improve patient care, but physicians have been slow to adopt this model. To address this issue, Dr. Matt Birnholz connects with Harold Miller, President and CEO of the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform, who provides the details that physicians need to know regarding APMs and why Physician-Focused Payment Models could be the solution.
Host: Shira Johnson, MD
Guest: Laura Hoffman
Guest: Matt Reid
If you’re planning on participating in the Quality Payment Program in 2019, you may be wondering what you can—and should—be doing now to prepare for upgrading your electronic health records, or how this update could affect your computers and networks. If so, you’re not alone.
To help guide you through this process, Dr. Shira Johnson is joined by two AMA staff—Senior Health IT Consultant Matt Reid and Assistant Director of Federal Affairs Laura Hoffman—who answer these and other FAQs.
Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO
Guest: Joanna Petrides, PsyD
Career fatigue is a staggering epidemic where not only the healthcare professionals suffer, but so do their patients and family members. Join Dr. Jennifer Caudle as she speaks with Dr. Joanna Petrides, Clinical Psychologist and Resident Research Director of Family Medicine at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, about the warning signs physicians need to be aware of and the preventative measures that can be implemented to help keep them healthy.
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
Guest: Koryn Rubin
With more and more physicians wondering what the new individual and group reporting measures mean for them and their practice, Dr. Matt Birnholz sat down with Koryn Rubin, Assistant Director of Federal Affairs at the American Medical Association, to break down these options.
Host: Andrew Wilner, MD, FACP, FAAN
Are you a retired physician looking to get back into the field of medicine? Or do you want to resume your clinical practice after taking a few years off? Then listen in as Dr. Andrew Wilner speaks with Dr. Leonard Glass, founder of the Physicians Retraining and Reentry program, about why he created the program in collaboration with UC San Diego School of Medicine, who the ideal candidate is, and how you can apply.
Host: John J. Russell, MD
Guest: Judd Hollander, MD
In the early 1900s, about 40% of doctor visits were made in a patient’s home. Today, with the rise of telehealth technologies, more than 7 million patients are once again receiving care in the comfort of their own homes.
Join Dr. John Russell as he speaks with Dr. Judd Hollander, Associate Dean for Strategic Health Initiatives at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University and Professor and Vice Chair of Finance and Healthcare Enterprises in the Department of Emergency Medicine, on the benefits and risks of implementing telemedicine in your practice.
Host: Alicia A. Sutton
Guest: Miriam Uhlmann, PhD
Guest: Samar Aboulsoud, MD, PhD, MSc Med Ed, FHEA, MAcadMEd
Due to research and studies, health care teams are improving and understanding cultural sensitivity issues and cultural competence. However, we still have much to learn. At the Alliance for Continuing Education in Healthcare Professions 2018 annual meeting, host Alicia Sutton interviewed Samar Aboulsoud, MD and Miriam Uhlmann, PhD about their presentation "A Means to an End: Achieving Patient Satisfaction Through Culturally Sensitive Communication".
In this discussion, Drs. Aboulsoud and Uhlmann discuss their personal and professional experience with educating health care teams to deepen the medical knowledge and clinical skills of those who provide holistic approaches for patient care. Furthermore, it will challenge clinician’s understanding of what affects their interactions and understandings that can impact patient care, compliance, and outcomes.
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
New rules issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are providing physicians with a smoother transition to the Quality Payment Program, or QPP. One critical part of this support involves technical assistance programs, which provide information and resources to physicians during and after this transition.
Host Dr. Matt Birnholz talks with Dr. Edward Sobel and Ms. Temaka Williams about what technical assistance is available to physicians navigating the quality payment program. Dr. Sobel is the Medical Director at Quality Insights,which is based in Charleston, WV, while Miss Williams is a Health Information Technology Advisor at Telligen Oak Brook, Illinois.
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
Guest: Richard Deem
With the advent of the Medicare Quality Payment Program, there are notable practice changes for clinicians. What do these changes mean for you and your practice?
To examine the issues and opportunities, host Dr. Matt Birnholz welcomes Richard Deem who is the Senior Vice President of Advocacy at AMA. Mr. Deem will explain how these changes affect small practices in particular, and what physicians in these practices need to know in order to succeed.
Host: Randall Wong, MD
Host: Russell Faust, MD
Every website needs a way for interested patients to contact your office, “opt-in” to become a subscriber and, if you are ready to engage readers, a way for readers to leave a comment. Most of these features can be easily (and cheaply) added to your website via plugins. This episode will show you how.
Host: Randall Wong, MD
Host: Russell Faust, MD
Want to start a podcast? Podcasting can be an excellent way to expand your digital audience and grow your practice. Podcasting is cheap, easy to do, and reaches a new audience for your practice. In addition, more people listen to a podcast now than ever before. Podcasts are the largest growing medium across the Internet.
Drs. Russ Faust and Randy Wong share their experiences and learned tips in the art of podcasting.
Host: Andrew Wilner, MD, FACP, FAAN
Guest: Michael Weisberg, MD
What happens when you are admitted to the hospital as a patient, and the physician assigned to be your doctor has never seen you before and knows absolutely nothing about you?
Says Dr. Michael Weisberg, gastroenterologist and author of The Hospitalist, situations like these are increasingly common in modern medicine and can have disastrous consequences for patients.
Dr. Weisberg joins host Dr. Andrew Wilner to talk about his novel, which underscores how doctors are now at heightened risk of being thwarted by the modern health care system.
Host: Randall Wong, MD
Host: Russell Faust, MD
Want to speed up your site? Want to improve your SEO? These WordPress plugins can improve your website download speed, a crucial variable in the SEO equation. Making your website faster and improving your SEO will help you get the high rankings you want. And don’t let the technical jargon scare you. If Russ and Randy can use these plugins, so can you!
Drs. Russ Faust and Randy Wong share a few of their personal favorite plugins for making your website faster.
Host: Randall Wong, MD
Host: Russell Faust, MD
Any website can get hacked. There are 3 facets of website security: backing up your website, thwarting hackers (unauthorized use), and repairing hacked files. Restoring a hacked website can take weeks compared to a single click if you have a backup. It should be your priority.
Drs. Russ Faust and Randy Wong discuss their favorite security plugins to keep your site safe from hackers by preventing unauthorized access, blocking entire countries from accessing your site, and scanning for malware.
Host: Randall Wong, MD
Host: Russell Faust, MD
Here's a compelling reason to build your health care website with Wordpress.org: plugins. Plugins can enhance your website by allowing customized design, navigation, and features. Want an email option? There's a plugin for that. Want added security? There are several for that as well. Most are free, and many offer "premium" upgrades.
Drs. Russ Faust and Randy Wong share a few of their personal favorite plugins for health professional websites.
Host: Randall Wong, MD
Host: Russell Faust, MD
Every doctor has a Power Point presentation. Have you considered taking a "screencast," also known as video screen capture, of your presentation and adding your own voiceover? It's much easier and cheaper (free?) than you think.
Drs. Russ Faust and Randy Wong share a few of the trusted tools available to publish your first educational video.
Host: Randall Wong, MD
Host: Russell Faust, MD
Telling a story can be a compelling way to share your content. A story can be a way to convey your brand, your culture, and your mission. A story can even be a way to share clinical content.
Drs. Russ Faust and Randy Wong share reasons why storytelling can be a powerful way for both large corporations and small practices to convey their content and spread their message with transparency and authenticity.
Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO
Guest: Vince Parry
In today’s digital world, the way that people interact with health care is very different than in the past. Guest Vince Parry, President and Chief Branding Officer at Parry Branding Group, says there are fundamental problems in the way healthcare companies and their advertising agencies currently market health and wellness brands across digital media. Host Dr. Jennifer Caudle will lead a discussion of the current brand “identity crisis” and how healthcare brands can better capitalize on the current digital landscape to improve outcomes.
Host: Randall Wong, MD
Host: Russell Faust, MD
Repurposing your content or using different platforms to recycle existing content makes you more efficient, gains more followers, and widens your appeal. But repurposing is not the same as "copy and paste." Rather, it means that you create similar content of the same subject, but on different platforms (e.g. audio, video, etc.). Drs. Russ Faust and Randy Wong elaborate.
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
This discussion is dedicated to helping clinicians understand the “Pick Your Pace” option for Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) participation.How should physicians navigate these new reporting options to avoid any payment penalties, and what are the most effective first steps?
Host Dr. Matt Birnholz welcomes Dr. Kate Goodrich, Director of the Center for Clinical Standards and Quality under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Dr. Goodrich also serves as CMS's Chief Medical Officer.
Host: Tim Rush
Guest: Noel Lumpkin, MD
Most doctors have heard of locum tenens, but very few actually know how it works. Dr. Noel Lumpkin, author of the book Road Warrior Physician, wants to change this awareness issue for physicians. Together with our host, Tim Rush, she will discuss the necessary steps, benefits, and career landscape for this decision, both for doctors and hospital systems.
Host: Tim Rush
Guest: Walter Boutwell
Host Tim Rush chats with Dr. Walter Boutwell, a neonatologist from Montgomery, Alabama about his experience as a locum tenens doctor for the last 17 years, affording him the unique flexibility to participate in several medical missions and write works of speculative fiction.
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
It's estimated that 80% of serious medical errors involve miscommunications between caregivers during the transfer of patients. But investigations are ongoing to identify the key issues behind these miscommunications, and how patient centered, value based care can address them.
Host Dr. Matt Birnholz speaks with Dr. David Badolato, family physician and founder and CEO of Life Laboratory, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit organization dedicated to research and education in quality models of care. Dr. Badolato authored an article published in Patient Safety and Quality Healthcare titled “The Patient-Family Journey From Outpatient to Inpatient: Improving Quality and Safety With the Outpatient EMR and PCP Collaboration.”
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
Guest: Robin Zon, MD, FACP
Value-based, patient-centered care has become the destination for all branches of medicine, and is the philosophy driving modern payment reform initiatives like MACRA. But the unique care delivery needs in each specialty challenge the notion that one payment model can serve everyone. And nowhere has this become more relevant than in the field of oncology.
Dr. Matt Birnholz joins Dr. Robin Zon, practicing oncologist and vice president and senior partner at Michiana Hematology-Oncology in South Bend, Indiana. Dr. Zon serves as Chair-Elect of ASCO's Government Relations Committee was Past Chair of the Clinical Practice Committee, which alongside other stakeholders at ASCO developed a Patient-Centered Oncology Payment (PCOP) model. Recently, Dr. Zon presented this information at the recent AMA House of Delegates meeting in June. She speaks to the phases of this model, how it can function as a defined APM under MACRA, and its demonstrated positive impacts on oncology care pathways.
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
Guest: Lawrence Kosinski, MD
The advancement of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) has catapulted Alternative Payment Models into the spotlight for identifying new value-based approaches to care. But questions persist as to the roles that specialists can and should play in the design and implementation of APMs, how these models will cut healthcare costs, and which administrative partnerships are needed to make them successful.
Dr. Lawrence Kosinski, a practicing gastroenterologist with The Illinois Gastroenterology Group, is pioneering one such APM that applies an innovative method for tracking patients between clinic visits. The model, called SonarMD, for which Dr. Kosinski is founder and Chief Medical Officer, provides a web-based platform that pings patients beyond practice settings to help get ahead of issues before they become emergencies.
Host: Renée Simone Yolanda Allen, MD, MHSc., FACOG
Many physicians are daunted by the contract negotiation process for a new job. They often worry that employers will retract their offers if candidates try and negotiate for a more favorable contract.
Dr. Renee Allen sits down with Arden Miller, JD, attorney with Cohen, Pollack, Merlin and Small P.C. in Atlanta, Georgia to talk about best practices for contract negotiation. They discuss guidelines physicians should employ while going through this process and ways to ensure an agreement is reached that is mutually beneficial to all involved.
Guest: Lawrence Sherman
What happens when you suddenly become a patient and are faced with a life-threatening illness? How do the interprofessional members of the medical team work together to help you recover as safely and quickly as possible?
From the Villanovans in Healthcare Speaker Event, join Lawrence Sherman, Senior Vice President of TOPEC Global, as he talks about innovative and collaborative interprofessional approaches to care stemming from lessons learned through his own experience as an educator-turned patient.
How do you make sure that the right people are doing the right jobs at the right time, helping medical practices function more efficiently?
Alicia Sutton chats with Ray Saputelli, Executive Vice President and CEO of the New Jersey Academy of Family Physicians, about transforming medical practices to run as more cohesive units.
Host: Alicia A. Sutton
Shared decision making (SDM) is a synergistic process that allows patients and their providers to make health care decisions together and take into account the best scientific evidence available, as well as the patient’s values, goals, and preferences. It's important to invite all patients into the process even if they decline. This process increases patient satisfaction, adherence and compliance. Join host Alicia Sutton to discuss shared decision making with guest Isabelle Vacher, former nurse and Senior Vice President of Educational Strategy at AXIS Medical Education, Inc.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Primary care practices are environments with deeply emotional caregiving relationships, but communicative barriers between clinicians and patients make some important conversations difficult to approach on both ends. The patient advocate is an emerging role to help bridge these communicative divides in general practice. How can these care navigators facilitate better health outcomes, and what do clinicians need to know to support this cause?
Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Pamela Wilson, leading expert in the caregiving industry and author of The Caregiving Trap: Solutions for Life’s Unexpected Changes, to discuss the benefits of patient advocacy in primary care.
Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO
The Meaningful Use program from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) was designed to help make electronic health records fully functional, enabling better coordination of care for physicians and more transparency of information for patients. However, the rollout of this program proved to be far rockier than anticipated, as errors and communication gaps from EHR systems led to practice penalties despite heavy investments and best intentions toward compliance. What will the future hold for this dysfunctional program on a national scale, and how can clinicians find success in their respective practices amidst these challenges?
Joining host Jennifer Caudle, DO at the American Osteopathic Association's annual medical education conference, OMED2015 in Orlando, FL to discuss strategies for better EHR integration is Laura Wooster, Vice President of Public Policy for the AOA.
Host: Alan S. Brown, MD, FACC, FAHA, FNLA
Medication Adherence: is it the Achilles Heel in your therapies for patients with dyslipidemia? Dr. Lynne Braun, nurse practitioner in the Preventive Cardiology Center and the Heart Center for Women, and Professor in the Department of Adult Health Nursing at the Rush College of Nursing in Chicago, targets three critical barriers to lipid medication adherance: weak patient-provider relationships, health illiteracy, and poor health care transitions after hospital discharge.
Supported by an Educational Grant from AstraZeneca.
Host: Alicia A. Sutton
How divergent are cultural perspectives in the healthcare system, and how does this affect both the delivery of medical care by clinicians and the paths toward health and wellbeing for patients? Dr. Simon Kitto, Medical Sociologist, Director of Research in Continuing Professional Development and Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at the Wilson Centre for the University of Toronto, joins host Alicia Sutton to explore workplace culture from several vantage points, such as professional-to-patient value systems and group behavior dynamics, toward better understanding health outcomes.
This week, Mark and Margaret speak with Adam Dole, Presidential Innovation Fellow at the White House and former entrepreneur-in-residence at the Mayo Clinic. Mr. Dole is developing better interfaces between patient information and clinical practice from the unique perspective of consumer design. As such, he is illustrating novel ways in which non-medical professionals are helping to transform the health care system.
Host: Mimi Secor, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP
Guest: Helen Carcio, NP
Mimi Secor is joined by Nurse practitioner Helen Carcio, Associate Professor in the Graduate School of Nursing at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. Director of the Health and Continence Institute in South Deerfield, Massachusetts. Ms. Carcio trains doctors and advanced practice clinicians in how to set up community based continence centers.
Host: Tim Rush
As a busy health professional doing what you love, you still need to think about how to grow your business. How do you balance the clinical and business-related demands? Host Tim Rush welcomes Michael Weber, MD, cardiologist and entreprenuer, who shares his story about developing a new medical app that has helped grow his business. Dr. Weber is a cardiac electrophysiologist on Long Island, New York and the developer of the DirectLineMD app. For more information, you can visit www.directlinemd.com
Download and listen to the conversation today!
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by Torpey White, Director of the Governance, Risk and Compliance Group. Their discussion will focus on compliance, as well as how to utilize electronic technology in order to benefit your patients. Mr. White will also touch on the HIPAA privacy rule, accepting credit card payments from patients, and how to securely handle patient data. He will also share his opinion on how physicians can protect their practices, as well as their patients' confidential information.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
How has the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model for primary care evolved since its inception? Speaking on this subject is Dr. William Warning, Program Director of the Crozer-Keystone Family Medicine Residency Program in Philadelphia, PA. Dr. Warning is also the Faculty Chair of the Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians Residency Program PCMH Collaborative, the largest Family Medicine Residency collaborative in the country. He is a speaker both regionally and nationally on PCMH implementation and interprofessional team-based care.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by David Brooks, CEO of Medlio. Medlio is a secure, virtual health insurance card that provides cost transparency for patients and providers. Mr. Brooks shares his insights on how emerging mobile technologies can drive primary care practice toward greater efficiency alongside better outcomes for patients.
Host: Paul Rokuskie
For children with autism, negative health care experiences early on can deter them from seeking further medical care later in life, which can lead to significant cognitive and social impairments in adulthood. Creating a positive atmosphere in this environment therefore becomes an important responsibility for health professionals, but how can physicians and healthcare executives ensure that their medical practices or larger organizations are "autism-friendly?" Joining host Paul Rokuskie to discuss evidence-based approaches for effective interactions with autistic patients and their families is Dr. Judith Miller, a clinical psychologist and Clinical Training Director for the Center for Autism Research at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).
Host: Tim Rush
Guest: Winn H. Gregory, MD
As a locum tenens contractor, healthcare professionals can gain experience in a variety of settings, from rural solo practices to urban group practices to even military bases and correctional facilities. So if you’re interested in investigating the potential merits of this unique method of clinical practice, then tune in to hear Dr. Winn Gregory share his experience as a general surgeon who works with locum tenens assignments in affiliation with Weatherby Healthcare.
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
The Patient-Centered Medical Home is a frequently discussed model for improving general practice, but converting from an ideal to a practical reality has been difficult for many clinicians on the front lines of care. Speaking on the triumphs and setbacks of this transitional period in practice is Dr. Hugh Bonner, Associate Director of the Saint Francis Family Medical Residency Program and past-president of the Delaware Academy of Family Physicians.
Host: Tim Rush
As physicians' incomes diminish with reduced insurance reimbursement, physicians are faced with the problem of how to continue to offer high quality care without going broke. Some have turned to physician extenders and others have increased their patient loads to cover the increasing cost of running an office. There are lots of ways to "make money" and lots of reasons but staying within the ethics of practice is a bit tricky. Host Tim Rush welcomes Dr. Michael Greenberg, practicing dermatologist at the Illinois Dermatology Institute in Chicago, IL. Dr. Greenberg will discuss how his practice incorporates a "win-win-win" strategy that helps his practice, his patients and local charities.
Download and listen today!
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
The Patient-Centered Medical Home: it may be a novel concept in practice, but it draws from ideals that are well known to all practitioners. In this discussion with host Dr. McDonough, Dr. Richard Snyder, a family physician and senior vice president and chief medical officer for Independence Blue Cross (IBC) in Philadelphia, provides his dual perspective on Patient-Centered Medical Homes from both clinical and insurance company settings.
Guest: Robert Monteleone, MD
Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP
Host Dr. Brian McDonough is joined by Dr. Robert Monteleone, assistant director of the Saint Francis Hospital Family Medicine Residency program in Wilington, DE. Dr. Monteleone has also been in private practice in Elkton, MD for over ten years, and his office's recent adoption of EMR software en route to a "paperless practice" casts lights on some of the benefits and challenges of making this transition from the ground-up.
Guest: Robert Mather
Host: Tim Rush
Why should employers run a background check on new hires? And why do small businesses in particular need to think about performing background checks? Robert Mather, CEO of Pre-Employ, of one of the largest background screening firms in the United States, running tens of thousands of background checks every day, joins host Tim Rush to discuss the advice they give to employers, and what they tell job seekers about performing a background check on themselves. Also, can you re-check your current employees?
Guest: Audrey Corson, MD
Host: Gary Epstein
Internist Dr. Audrey Corson discusses why the practice of medicine remains satisfying to her, despite the challenges of maintaining an independent medical practice. She and host Gary Epstein talk about why she feels maintaining her current practice model, with no insurance contracts, is critical to her provision of excellent patient care. Her unique background includes serving as a nurse practitioner before going to medical school. Having worked both sides of the extender equation, she also discusses her views of the role of extenders in practice.
This week's guest was nominated by:
Host: Mimi Secor, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP
Guest: Kirsten Wister, NP
After years working in clinical practice in rural Arizona, NP Kirsten Wister had a vision for her own practice that would allow her to offer integrative medicine and treat poor and needy patients. Like some other rural states in the US, the state of Arizona allows NPs to run a practice without a physician's oversight, as well as admit patients to some acute and sub-acute facillities, and prescribe medication. She and host Mimi Secor talk about how she opened her practice in Sierra Vista, 75 miles south of Tucson, in March 2011, and the patients who were invested in having this practice in the community to the extent that they staffed it voluntarily, and the value she's found in collaborating with physicians despite the fact Arizona law does not require it.
Guest: Barbara Phillips, NP
Host: Mimi Secor, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP
Thousands of nurse practitioners across the country run their own practices. But for those who have never been self-employed, the challenges of starting their own business can seem daunting. Nurse practitioner Barbara Phillips, business coach, consultant and CEO of NP Choice, LLC, joins host Mimi Secor to discuss how to start your own business in seven steps, from the concept stage to the day you open your doors to patients.
Guest: Jeffrey Kullgren, MD, MPH
Host: Bruce Japsen
When a patient visits the doctor's office, time is precious. But, given the rising cost of medical care in the United States, making time for direct and open conversation with patients about healthcare prices has never been more important. Dr. Jeffrey Kullgren of Penn Medicine tells host Bruce Japsen about the need for doctors to find a moments in their busy schedules for patient education on comparative costs of care.
Guest: Betsy Nicoletti
Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA
ICD-10, HIPPA and OIG sounds more like secret code than medical codes. What do you need to know in order to understand the ever changing world of medical coding and how can you be prepared for what's to come? Betsy Nicoletti, author of The Field Guide to Physician Coding and co-founder of codapedia.com, helps explain to host Lisa Dandrea Lenell how practices can manage changes in coding through technology and billing procedures.
Guest: Mark Chassin, MD, MPP, MPH
Host: Bruce Japsen
An estimated 4 out of 5 serious medical errors involve miscommunication that occurs when care is 'handed off' from one care provider to another. Dr. Mark Chassin, president of the Joint Commission, the organization that's studied handwashing and potentially dangerous acronyms and abreviations, tells host Bruce Japsen about how the Commission's Center for Transforming Health Care and 10 hospitals and health systems across the country are working to improve patient care by improving communication between 'senders' and 'receivers.'
Guest: Eileen O'Grady, PhD, RN, NP
Host: Mimi Secor, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP
How does the medical home fit into the rapidly changing healthcare model in the United States? The idea of the medical home isn't a new one. It's actually based on a concept created by the American Academy of Pediatrics in the 1960s. Dr. Eileen O'Grady, nurse practitioner and visiiting professor at the Leinhard School of Nursing at Pace University in New York, joins host Mimi Secor to explain how the medical home works, the technology needed to set it up and the opportunities the advanced practice clinician will play in this healthcare model.
Host: Jack Lewin, MD
Guest: Francois de Brantes, MS, MBA
As we all strive to improve quality of care, two crucial questions remain at the heart of the issue: How do we define, and identify, quality in practices, hospitals and other health care settings? Then, how can new methods of identifying quality in practices help improve the standardization of processes and care that patients receive? Join host Dr. Jack Lewin and his guest, Francois de Brantes, executive director of the Health Care Incentives Improvement Institute in Newton, Connecticut, which manages the Bridges to Excellence and PROMETHEUS payment programs. Mr. de Brantes talks about the specific data that can help identify quality, and ways to utilize these data to improve and facilitate quality improvement. How does identifying quality in cardiovascular practices coincide with the increasing interest in value-based health care delivery?
Produced in Cooperation with
Guest: Michael Powe
Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA
Recently, Aetna, which is one of the largest insurance companies in the United States, announced it would reimburse PAs at 85 percent of the physician pay schedule. So what does this move mean for PAs? Michael Powe, vice president of health systems reimbursement policy for the American Academy of Physician Assistants, joins host Lisa Dandrea Lenell to look at the current reimbursement picture and how PAs can make sure they are being reimbursed for the care they provide. They also look at how this process could change in the future with healthcare reform.
Guest: Michael Powe
Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA
Medicare and physician assistants both entered the healthcare field in the 1960s, but despite their similar ages, physician assistants don't always understand Medicare. Complicated rules and seeming inconsistencies can lead physician assistants to make billing errors — and avoiding these errors is more important than ever, as the federal government is looking more closely at Medicare billing, with an eye on potential fraud. Michael Powe, vice president of health systems and reimbursement for the American Academy of Physician Assistants, joins host Lisa Dandrea Lenell to talk about how to navigate the red tape and successfully obtain Medicare reimbursement.
Guest: William F. Galtney, Jr.
Host: Shane Jackson
Nobody likes to think about liability insurance, but it's a topic that every medical professional needs to understand. Whether you're just starting your career in medicine, or are a seasoned professional, the topic of malpractice insurance can be confusing. Will Galtney, chairman of Galtney Enterprises, Cedar Equities, Oxford Insurance Services, and Gessner Holdings, LLC, joins host Shane Jackson to explain the continually changing medical malpractice landscape.
Guest: Ken Hekman
Host: Shane Jackson
Whether a physician practices independently or as a part of a group, most will reach various stages of their career when they consider selling their practice. This can be an intimidating prospect for a doctor, as they are faced with discussions of valuations, multiples and other financial concepts and issues that they don't normally encounter. Joining host Shane Jackson to to help us better understand the process of selling a practice and what physicians need to know about the process is Ken Hekman, president of the Hekman Group Medical Management Consultants.
Guest: Jeffrey Nicholson, PhD, PA-C
Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA
A malpractice lawsuit is something all physician assistants want to avoid, but what do you do if you are sued by a patient? We'll explore the difference between malpractice for physicians and malpractice for PAs, and can a PA be qualified to testify in court as a legal expert? Dr. Jeffrey Nicholson, president of the American Academy of PAs in Legal Medicine, joins host Lisa Dandrea Lenell to talk about the process of a lawsuit, common themes and mistakes in PA malpractice cases, and what to do if you make a mistake.
Guest: Matt Freitas, FNP-C, PA-C
Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA
The Aspen Family Medical Group in the farming town of Modesto, California, has found success for 20 years as a clinic practice and as part of the larger community, with a novel business model. They accept all types of insurance, charge $40 for a physical exam, turn no one away because of inability to pay, welcome walk-ins, provide prescriptions at a cost of $4 or give them away for free, and share profits with employees. How does this work? PA/NP Matt Freitas, vice president of the clinic, talks to host Lisa Dandrea Lenell.
Host: Jack Lewin, MD
Guest: Richard Katz, MD
Use of electronic medical records (EMRs) and personal health records (PHRs) can improve adherence, increase efficiency and better coordinate patient care. What role are health information exchanges playing in the integration of EMRs and PHRs, and how effective are disease management software programs? How can we meet the challenges of integrating health information technology, or HIT, tools into cardiology practices? Dr. Richard Katz, the Bloedorn Professor of Cardiology, director of the division of cardiology at George Washington University Hospital, and director of the George Washington Cardiovascular Institute in Washington, DC, discusses the opportunities to utilize existing and emerging technologies to improve patient care. Dr. Katz also offers pragmatic advice about implementing HIT systems, and reviews current HIT initiatives. Hosted by Dr. Jack Lewin.
Guest: Wright Pinson, MD
Host: Bruce Japsen
Healthcare reform may bring more medical care services to patients, which means more and complex business for the nation's physicians. But are doctors prepared to be the best business people now and in the future for their patients? Dr. Wright Pinson, deputy vice chancellor for health affairs and CEO of the Hospitals and Clinics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, tells host Bruce Japsen about master's programs in healthcare business, like Vanderbilt's Masters of Management in Health Care program.
President Barack Obama has argued that healthcare reform is essential to the future economic health of the United States. But the economics of both healthcare and reform are daunting. Is it possible to pay for healthcare coverage for all Americans without moderating our rapidly rising healthcare costs? And what do we know about the best ways of achieving cost savings? In a roundtable discussion moderated by Dr. Atul Gawande, three experts in health economics — Drs. Elliott Fisher, Jonathan Gruber, and Meredith Rosenthal — explore the most promising ways of slowing the growth of healthcare costs, their potential effects on medical practice, and the likelihood that the current healthcare reform effort will be a step in the right direction.
Guest: Karen Zupko
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
Host: Michael Greenberg, MD
Medical practices across the country are dealing with financial pressures, the likes of which we haven't seen before. It has put a premium on our ability to maximize efficiency while still maintaining the standard of patient care. In many cases, revenues are down, as some patients are forced to adjust to the current economic environment. Those patients who do come in may not be able to pay as quickly as they have in the past, and as a result, you may be planning to put off capital improvements or a new auxillary service until another time. Karen Zupko, president of the national firm Karen Zupko & Associates, answers your practice management questions and speaks with hosts Dr. Michael Greenberg and Dr. Matt Birnholz about a range of current business issues in medicine.
Dr. Greenberg and Dr. Birnholz also riff on an intriguing new British study of innovative ways to improve hand washing rates; they challenge you to reconsider your views on organ donation and pursue a lively debate on the need for science and medicine to add a little style to its substance.
Guest: Steven Babitsky, JD
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
Host: Michael Greenberg, MD
Physicians of all ages and stages in their careers often look for a second occupation to augment their clinical and research backgrounds; others delve into that second career full-time after they are finished practicing medicine. A generally talented, driven and curious bunch, it is not uncommon to find these current and former physicians applying their medical knowledge and skills to another line of work, whether in politics, broadcasting or book writing. If you have thought about making a change, rest assured that it is natural to have a range of questions and potential concerns about the process; perhaps, too, you're not even sure what might be out there for you. Host Dr. Matt Birnholz welcomes Steven Babitsky, president of the non-clinical training service for physicians, SEAK, Inc., to answer these questions and provide important counsel on a range of other hurdles that could arise during your pursuit of a non-clinical career.
Dr. Birnholz and co-host Dr. Michael Greenberg will weigh in on other ongoing issues, including the discussion over flu shots for healthcare workers: should all hospital employees be required to receive a seasonal flu shot, as some hospitals are mandating? Also, a new study indicates that physicians lack familiarity …
Guest: Steven Feldman, MD, PhD
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
Host: Michael Greenberg, MD
We may not understand why a patient has stopped taking their medication, or why a colleague ordered a test that we might have thought was not needed. In these and other similar situations, frequently our first instinct is to draw conclusions to explain these enigmatic actions. It's not always easy to truly understand the thinking behind their decision, but Dr. Steven Feldman believes we would all save a lot of time, hassle and money by making the effort to do so. Hosts Dr. Matt Birnholz and Dr. Michael Greenberg welcome Dr. Feldman to the show to discuss his new book, Compartments: How the Brightest, Best Trained, and Most Caring People Can Make Judgments That Are Completely & Utterly Wrong. It's a pretty familiar message that extends far beyond health care, but Dr. Feldman uses his research and experience to uniquely tailor his thoughts to our interactions as clinicians, researchers and beyond.
Dr. Birnholz and Dr. Greenberg also touch on several other interesting issues during the show: should a physician providing in-flight medical care be compensated for their efforts? It's an issue that has drawn significant attention following the decision reached in a Canadian court case. And how much money does …
Guest: Rebecca West, JD
Host: Mark DeLegge, MD
The cost of malpractice insurance and the cost of resolving malpractice claims continues to climb. What are the trends in premiums for gastroenterologists around the country? And what are some of the most common risks and most commonly alleged errors? What’s the likelihood of a gastroenterologist being sued during his career? Rebecca West, CEO of Piedmont Liability Trust, a non-profit serving the University of Virginia School of Medicine, joins host Dr. Mark DeLegge to discuss strategies for avoiding malpractice claims. Ms. West also provides an update on national efforts at tort reform and how malpractice insurance premiums might be affected.
Guest: Nancy Nowak
Host: Bruce Japsen
As President Barack Obama travels the country talking about the need for health care reform, hardly a week goes by when you don't hear the Commander in Chief talk about Intermountain Healthcare and its low costs when compared to the rest of the country. What makes this this large healthcare system an example? Nancy Nowak, vice president of clinical operations and chief nursing officer for Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City, Utah, tells host Bruce Japsen about this much talked-about healthcare system and how its work may be replicated across the country.
Guest: George Collins, PA-C
Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA
The opportunities for physician assistants in their practices are evolving. In practices all around the country PAs are not only seeing patients they are helping to run the offices and manage employees. PA George Collins chief physician assistant and PA director for Orthocarolina in Charlotte, North Carolina, joins host, Lisa D'Andrea Lenell to discuss his leadership role and the unique business model at the large orthopedic group where he works.
Guest: Donna Jarmusz, MA
Host: Michael Greenberg, MD
The healthcare village is a new setting for outpatient care that's similar to an upscale shopping mall. These villages may include cardiologists, primary care physicians, and ambulatory surgery centers, alongside pharmacies, restaurants, spas and health clubs. What are the advantages to this type of business model? Is the healthcare village model primarily a repackaging of existing services, or an entirely new way of delivering care? Dr. Donna Jarmusz, senior vice president for the Chicago-based company Alter+care, a real estate development firm promoting this model, discusses aspects of the healthcare village with host Dr. Michael Greenberg.
Guest: Regina Herzlinger, PhD
Host: Jack Lewin, MD
The role of specialization in our economy dates back to the 18th century. Now fast-forward to healthcare in the present day: one application of specialization is the concept of a focused factory, where care providers focus on one or two specific organs or disease processes. Host Dr. Jack Lewin welcomes Dr. Regina Herzlinger, the Nancy R. McPherson Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, for an interesting conversation about the potential role of focused factories in healthcare. We have seen this model take hold in a few areas of medicine, including cardiology, but is the time ripe for an expansion of the focused factory model? Dr. Herzlinger also explains where a specialty hospital or a general tertiary care facility would fit within this system.
Guest: William Hersh, MD
Host: Bruce Japsen
The stimulus package approved by Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama promises unprecedented money for health IT and electronic medical records. But if the money is enough, are there enough health informatics specialists to pull it off? Dr. Bill Hersh, chair of the Department of Medical Informatics & Clinical Epidemiology in the School of Medicine at Oregon Health & Sciences University in Portland, tells host Bruce Japsen about the healthcare system's needs from the world of health informatics.
Guest: Owen J. Dahl, MBA
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Thinking about adding an ancillary service to your practice? It's a move that certainly has the potential to be an additional source of revenue, but in order to make that happen, you'll need to do your due diligence research to ensure that it makes sense for your patients and your practice. Host Dr. Larry Kaskel gets some helpful guidance from Owen Dahl, nationally recognized medical practice management expert, on what you need to know to make your new toy a moneymaker: finding the necessary space within your facility, accruing needed sources of funding, and juxtaposing these items and much more with your patients' clinical needs.
Guest: William Hutton, MD
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Decisions on practice philosophy, finances, marketing, and much more are yours to make when starting your own medical practice. That's the good news. But it can also make the prospect of setting up your own shop seem extremely daunting. From picking a location, to creating a business plan, to seeking expert advice on accounting, credentialing and legal issues, how can you put it all together to create a successful private practice? Host Dr. Larry Kaskel welcomes Dr. William Hutton, founder and chairman of the board of MedSynergies, a medical practice management firm based in Irving, Texas, who provides pointers you can use when launching your own practice.
Guest: Wayne McCormick, MD, MPH
Host: Lee Freedman, MD
House calls have become a rarity in the US, but were the cornerstone of medical care for most of modern medical history. Dr. Wayne McCormick, professor of medicine at the University of Washington's division of gerontology and geriatric medicine, talks about how physicians are once again incorporating house calls into their practice. How do insurance companies and Medicare reimburse house call visits, and are house calls a viable option for your practice? Hosted by Dr. Lee Freedman.
Guest: Paul Bradley, MD
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Many of us have experienced the frustration of seeing an obese patient who wants to make progress with their weight, but just can't achieve their desired result for any number of reasons. There is a great deal of evidence to suggest that diet and exercise, in the long run, will do more than any combination of medicines; the rub, of course, is how we get them on that magical ‘eat right and exercise' regimen. Dr. Paul Bradley, associate professor of medicine at Mercer University School of Medicine in Georgia, explains why some patients may find that a physician-centered team approach to weight loss could be their answer. Dr. Larry Kaskel hosts.
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Guest: Rahul Parikh, MD
Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP
Physicians often collaborate with other doctors when caring for patients with various medical problems. Yet disagreements with our colleagues may occur more frequently than we would like to admit, and there can be consequences to these disagreements among physicians. How can we best deal with these differences in medical opinion, while keeping in mind our common goal of providing the best care possible for our patients? Host Dr. Jennifer Shu covers this question and a range of related issues with Dr. Rahul Parikh, a pediatrician at Kaiser Permanente in Walnut Creek, California, and a regular contributor to the Vital Signs medical column on Salon.com. Dr. Parikh recently wrote an article for the Los Angeles Times on disagreements between doctors: Does a patient's input often play a role in generating or exacerbating a disagreement? Do we tend to gravitate away from others with whom we have a difference of philosophy or medical opinion?
Guest: Judy Capko
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Inventory management is a fine balance. You want to have what you need when you need it, but you can run the risk of overstocking certain items. We hear a lot about the wasteful spending of our government, but we may look no further than our own medical practices to find the pork. How can you pare down wasteful spending on supplies, and how can your suppliers help you do this? Judy Capko, founder of the practice management and marketing firm, Capko & Company, provides you with some sound advice on inventory management, saving valuable dollars for your practice. Dr. Larry Kaskel hosts.
Guest: Judy Capko
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Focus on customer service. Participate in community activities to raise local visibility. Reward patients who bring referrals to your practice. These are just a few simple ways to market your practice, even on a limited budget. What is it about these strategies that will give you the biggest bang for your buck, and what else can you to keep your patient volume up during these leaner times? Judy Capko, founder of the practice management and marketing firm, Capko & Company, joins host Dr. Larry Kaskel to give you a range of helpful tips on marketing tactics that will give your practice the biggest bang for your buck.
Guest: Donato Tramuto
Host: Bruce Japsen
E-sampling is a new way of marketing drugs to physicians that's gaining momentum via the Internet. It's an approach that may reach more doctors and may prove to be more convenient to those who either don't like or don't want the traditional pharmaceutical industry pitches. Donato Tramuto, CEO and vice chairman of Physicians Interactive Holdings, tells the Chicago Tribune's Bruce Japsen about the trend emerging of marketing and applying business practices to doctors in a digital world online.
Guest: John Kreger
Host: Bruce Japsen
News of mega-mergers involving the likes of Pfizer and Wyeth or Merck and Schering Plough have turned the pharmaceutical industry on its ear. But what does this mean for you and your patients? John Kreger, a principal with the health care investment bank William Blair & Company, tells the Chicago Tribune's Bruce Japsen about how consolidation among drug companies could impact doctors and their patients.
Guest: Elizabeth Pector, MD
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Though healthcare is seemingly one of the more stable sectors of our turbulent economy, many practitioners are still struggling to subdue rising costs. For patients who may be unable to pay up front, can you employ effective payment plans that won't sidetrack your financial outlook? What else can we do to maintain our practice while dealing with the burdens of these tough times? Host Dr. Larry Kaskel welcomes Dr. Elizabeth Pector, a family physician practicing in Naperville, Illinois, just west of Chicago, and a member of the editorial board for Medical Economics magazine. Dr. Pector also delves into an assortment of other issues in medicine today: reimbursement increases, chronic illness management and wellness services merged into one office visit, and maintaining an office staff that can effectively balance good business acumen with respectful patient relations.
Guest: Angela Gardner, MD
Host: Shira Johnson, MD
The practice of emergency room diversion began back in the late 1980s to help prevent overcrowding in busy hospitals. But does it still work? Hospitals across the country are so crowded today that ambulances are turned away regularly. Dr. Angela Gardner, president-elect of the American College of Emergency Physicians and assistant professor of emergency medicine at the University of Texas at Galveston, explores the issue of overcrowding and the policies designed to combat the problem, with host Dr. Shira Johnson.
Guest: Alan Platt, PA-C
Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA
Busy PAs don't have time to stop and look up answers in a reference book or even online from a PC. Answers to new medical treatments, diagnostic tests, medical journals, rapid references are now available on PDA platforms. Allan Platt, clinical instructor at Emory University in Atlanta and author of Evidence Based Medicine for PDAs: A Guide for Practice, joins host Lisa D'Andrea Lenell to talk about the latest advances in medical applications on PDAs. They also discuss the best software for medical professionals and where this software is headed in the future.
Guest: Robert Lamberts, MD
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
We've heard a lot about the economic stimulus funding for electronic medical records (EMR), but the central question for you is whether your practice or institution is ready to take on the effort to install it, maintain it and flourish with it. Stimulus money aside, it's a major investment of time, energy and other resources. When considering the purchase of an EMR, how can your practice ensure that you are buying the right product for the right reasons? Dr. Robert Lamberts, board-certified internist and pediatrician and an experienced lecturer on the subject of electronic medical records, shares a few tips to help you make sure it doesn't become an unnecessary hassle for your practice. Dr. Larry Kaskel hosts.
Guest: David Troxel, Dr.
Host: Bruce Japsen
Telemedicine continues to increase in popularity, but doctors need to understand the risks when communicating by e-mail or phone. Dr. David Troxel, medical director of the Doctors Company, tells the Chicago Tribune's Bruce Japsen about potential risks and liability physicians can open themselves up to if they are not careful about how they use telemedicine and related consultations with their patients over the phone.
Guest: Nicholas Galantino, JD
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Many of our practices could be more efficient at checking in patients, or perhaps more precise in our record keeping. Insurance claims denials and the process of fighting them can be one source of time-consuming, money-draining aggravation for any practice. But we may be seeing a trend toward technologies that could ease these clerical and financial burdens. To learn a little more about the digital developments that are helping us validate patients' insurance eligibility in advance of their medical visit, host Dr. Larry Kaskel welcomes Nick Galantino, chief executive officer of the LoCicero Medical Group, a nine-provider internal medicine practice in Tampa, Florida, which uses one of the devices currently on the market.
Guest: Brian Morton, MBA
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Should you be asking your patients for more than just their co-pay at the time of their visit? With an assist from computer software, a patient's share of their health care costs can be estimated at or prior to the visit. Some experts believe this appraisal, known as real-time claims adjudication, will become much more common in the years ahead. Brian Morton, region executive and content expert for Halley Consulting,joins host Dr. Larry Kaskel to take a look at how your practice can introduce this concept without creating a stir among your patients.
Guest: James Speta, JD
Host: Michael Greenberg, MD
For years, people have turned to online review websites before deciding which restaurants or hotels most deserved their hard-earned dollars. Now, a new category of online reviews is growing, as more patients are posting their own editorials about their physicians. This trend towards patients reviewing their physicians online can be helpful at best, and inaccurate or harmful, at worst. Mr. Jim Speta, law professor at Northwestern University School of Law specializing in telecommunications and internet policy, discusses how physicians can protect themselves from defamatory or unfavorable internet reviews. Is it prudent to have patients sign waivers, barring them from writing online reviews, or are these waivers insignificant, thanks to the anonymity of the internet? What else can physicians do to protect themselves from any potential dangers of review websites?
Guest: Helen Darling
Host: Bruce Japsen
The stimulus bill passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama has employers excited about the potential for saving healthcare dollars from comparative effectiveness, technology assessment and cost control. Helen Darling, president of the National Business Group on Health, a nonprofit coalition representing some of the nation's largest employers, tells the Chicago Tribune's Bruce Japsen about various goodies in the economic stimulus package that will benefit medical research, and innovative efforts that doctors, insurers and employers are looking at to provide cost-effective medical care.
Guest: Richard A. Friedman, MD
Host: Cathleen Margolin, PhD
The continued growth of the Internet, and its increasing pervasiveness in our lives, has many of us considering how we might incorporate Web-based avenues of communication in our practice. The ease and convenience of e-mail, for example, is tempting, but could also open up a Pandora's box. Does e-mail inherently pose new challenges that may not be an issue with phone dialogue or in-person discussion? Dr. Richard Friedman, professor of clinical psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College and a regular contributor to the New York Times, shares his experience with e-mail in his practice and a few tips for those who use or are contemplating Web communication for their practice. Dr. Cathleen Margolin hosts.
Guest: Joshua J. Freemire, JD
In 2009, doctors who prescribe medication through electronic means became entitled to a year-end bonus payment from Medicare. What are Medicare's reasons for the incentive, and what are the program's parameters? Joshua J. Freemire, an associate in the health practice law firm Ober|Kaler in Baltimore, Maryland, explains. Dr. Larry Kaskel hosts.
Guest: Joshua J. Freemire, JD
What is medical identity theft? What is the physician's responsibility as far as protecting patients from this threat? Attorney Joshua J. Freemire, with the firm Ober|Kaler, discusses identity security issues and your practice, with host Dr. Larry Kaskel.
Guest: Chris Jennings
Host: Jack Lewin, MD
It seems we all work so much these days, we might as well get our personal mail delivered at work, or maybe even consider a hide-a-bed for the office. That may seem a bit far-fetched, but many of us do receive our health insurance coverage from our place of employment, and an increasing percentage of us are participating in so-called wellness programs at work. As we anticipate reforms in our health care system, what is the future role of the employer and the workplace in this movement? For a look at these questions, host Dr. Jack Lewin welcomes Chris Jennings, president of Jennings Policy Strategies, a health policy and advocacy consulting firm based in Washington, DC, and a former White House Senior Health Care Advisor during the Clinton administration. Mr. Jennings also compares the current efforts toward health care reform to those of the early Clinton years, and outlines what he sees as the key reasons why the present climate will be more receptive to the achievement of meaningful reform.
Host: Jack Lewin, MD
Guest: Robert Hauser, MD
Because new cardiac technologies are often rapidly integrated into clinical practice, we must be mindful that these innovations can contain a level of risk. Regrettably, we've seen examples of this before with previous generations of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD), and some experts say the latest advances in ICD technology could pose similar problems. Host Dr. Jack Lewin explores this issue with Dr. Robert Hauser, senior consulting cardiologist at the Minneapolis Heart Institute and a founder and past president of the Heart Rhythm Society.
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Guest: Mike Katke
Scientific evidence shows that therapeutic lifestyle programs are the most cost effective programs to prevent, improve, or cure chronic diseases such as diabetes. Host Dr. Larry Kaskel discusses with Mike Katke, co-founder of Metagenics, Inc., the elements of a therapeutic lifestyle program and the practical requirements for implementing a program. Tune in to hear how primary care physicians can easily establish a therapeutic lifestyle program that will benefit their patients' health and be financially rewarding.
Guest: Susan Weisberg, MD
Host: Michael Greenberg, MD
What advantages are there for physicians who see patients at their homes, and what are the limitations of a home practice? Dr. Susan Weisberg, a pediatrician who sees patients in her home during clinic after-hours, explains her reasons for practicing at home. What's involved in setting up a home practice? Dr. Michael Greenberg hosts.
Guest: John Sweet, MBA
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Medical office buildings are a safe and stable bet for some real estate investors. John Sweet, a managing director at the Ziegler Healthcare Real Estate Fund, discusses the ins and outs of medical real estate. Mr. Sweet highlights the impact of the current economic climate on the healthcare industry, and the benefits of medical properties. Tune in to hear host Dr. Larry Kaskel, as he explores the real estate opportunities within the medical market, and the current opportunities for physicians.
Guest: Matthew Corso, JD
Host: Eric Tangalos, MD
What developments in long term care litigation have there been in recent years? What types of claims are the most common, and how can physicians and medical directors best protect themselves against frivolous claims? Matthew Corso, attorney at Buchanan, Ingersoll and Rooney, discusses these and other questions about risk management, and provides some helpful tips. Dr. Eric Tangalos hosts.
Guest: Bob Graboyes, PhD
Host: Janet Wright, MD
Is your practice one of the growing number of small healthcare businesses that cannot afford to provide health insurance for its employees? It’s a startling reality for many medical employers and employees, and more broadly, for the entire small business sector, which, in some states, is the collective employer for upwards of half of the uninsured population. As Dr. Bob Graboyes, senior healthcare advisor for the National Federation of Independent Business, tells host Dr. Janet Wright, with new proposals for restructuring health care coming in droves these days, meaningful healthcare legislation would be welcome news for small businesses around the country.
Host: Janet Wright, MD
Guest: Gregory Demske
How can individual practitioners interact with industry in a positive, lawful and commendable manner? Are there regulations we can and should put on companies in this arena which fund initiatives such as continuing medical education? Industry certainly plays a major role in health care today, but one wonders whether we are managing these relationships to the best of our abilities. Greg Demske, assistant inspector general for legal affairs in the Office of the Inspector General for the United States Department of Health and Human Services, joins host Dr. Janet Wright to discuss a range of issues related to the role of industry in health care, as well as potential conflicts of interest that may arise.
Guest: Wesley Michael, MBA
Host: Bruce Japsen
Physicians are inundated with market research, but how does this benefit patients and what does it seek to accomplish? Wesley Michael, executive vice president of research-excellence at market research firm TNS Healthcare, tells host Bruce Japsen how physician participation in market research can benefit their practice, patient care and the larger healthcare system.
Guest: Owen J. Dahl, MBA
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Do you know what it costs you to see a patient? How can you improve the profitability of your practice? Owen Dahl, author of Think Business! Medical Practice Quality, Efficiency, Profits, talks with host Dr. Larry Kaskel about the costs of running a medical practice, and provides real-world advice.
Guest: Owen J. Dahl, MBA
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Many successful Fortune 500 companies have used 'Six Sigma' for years to systematically increase their revenue and operational efficiencies. Mr. Owen Dahl, president of Owen Dahl Consulting, discusses with host Dr. Larry Kaskel how those same proven principles can be applied to patient scheduling and other medical office operations. Mr. Dahl specifically outlines how a physician could analyze the patient scheduling process by focusing on the quality of each process step.
Guest: William Jessee, MD
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Each year the Medical Group Management Association produces a report on practice operating costs and profitability. Dr. Larry Kaskel discusses the most recent results with Dr. William Jessee, president of Medical Group Management Association. The critical finding is that practice-operating costs are increasing at a higher rate than practice revenue in all areas of medicine. Dr. Jessee reports that the greatest driver of costs is labor due to shortages of healthcare workers and resulting increases in salaries. Notwithstanding, Dr. Jessee notes that practices with more FTE support staff were more profitable than those with fewer FTE support staff, highlighting the importance of proper staffing for the job function. Dr. Jessee discusses the importance of real-time adjudication and the developing trend of more hospital-owned practices.
Guest: Caleb Alexander, MD
Out-of -pocket costs account for approximately one fifth of healthcare expenditures. Dr Caleb Alexander,an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago, discusses with host Larry Kaskel, MD, the findings of his recent study that focused on patient-physician communications regarding out-of-pockets costs for outpatient treatment. An unfortunate finding is that doctors rarely communicate with patients about these costs, notwithstanding the fact that patients are quite burdened by these expenses. Tune in to hear Dr. Alexander discuss the key barriers to communications between physicians and patients and the recommendations for overcoming such hurdles. Interestingly, Dr. Alexander's research has found that giving patients free drug samples can often increase a patient's out-of-pockets costs, rather than reduce these expenses.
Host: Jack Lewin, MD
Guest: James Dove, MD
Host Dr. Jack Lewin speaks with Dr. James Dove, immediate past president of the American College of Cardiology, about strategies to improve the integration of quality into our healthcare system. No physician wants to fall short of providing the best care available, so it is imperative, Dr. Dove says, that physicians receive the tools they need to succeed, based on clinical data they trust. What are these tools and how can we integrate them into the workflow? Further, how do we incorporate these challenges into an efficient payment system?
Host: Jack Lewin, MD
Guest: Uwe Reinhardt, PhD
In a recent survey tracked by Dr. Uwe Reinhardt, the James Madison Professor of Political Economy and professor of economics and public affairs at Princeton University, Medicare patients in northern New Jersey accrued three times the medical costs in their last two years of life as patients in the southern half of the state. Save for seismic demographic differences, Dr. Reinhardt explains how our current system produces these staggering billing disparities. How could a peer-review mechanism stem the tide of clinical ‘cost-ineffectiveness' and concurrently improve quality assurance in American healthcare? Dr. Jack Lewin hosts.
Guest: Peter Adamson, MD
Host: Michael Epstein, MD
In all fields of medicine, we have all encountered patients who are ultra-challenging to manage. There can be those who can find dissatisfaction in any outcome that isn't ‘perfect,' according to their standards. There are others who have seen a series of healthcare providers who, despite their efforts, haven't been able to meet their needs and requests. Host Dr. Michael Epstein welcomes Dr. Peter Adamson, professor of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, and head of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of Toronto, to talk through a range of these potentially sticky situations, and how they impact our practice and in some cases, our practice habits.
Guest: Carolyn Zaumeyer, NP, RN
Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA
Carolyn Zaumeyer, a nurse practitioner, discusses with host Lisa D'Andrea the key barriers for a nurse practitioner to establish an independent practice. The nurse practitioner must ensure the practice structure and operations are in compliance with the applicable laws. Ms. Zaumeyer also highlights the importance of establishing a relationship with a collaborating physician for the success of one's practice. Another hurdle that Ms. Zaumeyer examines is the nurse practitioner's relationship with the insurance company to assure the services billed by the nurse practitioner are properly processed and reimbursed.
Guest: Carolyn Zaumeyer, NP, RN
Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA
Carolyn Zaumeyer, a nurse practitioner, discusses with host Lisa D'Andrea the key factors to evaluate and analyze when starting an independent practice. Ms. Zaumeyer also provides guidance on establishing competitive charges for services, a relationship with a supervising physician, defining one's scope of practice, and the applicable state laws that define the limitations of a nurse practitioner's independent practice.
Guest: Jay Fotland, NP, RN
Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA
With a focus on wellness rather than illness, Jay Fotland opened a healthcare clinic that offers flat fee health memberships to patients. Host Dr. Lisa D'Andrea discusses with guest Jay Fotland, a nurse practitioner, the low-cost business model that Mr. Fotland developed as a means to reduce the red tape associated with the health care system. Mr. Fotland also discusses his business philosophy and, located in the backyard of the well-established Mayo clinic, is able to compete.
Guest: Jay Berkelhamer, MD
Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP
The medical community provides a vital public health service when we vaccinate our patients. However, this practice is often a money-losing proposition for us, as evidenced by the many primary care physicians who are discontinuing immunizations in their practice. What can physicians, vaccine manufacturers and insurers do to improve the current vaccine financing and delivery system? Dr. Jay Berkelhamer, senior vice president and chief academic officer at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and past president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, joins host Dr. Jennifer Shu to explores a series of ways through which organizations and workers throughout the healthcare community can do their part to improve our system for financing vaccines.
Guest: Michele Roth-Kauffman, JD, PA-C
Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA
Host Lisa D'Andrea welcomes guest Michele Roth-Kauffman, a physician assistant and an attorney. Ms. Roth-Kauffman discusses the various options available to practice owners for providing malpractice coverage to physician assistants working in the practice. Ms. Roth-Kauffman also advises practice owners and physician assistants about the type and scope of coverage required for physician assistants working part-time or for two independent medical practices.
Guest: Michele Roth-Kauffman, JD, PA-C
Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA
Host Lisa D'Andrea welcomes Michele Roth-Kauffman, chair of the physician assistant department at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania, and an attorney, to discuss coverage options available to the physician assistants, the limitations of such coverage, and how the physician can enhance his/her own coverage to afford greater protection against malpractice claims. Ms. Roth-Kauffman also shares other steps you can take to reduce malpractice exposure.
Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA
Guest: Ron Nelson, PA
Ron L. Nelson explains to host Lisa D'Andrea the structure of rural health clinics and the reimbursement incentives offered by the government for rural health clinics in order to assure access to healthcare in rural communities. Mr. Nelson describes the certification requirements for rural health clinics, which include that mid-level providers must provide fifty percent of the services. Mr. Nelson also outlines the relationship rural health clinics have with hospitals and the ownership opportunities for physician assistants. Mr. Nelson also highlights some of the difficulties Rural Health Clinics face in recruiting physician assistants to work at Rural Health Clinics.
Guest: Tom Charland
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Guest Tom Charland, chief executive officer of Merchandise Medicine, a research and consulting firm specializing in retail healthcare clinics, reports on the status of the retail clinics nationwide. Mr. Charland explains to host Dr. Larry Kaskel the different structures of retail health clinics and the emerging hospital system-owned retail clinic. Tune in to hear Mr. Charland make sense of the conflicting data reported in the newspapers concerning the growth and success of the various retail health clinic models.
Guest: Tom Charland
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Recent reports tell us that the number of retail health clinics is declining, but according to Tom Charland, chief executive officer of Merchant Medicine, this data incorrectly implies that the retail clinic model is an unsuccessful fad. Mr. Charland clarifies with host Dr. Larry Kaskel what he characterizes as misconceptions, held by members of the medical community, concerning retail health clinics, and further explains that continued expansion by retailer-owned in-store clinics is likely to result in overall growth. Mr. Charland also sheds light on other myths on patient populations, patient care practices, insurance coverage, and prescription-writing habits of retail-clinic operations.
Guest: Valluvan Jeevanandam, MD
Host: Mark Nolan Hill, MD
The Chicago metropolitan area is home to five adult heart transplant centers, equal to Philadelphia for the most in one city in the United States. Some say this figure is a tribute to the determination of Chicago's hospitals to collectively become a national leader in heart transplantation. Others believe this is a serious strategic gaffe. What are the key policy questions at hand? Dr. Valluvan Jeevanandam, professor of surgery and chief of cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, talks with host Dr. Mark Nolan Hill about the process of developing a transplant facility at a medical institution.
Guest: Robert Portman, JD, MPP
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Converting a private practice to the concierge medical practice model raises many legal issues. Attorney Rob Portman, a partner with the law firm of Powers, Pyles, Sutter & Verville, explains the legal issues of a concierge medicine practice, including contract terms for participating patients, care obligation to non-participating patients, and rules for billing Medicare for services on concierge patients. In addition, Host Larry Kaskel explores with Mr. Portman the legal arguments that render concierge medicine unlawful, and the pending federal legislation to regulate this business model.
Guest: Emily Hill, PA
Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA
The economic benefits of utilizing a physician assistant depend upon properly coding and billing the services performed by these providers. Emily Hill explains to host Lisa D'Andrea the most common coding mistakes made by practitioners when billing for services rendered by mid-level providers such as physician assistants. Ms. Hill provides suggestions to improve billing accuracy and to increase reimbursement for the practice.
Guest: Emily Hill, PA
Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA
Guest Emily Hill explains how to properly code the services performed by your physician assistant under the physician to obtain full reimbursement. After listening to this show, you will understand the rules and be able to maximize reimbursement for the services rendered by your physician assistant.
Guest: Emile Allen, MD
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Dr. Emile Allen, an urologist and founder of Practice Pearls, discusses the disabling injury he suffered while practicing medicine, and how his experience as a patient gave rise to his new career. Practice Pearls is a website that provides doctors strategies to improve and grow their practice. Dr. Allen informs host Dr. Larry Kaskel about other information available on the website, including advice to reduce one's malpractice exposure and risk of employee and partnership litigation.
Guest: Jeffrey N. Hausfeld, MD, MBA
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Is there more cash in your practice than you know? Dr. Jeffrey Hausefeld, associate clinical professor of surgery at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences and managing director of FMS Financial Solutions, shares with host Dr. Larry Kaskel, practical tips on how to find more cash in your practice. Learn to negotiate payment terms and drug return policies with suppliers. Consider implementing an inventory tracking system. Purchase supplies through a buying group. Negotiate bank rates and consider purchasing an automated teller machine. These tips alone can save a practice thousands of dollars a year.
Guest: Jeffrey N. Hausfeld, MD, MBA
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Is it time to send reinforcements after your delinquent patients? Dr. Jeffrey Hausfeld, associate clinical professor of surgery at George Washington University School of Health Sciences and managing director of FMS Financial Solutions, tells us how to make debt collections more manageable. Find out how to collect more efficiently, and learn if your practice would be better off outsourcing. Are your practice strategies in line with the collection company? Dr. Larry Kaskel hosts.
Guest: Bill Cleveland, MBA, CPA,
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Personal financial decisions are often less clear for us than making tough medical calls. How much disability insurance should we carry, if any at all? Should we pay insurance premiums with pre-tax dollars? If we have income outside of our primary working situation, can we--and should we--contribute to a 401k? Host Dr. Larry Kaskel quizzes Bill Cleveland, a certified financial planner from Preston & Cleveland Wealth Management, about key money management strategies.
Guest: Bill Cleveland, MBA, CPA,
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Where and how should you invest in a down market? What strategies have been used by some of the wealthiest investors over time? Join host Dr. Larry Kaskel as he explores personal finance with Bill Cleveland, a certified financial planner with Preston & Cleveland Wealth Management. What are some of the best strategies for doctors? How do you find opportunities in a down market? What are keys to a well rounded portfolio? Listen in to find out.
Guest: Marc Halley, MBA
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Using philosophies borrowed from the property management field, Marc Halley, president of Halley Consulting Group, shares with host Dr. Larry Kaskel the key to efficient utilization of the support staff within a medical practice. Mr. Halley highlights the importance of delegation within a well managed practice, which means that the physician should delegate all paperwork to support staff. Mr. Halley also discusses the concept of "closing the visit", and how to analyze a practice to determine those responsibilities that should be shared. Lastly, Mr. Halley outlines the role of management within a medical practice and the key role it plays in the success of a practice.
Guest: Marc Halley, MBA
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
As hospitals get back into the game of owning and running medical practices what must they do to succeed? Our guest Marc Halley, president of Halley Consulting Group, a firm specializing in services to hospital-owned primary care networks shares with host Dr. Larry Kaskel his 8 initiatives for success including improving worker productivity and maximizing receivables management to name just a few. Tune in to learn all 8.
Guest: Xavier Sevilla, MD, FAAP
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Dr. Xavier Sevilla, practicing pediatrician and the Academy of Pediatrics representative to NCQA's Advisory Panel on the patient-centered medical home, walks us through the experience of building a medical home from the ground-up. From staffing to record-keeping, he considers the components that have helped him to develop a pediatric practice with the elements of a medical home. How can you use his experience to shape your practice? Hosted by Dr. Larry Kaskel.
Guest: Xavier Sevilla, MD, FAAP
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
What makes a medical home any different than the primary care model in which we have practiced for years? Join host, Dr. Larry Kaskel speak with our guest, Dr. Xavier Sevilla, Practicing Pediatrician and the Academy of Pediatrics representative to NCQA's Advisory Panel on the Patient Centered Medical Home. Dr. Sevilla warns, "This is the last time for us to get it right to practice primary care." We need to get rid of fragmented care and provide patients with superb access with their primary clinician. Learn the key elements that make a practice a medical home and also how fee structures work in a medical home.
Guest: Beverly Green, MD, MPH
Host: Mark Nolan Hill, MD
By the year 2025, it is predicted that more than 1.5 billion people around the world will have hypertension, accounting for nearly half of heart disease risk and three-quarters of stroke risk. With new Web-based technologies emerging as potential treatment options, how will we change our approach to care? How might these programs impact the treatment of hypertension on a global scale? Dr. Beverly Green, an affiliate investigator at the Group Health Center for Health Studies in Seattle, and the lead author of research published in JAMA on innovative Web-based interventions for patients with uncontrolled hypertension, peers into the future of hypertension care during this discussion with host Dr. Mark Nolan Hill.
Guest: William Jessee, MD
Host: Bruce Japsen
Should doctors also be running their own practices? Dr. William Jessee, president and chief executive officer of the Medical Group Management Association, tells Bruce Japsen about how a team approach between doctor and administrator may be in order to improve the patients' experience, boost doctor revenue and help foster more consumer-friendly medicine.
Guest: Joseph Flaherty, MD
Host: Lisa Mazzullo, MD
Do the career choices made by female physicians play a central role in the projected shortage of doctors? Host Dr. Lisa Mazzullo explores this provocative idea with Dr. Joseph Flaherty, dean of medicine, and professor of psychiatry and community health sciences at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, taking an in-depth look at the substantive issues that confront many contemporary women in medicine. Beyond gender considerations, does the pursuit of a more balanced life negatively impact the standard of care?
Guest: William Rich, MD
Host: Bill Rutenberg, MD
Is the Resource Based Relative Value Scale (RBRVS) responsible for the looming physician shortage? Our Guest Dr. William Rich, medical director for Health Policy for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and chairman of the American Medical Association RUC Committee speaks to host, Dr. Bill Rutenberg about the relationship between RBRVS and physician pay. "There are income gaps and they are substantial but they are not due to the valuation of services," says Dr. Rich. Find out what he understands to be responsible for income gaps in physician pay and what role they play in the shortage of physicians.
Guest: William Rich, MD
Host: Bill Rutenberg, MD
Our Guest Dr. William Rich Medical Director for Health Policy for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Chairman of the AMA RBRVS (RUC) Committee says the entire medical profession is under pressure especially those dependent on public sources of compensation. In this segment Dr. Rich takes a historical and present day look at the forces a work in today's physician reimbursement system. Why have physicians had to bear the brunt of decreased payments? What can we hope to see change in the future? Join host Dr. Bill Rutenberg for an interesting segment about the Relative Value System.
Guest: Ted Schettler, MD, MPH
Host: Mark Nolan Hill, MD
Guest: Gary Cohen
Imagine a cancer center built without any of the toxic carcinogens commonly used in construction. It’s a concept that many experts in the health care industry believe could soon become a reality. In hospital architecture and building, what are other promising examples of environmental responsibility that might apply to your clinical setting? Gary Cohen, co-executive director of Health Care Without Harm, an international campaign in support of environmentally responsible health care, evaluates the pros and cons of retrofitting old buildings versus new construction, and talks with host Dr. Mark Nolan Hill about a range of cost-effective ‘green’ structural options, from recycled rubber flooring that would prevent injuries from falls and reduce hospital noise, to novel energy-efficient ventilation patterns that could curtail infection rates. Will we soon see a movement toward green initiatives factoring into accreditation for health care institutions?
Guest: David Johnson
Host: Maurice Pickard, MD
Our guest, David Johnson, managing director of Citi’s industry leading health care group addresses the potential of outsourcing patients across borders at great savings. This may make us realize that when our president in 1993 stated that the "system was broken and it was time to fix it "may have been right. Will we respond to the fact that "our greatness has not been in being more enlightened then other nations but in our ability to repair our faults." Hosted by Maurice Pickard.
Host: Paul Doghramji, MD
Guest: Russell Breish, MD
Is family practice a dying profession? Host Dr. Paul Doghramji welcomes Dr. Russell S. Breish, director of family practice and director of the residency program at Chestnut Hill Hospital in Philadelphia to discuss factors affecting family physicians. They will cover the effect of the increase in nurse practitioners and physician assistants, the increase of women medical students, as well as what fields medical students are choosing after graduation.
Guest: Marcy Zwelling, MD
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
In 2004 Dr. Zwelling-Aamot dramatically reduced the size of her practice, adopting the concierge model in order to provide a higher level of access and attention to a smaller number of patients. Host Dr. Larry Kaskel speaks with Dr. Aamot about the failings of the current healthcare system in the United States and the decision to convert her practice into a concierge model.
Guest: Steven Knope, MD
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
One of the leading pioneers and innovators in concierge medicine, Dr. Steven Knope discusses how the concierge medicine practice model is a solution to the failing health care system in the United States. Dr. Knope opened one of the nation's first concierge medical practices and discusses why the arrangement is the perfect resource for practitioners and patients alike. Dr. Knope also discusses some of the key steps necessary for converting a practice to a concierge model, outlined in his book, Concierge Medicine A New System to Get the Best Healthcare.
Guest: Roberta Greenspan
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Roberta Greenspan, president of SpecialDocs, Inc., discusses the process of converting a traditional medical practice to a concierge medical practice. Ms. Greenspan explains the growth trend of concierge medicine, and the non-economic motivations of physicians converting their practices to a concierge model. Host Larry Kaskel investigates the different options for utilizing third party insurance companies within a concierge practice, including the option to exclude all third party payors.
Guest: S. Allan Adelman, JD
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
You have been served. What should you do first, even before you call your attorney or insurance company? Join Dr. Larry Kaskel for an informative conversation that you hope you will never need to retain. Our guest, medical malpractice attorney S. Allan Adelman discusses what to do in the event of a medical malpractice suit against you.
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Guest: S. Allan Adelman, JD
Malpractice risk is a reality in clinical practice, but you can take precautions to minimize your risk. In this segment, Dr. Larry Kaskel talks with medical malpractice attorney S. Allan Adelman about the many reasons outside of medical error that patients bring legal actions against physicians. Find out what you should know to protect yourself.
Guest: Ash Damle
Host: Matt Birnholz, MD
It’s a personalized medical internet search engine for the general consumer. For a patient anxiously searching for more information about their own condition—perhaps in preparation for a visit to you, their healthcare provider—it could be an invaluable resource. Ash Damle, chief executive officer of MEDgle, this new, web-based medical database, shares more details about his company and his plans for its future with host Dr. Matt Birnholz at the 28th Annual American Medical Association Medical Communications Conference in San Diego.
Guest: Marc Halley, MBA
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Are you planning on starting up or purchasing a new medical practice? If so, you will not want to miss this segment in which medical practice consultant Marc Halley talks about the considerations that should go into starting or purchasing a practice. Do you want partners? Where do you want to live? What are the market conditions? How will you finance the practice? Who should you entrust to be your advisors? Join Dr. Larry Kaskel in learning both the questions you need to ask and what steps you need to take to start your medical practice.
Guest: Marc Halley, MBA
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
What are the economic conditions that might interest the local hospital in purchasing your medical practice? How much is your practice worth? Why are other physicians selling, and should you think about selling? Join host Dr. Larry Kaskel as he talks with practice consultant Marc Halley about the process of selling your medical practice to the local hospital.
Guest: Miles Varn, MD
Host: Susan Dolan, RN, JD
PinnacleCare is a professional health advisory firm. Hear Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Miles J. Varn, as he discusses how PinnacleCare offers its members a vast array of services.
Guest: Steven Kravet, MD, MBA
Host: Lee Freedman, MD
How does the relationship between health utilization and the availability of primary care providers impact health care utilization trends? Steven Kravet, MD, MBA, assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, explores potential opportunities to relieve some of the logistical and financial burdens of our health care system with host Dr. Lee Freedman.
Guest: Owen J. Dahl, MBA
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
What are the greatest challenges in your practice? Is it collections? Or possibly conflicts between your staff? Most likely the greatest challenges don’t have to do with doctoring. Is it time to call in a consultant to help you manage costs effectively and move on? Join host Dr. Larry Kaskel with practice consultant Owen Dahl as they discuss the role of a consultant, the project cycle, and a few tips you and your office manager might use to streamline operations in your practice.
Guest: Robert Wagner, MD
Host: Bill Rutenberg, MD
Whether to admit or observe a ER patient is not always clear cut. What criteria should you use to make this decision? How can you be sure that your decision process will be supported and covered by CMS? What if CMS isn’t ultimately willing to pay for the services? Join host Dr. Bill Rutenberg in conversation with Dr. Robert Wagner, Director and CMO of Accretive Health to discuss the frequent dilemma of whether or not to admit a patient and the tools and guidelines available to support you in that decision.
Guest: Robert Wagner, MD
Host: Bill Rutenberg, MD
Most doctors don’t spend time memorizing Medicare and Medicaid compliance guidelines. Yet, they are often under the gun to make decisions based on reimbursement guidelines. In this segment, Dr. Bill Rutenberg learns about a new program available from Accretive Health called the Sure Decision Clinical Compliance Program where 'on call' doctors versed in CMS guidelines can help attending physicians’ make critical decisions at the point of care. Our guest Dr. Robert Wagner, Director and Chief Medical Officer of Accretive Health tells us more about this program.
Guest: Francois deBrantes
Host: Bill Rutenberg, MD
The Medical Home has been around for 40 years, “Why are we discussing it again now?” Francois DeBrantes, CEO of Bridges to Excellence, a national not-for-profit designing programs to recognize physician for quality care, addresses this question and many others during his conversation with host Dr. Bill Rutenberg. What is the ‘ideal’ medical home and how will achieving this ideal improve quality and decrease costs to our healthcare system? Join us to find out.
Guest: Francois deBrantes
Host: Bill Rutenberg, MD
Bridges to Excellence (BTE) is a national not-for-profit organization that designs and implements programs to recognize and reward physicians that deliver high quality care. In talking with BTE’s CEO, Francios de Brantes, host Dr. Bill Rutenberg learns about BTE’s methodology for measuring quality, how physicians can get involved in BTE’s program, how the evaluation process works and where BTE’s program fits into national health policy.
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Guest: Jeffrey Rudolph, PsyD
Your appointments with patients are often brief. You have a lot to accomplish in short time. Beyond diagnosis and treatment, how can you also use this time to better your relationship with patients? Jeffrey Rudolph, PsyD, adjunct assistant clinical professor of psychology in psychiatry at Yeshiva University Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, explains that your office setting, and the questions you ask and how you ask them, can greatly impact your patients’ satisfaction and yours as well. Dr. Larry Kaskel hosts.
Guest: Scott Becker, JD
Host: Bruce Japsen
Physician ownership of ambulatory surgery centers has been hailed as a successful way to bring more competition to the health care industry and potentially better prices and more efficient care. But Scott Becker, co-chairman of law firm McGuireWoods Health Care practice tells the Chicago Tribune's Bruce Japsen that doctors involved in the surgery center business have several challenges ahead.
Guest: John Fortney, MD
Host: Bill Rutenberg, MD
Guest: Rachel Brown, MD
Our guests today, Dr. John Fortney and Dr. Rachel Brown are part of a telehealth network which enables specialists from Nationwide Children’s Hospital to view and consult on distressed newborns being cared for in a more rural facility, Adena Regional Health Medical Center. Host Dr. Bill Rutenberg learns how the system was set up, how the doctors from both facilities interact and how the telehealth network has benefited the community.
Guest: Owen J. Dahl, MBA
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Quality improvement. Employee satisfaction. Waste reduction. It all sounds good, to be sure. But are you applying these basic business principals to your medical practice? Medical practice management consultant, Owen Dahl, outlines series of tips with host Dr. Larry Kaskel for making your medical practice more efficient and more profitable. For starters, Mr. Dahl explains, look no further than DIRFT.
Guest: Owen J. Dahl, MBA
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Medical Practice Consultant Owen Dahl joins host Dr. Larry Kaskel to discuss the principals of running your medical practice like a business. Learn about the most important principals to impact your bottom line, such as knowing the cost to see a patient.
Guest: Linda LaGanga, PhD
Host: Michael Greenberg, MD
Overbooking: the airlines do it. Should medical professionals do it too? Host Dr. Michael Greenberg weighs the evidence with Linda LaGanga, PhD, an instructor at the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business, and co-author of the publication, "Clinic Overbooking to Improve Patient Access and Increase Provider Productivity."
Guest: Susan Frampton, PhD
Host: Susan Dolan, RN, JD
As the President of Planetree, Dr. Susan Frampton works with a growing network of hospitals and health center across the United States, Canada and Europe that have implemented Planetree's unique model of patient-centered care. Hear Dr. Frampton as she discusses how Planetree has grown over the last thirty years.
Guest: Andrew Schwartz
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Our guest, Andrew Schwartz is a CPA specializing in tax issues affecting healthcare professionals. In this segment he discusses with host, Dr. Larry Kaskel when and why you should file a tax extension.
Guest: Peter Lucash, MBA, MPH
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
How can you manage with all of the up and down reimbursement policies? What should you do to plan for the looming decrease? Join our guest, author and practice management consultant Peter Lucash guide Dr. Larry Kaskel in ways to manage with the yo-yo reimbusement policy.
Guest: Peter Lucash, MBA, MPH
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
What can you do to survive a recession and even come out ahead afterwards? Join host Larry Kaskel in a discussion about managing a medical practice through the recession with our guest, Peter Lucash.
Guest: Sherman Elias, MD
Host: Bruce Japsen
It's not uncommon for pregnant women to have to search multiple floors and multiple buildings for medical care service, unless they are admitted to the new Prentice Women's Hospital in Chicago where railings, couches and a plasma screen TV line a 124-foot triage walking track to alleviate potential labor pains. And that's just the first floor. Dr. Sherman Elias, chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University tells the Chicago Tribune's Bruce Japsen about the latest amenities in medical care at women's hospitals.
Guest: Andrew Schwartz
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Join host Dr. Larry Kaskel and our guest CPA Andrew Schwartz from the MD Taxes network to discuss tax strategies for a medical practice.
Guest: René McCarty, PA-C
Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA
Can a medical practice really survive without taking insurance? Host Lisa D'Andrea, PA-C, talks with René McCarty, PA-C, founding director of the LifeTime Health Center in Tyler, Texas, a cash pay-only family practice that provides health care to patients who are uninsured or underinsured. What inspired Ms. McCarty to operate her clinic under this unique medical payment model?
Guest: Bill Crounse, MD
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Dr. Larry Kaskel speaks with Dr. Bill Crounse, Senior Director, Microsoft Worldwide about Microsoft's recently launched HealthVault, or personal medical records system. How can HealthVault help you and your patients? Join us to find out.
Guest: Bill Crounse, MD
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Dr. Bill Crounse, senior director of worldwide health for the Microsoft Corporation, joins host Dr. Larry Kaskel for an interesting conversation about the most effective measures to provide training in information technologies to you and your colleagues. As these tools evolve to become more applicable to everyday health care, how can we incorporate training programs into our medical schools, teaching hospitals and residency programs?
Guest: Stanley Kardatzke, MD
Host: Michael Greenberg, MD
Dr. Stanley Kardatzke, author of Decisive Surgery for a Dying Healthcare System, discusses affordable medical care with the cost-effective, prepaid medical plan used in his practice.
Guest: Tim Dugan, MBA
Host: Bruce Japsen
Almost every day, you hear or read about people working more for less, and doctors are no different with employers, insurers and government payers looking for ways to slow rising health costs. So how do doctors maximize revenue in this challenging environment? Tim Dugan, co-founder of private equity firm Water Street Healthcare Partners, one of the largest such funds focused solely on the health-care industry, tells the Chicago Tribune's Bruce Japsen about private equity and how it works with doctors to improve their revenue.
Guest: Richard Anderson, MD
Host: Bruce Japsen
System errors have a large impact on medical malpractice claims, but did you know they contributed to 30 percent of settled claims? They do, according to a study by one of the largest doctor-run medical malpractice carriers. Dr. Richard Anderson, chairman and chief executive officer of Napa, Calif.-based national malpractice carrier, The Doctors Company, tells the Chicago Tribune's Bruce Japsen about the kind of errors contributing to settled claims, and ways physicians can avoid them.
Guest: Kurt Mosley
Host: Bruce Japsen
Many doctors would not recommend medicine as a career, and older physicians see their younger colleagues as less dedicated and hard working, so staffing the right doctor to the right job is an increasingly more difficult challenge. Kurt Mosley, vice president of business development for physician recruiter Merritt Hawkins & Associates, tells the Chicago Tribune's Bruce Japsen about the challenges facing doctors looking to get out and doctors who want to stay in the medical field.
Guest: Thomas Green, Jr.
Host: Michael Benson, MD
Why Electronic Medical Records? The patient calls for her lab test. Your staff pulls the chart, calls the lab, gets the results, and puts it in the chart. Next, the chart is put on your desk. You call the patient but she is not in. The chart stays on your desk. After finally reaching her, the staff then puts the chart back in alphabetical file. Sound familiar?
Guest: Stephen Cornell
Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA
Guest: Robert Hollingsworth, PA
There are many states that allow physician assistants to own a medical practice. Some of these practices employ many physicians. Does it matter who signs the paycheck?
Guest: Paul Donatio
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
With the looming threat of Medicare and Medicaid payment cuts to physicians, fees from other sources become even more important to a physician's practice. The healthcare industry has traditionally instilled few consequences for patients who pay late or fail to cover uncollectable insurance balances, but times are changing. How can you re-train your patients to pay you on time?
Guest: Paul Donatio
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
How well does your medical practice collect fees both from your patients and from 3rd party payers? Can you do better and how much could you really gain by trying? Paul Donatio, of the Greenflag Profit Recovery System from Transworld, joins host Dr. Larry Kaskel to discuss the 'best practices' for payment collection in your medical practice.
Guest: Judy Capko
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
While you couldn't get through your day without the help of your office staff, it is unwise to be too dependent. How do you regularly keep your finger on the business side of the practice without becoming overwhelmed. Join an interesting practice management discussion with host Dr. Larry Kaskel and his guest Judy Capko.
Guest: Judy Capko
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Has patient loyalty diminished? What are common patient gripes? What changes can you make to improve the relationship with your patients? Join our guest Judy Capko, author of Secrets of the Best Run Practices share her insider information with host Dr. Larry Kaskel.
Guest: Rosemarie Nelson, MS
Host: Michael Greenberg, MD
Dr. Michael Greenberg talks with Rosemarie Nelson of the Medical Group Management Associations's Health Care Consulting Group about ways to decrease the number of no-show patients in your practice.
Guest: Eugene Litvak, PhD
Host: Michael Greenberg, MD
One of America’s sharpest minds in health care and operations management says we’ve been looking for answers in all the wrong places. Eugene Litvak, PhD, from the Boston University Health Policy Institute, instead recommends a plan built around variability theory that will cut costs and increase quality. He lays out his strategy for an effective health care system with host Dr. Michael Greenberg.
Guest: Eugene Litvak, PhD
Host: Michael Greenberg, MD
Host Dr. Michael Greenberg speaks with Dr. Eugene Litvak, of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and Boston University's Health Policy Institute, about how the healthcare system has been looking for answers in all the wrong places, and how variability theory can cut costs and increase quality. The plan? To create a system where we all win.
Guest: Donald Berwick, MD, MPP
Host: Bill Rutenberg, MD
What are the best ways to bring safety to the hospital setting? What type of support systems are available to doctors when errors occur? Dr. Don Berwick, President and CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement shares thoughts on these topics and more in an interesting interview with host Dr. Bill Rutenberg.
Guest: Maureen Bisognano, MS
Host: Maurice Pickard, MD
Maureen Bisognano, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, explores some of the theories of Dr. Noriaki Kano. In the healthcare industry the connections between quality and cost are not always clear. Mrs. Bisognano uses Dr. Kano's framework and demonstrates three ways that health care leaders can improve quality. She also speaks on the need to balance competing priorities and associated tensions between professionals of the healthcare and financial services respectively. Finally, Mrs. Bisognano describes new roles for physician leaders as they work to improve clinical and operational performance and achieve best financial outcomes.
Guest: Maureen Bisognano, MS
Host: Maurice Pickard, MD
How do quality improvements in health care yield strong returns on investment? Maureen Bisognano, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement discusses how to get leadership to buy into better healthcare. She then outlines what the medical profession can learn from successful healthcare models that anticipate, rather than react to, changes in the field.
Guest: James Saxton, JD
Host: Susan Dolan, RN, JD
Attorney James W. Saxton, of Steven & Lee law firm in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, has over 25 years defending healthcare professionals. In this segment hear Mr. Saxton give his best advice for preventing medical malpractice claims.
Guest: James Saxton, JD
Host: Susan Dolan, RN, JD
In this segment hear attorney James W. Saxton, from Stevens & Lee law firm in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, discuss his new book, The Satisfied Patient: A Guide to Preventing Malpractice Claims by Providing Excellent Customer Service.
Guest: Shannon Brownlee
Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD
Are cutting healthcare costs and improving quality of healthcare incompatible goals? Shannon Brownlee author of “Overtreated: why too much medicine is making us sicker and poorer” is welcomed by host Dr. Leslie Lundt to share what she has learned about health care reform.
Guest: Shannon Brownlee
Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD
Given the easy access to technology such as the internet and cable television, Does it really matter in what part of the country you practice? Author of “Overtreated: why too much medicine is making us sicker and poorer”, Shannon Brownlee explains to host Dr. Leslie Lundt the wide variation in health care patterns across the US.
Guest: Shannon Brownlee
Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD
Shannon Brownlee asserts in her new book, “Overtreated” that one of the biggest problems in health care today is that there is too much health care. As much as 30% of our annual spending on health care is a result of over use. Does more health care mean better health? Shannon joins host Dr. Leslie Lundt in a discussion about this provocative claim.
Guest: Ateev Mehrotra, MD
Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD
Two thirds of patients and physicians believe it is important to have a preventive health exam every year. What does this cost? Is it necessary? Host Dr. Leslie Lundt welcomes RAND policy analyst Ateev Mehrotra, MD to discuss his latest research into the value of preventive services.
Guest: John Driscoll
Host: Bruce Bloom, DDS, JD
John Driscoll, President of the Chicago based company Alter+care, a company that plans, develops, finances and manages Wellness Centers and other healthcare facilities, discusses healthcare financing and alternative opportunities.
Guest: Donna Jarmusz, MA
Host: Bruce Bloom, DDS, JD
Donna Jarmusz, vice president for development and strategic initiatives for the Chicago-based company Alter+care, an integrated comprehensive consulting services company that plans, develops, finances and manages healthcare real estate assets, discusses the concept of Wellness Centers. How are physicians helped in managing the business of wellness?
Guest: Maria Hester, MD
Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD
There are a variety of skills patients could use to improve their overall quality of care while saving time and money. How can our offices help patients improve their skills? Dr. Maria Hester shares tips from her Web site www.patientschool.net
Guest: Maria Hester, MD
Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD
Both physicians and patients could benefit from more efficient and effective communication skills. We are constantly told what we as physicians can do better, but what can patients do? Dr. Leslie Lundt hosts this segment in which Dr. Maria Hester gives specific recommendations how to improve our patients’ skills.
Guest: Maria Hester, MD
Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD
Noted patient advocate expert, Dr. Maria Hester outlines what patients are most concerned about in this segment hosted by Dr. Leslie Lundt.
Guest: David R. Donnersberger, MD, JD
Host: Bruce Bloom, DDS, JD
Dr. Donnersberger is a physician and attorney who has practiced Internal Medicine with a group of physician partners on Chicago’s affluent North Shore for several years in a “boutique” medical practice. Dr. Donnersberger discusses what it is like to practice in this unique setting.
Guest: David R. Donnersberger, MD, JD
Host: Bruce Bloom, DDS, JD
Dr. Donnersberger is a practicing physician and attorney who has focused much of his current work on emerging trends in computerized medical charts and paperless health records, specifically regarding privacy and confidentiality.
Guest: Jane Tuttle
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Improve the accuracy of your procedure coding and you will increase your cashflow. Join coding expert and consultant Jane Tuttle speak with host Dr. Larry Kaskel about common coding errors and how to improve the coding accuracy in your practice.
Guest: Jane Tuttle
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Most physicians find billing to be the nemesis of their days. Why is it so difficult to document the right procedures and collect the payments? Join Dr. Larry Kaskel in an interview with medical coding expert, Jane Tuttle.
Guest: James King, MD
Host: Michael Greenberg, MD
Many have done it, or at least thought about it: fudging or manipulating diagnoses on provider records to ensure better coverage of care for patients. But is it right, and what are the potential consequences for these actions? Dr. Michael Greenberg talks with Dr. James King, President of the American Academy of Family Physicians about ethical issues resulting from physician reactions to insurance company policies.
Guest: Judy Capko
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Not unique to medical practices, staff motivation and maximizing productivity are great opportunities and challenges for all business managers. In this segment, our guest, medical consultant Judy Capko offers insights to host Dr. Larry Kaskel on how to motivate and improve productivity from staff.
Guest: Judy Capko
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
In this segment, host Dr. Larry Kaskel interviews medical practice consultant Judy Capko about how physicians can better manage the day to day challenges in their medical practice
Guest: Jon Abramson, MD
Host: Bill Rutenberg, MD
Is it better to fund the cost of immunizations for underinsured children now or pay the healthcare costs that may result from not immunizing? In this segment, Dr. Jon Abramson explains the problem and offers his ideas for a solution. Join host Bill Rutenberg in an interesting segment about Immunization Financing Policy.
Guest: Elizabeth Woodcock, MBA
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
How do patients, healthcare professionals and support staff move through your office? Is it efficient? Does it feel right? Does it improve patient satisfcation? Join host Larry Kaskel in a discussion with medical practice consultant, Elizabeth Woodcock share suggestions to optimize your patient flow.
Guest: Elizabeth Woodcock, MBA
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Do you want to know how to streamline your billing and collection practices? Host Larry Kaskel interviews medical practice consultant Elizabeth Woodcock to learn ways to improve the process of billing and collection in a physicians office.
Guest: Linda Clever, MD
Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD
What do you want to be when you grow up? Many of us are afraid to answer this question. We may be comfortable and productive in our current practice setting but not happy. How do you go about making decisions that may affect the rest of your professional life?
Guest: Linda Clever, MD
Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD
Sir William Osler said that “a physician who treats himself has a fool for a patient”. Does this apply to everything? Dr. Linda hawes Clever discusses ways to write your own prescription for renewal with host, Dr. Leslie Lundt.
Guest: Joseph Britto, MD
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Misdiagnosis of a medical condition is costly for the patient, the physician and the insurance company, and can lead to outcomes as severe as death. How bad is the problem of misdiagnosis in healthcare settings, and what can be done to minimize this problem? Hear more from Dr. Joseph Britto of Isabel Healthcare.
Guest: Barbara Gabriel, MA
Host: Michael Greenberg, MD
Dr. Michael Greenberg speaks with Barbara Gabriel, Associate Editor of Physicians Practice Journal about how to ensure physicians you hire for your practice will stay with you.
Guest: Linda Kruus, PhD
Host: Shira Johnson, MD
Is your office or hospital really prepared for a disaster? Host Dr. Shira Johnson interviews Dr. Linda Kruus from Temple University on what you can learn from her study on who will show up to work and why they will do so in the event of a major disaster.
Guest: Rick Kellerman, MD
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Dr. Rick Kellerman, President of the American Academy of Family Physicians and former practicing rural physician speaks about the current state of rural medicine. Is there a problem? If so who should solve it and how?
Guest: Rick Kellerman, MD
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Join Dr. Rick Kellerman of the American Academy of Family Physicians discuss the problems with the retail clinic. Why the phenomenon? Will they survive? How will physicians react?
Guest: Rick Kellerman, MD
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Cash we know is king but is a cash only medical practice a good option for you? Join family physician Rick Kellerman talk about the ins and outs of a cash only practice. Who stands to gain?
Guest: Mike Murphy
Host: Bruce Bloom, DDS, JD
Dr. Bruce Bloom will be discussing the management of the chaos at the Minneapolis Bridge Collapse with first responders: Mike Murphy, Operations Supervisor and Jeff Czyson also Operations Supervisor At North Memorial Ambulance.
Guest: James Bream, JD
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Dr. Larry Kaskel welcomes attorney Jim Bream of Querrey and Harrow. Mr. Bream will discuss the in and outs and do's and don'ts and how to avoid liability risk with regards to medical practice websites.
Guest: James Bream, JD
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Dr. Larry Kaskel is joined by attorney Jim Bream of Querrey and Harrow. They will battle it out as they look at the EHR to determine if it increases or decreases your risk of liability.
Guest: David B. Nash, MD, MBA, FACP
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Dr. Larry Kaskel is joined by Dr. David B. Nash who has repeatedly been named to Modern Healthcare’s top 100 most powerful persons in healthcare list. Tune in to find out what he has to say about the challenges facing physicians today and what needs to be in place to make your practice top notch.
Guest: David B. Nash, MD, MBA, FACP
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Dr. Larry Kaskel welcomes Dr. David B. Nash, author of the book, Practicing Medicine in the 21st Century. They will discuss the book which covers medical management from head to toe. Tune in to see into the future of your practice.
Guest: Michael Ryan, MBA
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Dr. Larry Kaskel welcomes Mike Ryan, founder of Medical Mergers Group. Join us to hear the ins and outs of buy-ins and buy-outs from valuing partnerships, to disputes, to financing.
Guest: Michael Ryan, MBA
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Dr. Larry Kaskel is joined by Mike Ryan, founder of Medical Mergers Group. Mr. Ryan has helped thousands of medical practices improve their operations and determine the market value of their practice. Learn what how to determine what your practice may be worth and what you can do to increase the value.
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Guest: Roberta Greenspan
Dr. Larry Kaskel welcomes Roberta Greenspan and Tracy Zirin of Special Docs Consulting, a firm dedicated exclusively to converting traditional primary care medical practices to concierge models. Listen in to take the quiz to find out if you should be thinking about converting your practice.
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Guest: Roberta Greenspan
Dr. Larry Kaskel is joined by Roberta Greenspan and Tracy Zirin of Special Docs Consulting, a firm dedicated exclusively to converting traditional primary care medical practices to concierge models. Tune in to find out what this new trend is all about.
Guest: James Marcin, MD
Host: Shira Johnson, MD
You may receive your next consult by computer. Will it be paid for and what is the legal risk? Join Dr. Shira Johnson as she talks with Dr. James Marcin from UC Davis. As an early pioneer in this field, Dr. Davis will discuss the quality of consults, financial reimbursement, and the legal aspects of telemedicine.
Guest: James Marcin, MD
Host: Shira Johnson, MD
Join Dr. Shira Johnson as she speaks with Dr. James Marcin from UC Davis as he presents the state of the art in Telemedicine. Dr Marcin has been involved in Telemecine for 15 years, designing computers with live audio-visual function to bring the specialist in the referral center to the patient in the community.
Guest: Victor Marks, MD
Host: Michael Greenberg, MD
Dr. Michael Greenberg hosts Dr. Victor Marks of the Geisinger Clinic in Danville, PA, in a discussion of how a focus on service excellence can create happier patients and more satisfied doctors.
Guest: Victor Marks, MD
Host: Michael Greenberg, MD
Dr. Michael Greenberg hosts Dr. Victor Marks in a discussion of how a focus on service excellence can lead to happier patients and a more satisfying medical practice.
Guest: Victor Marks, MD
Host: Michael Greenberg, MD
Dr.Michael Greenberg hosts Dr. Victor Marks of the Geisinger Clinic in Danville, PA, in a discussion of service excellence and how it can lead to happier patients and more satisfying practices for physicians.
Guest: Karon Gibson, RN
Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD
In this segment author and nurse Karon Gibson shares her first hand knowledge of how medical offices can maximize the insurance reimbursement for patient services provided.
Guest: Peter Lucash, MBA, MPH
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Dr. Larry Kaskel is joined by Peter Lucash. Mr. Lucash has over 30 years of experience in healthcare and is an author and blogger on the topic of practice management. He'll tell us why 2010 is a key year and what your practice needs to get done in preparation for it.
Guest: Peter Lucash, MBA, MPH
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Dr. Larry Kaskel is joined by Peter Lucash, author of Medical Practice Business Plan Workbook. Peter will talk about what a business plan should accomplish such as, "where do you want to be and what are you going to do to get there?"
Guest: Donna Socol, JD
Host: Bruce Bloom, DDS, JD
In a Medical Malpractice case, when should you settle and when do you want to go to trial?
Guest: Donna Socol, JD
Host: Bruce Bloom, DDS, JD
As physicians, we need to understand when it's best to settle a suit and when it is better to go to trial. We look into the pros and cons of going to trial.
Guest: Donna Socol, JD
Host: Bruce Bloom, DDS, JD
Anatomy of a physician’s medical malpractice journey
Guest: Donna Socol, JD
Host: Bruce Bloom, DDS, JD
Malpractice is a scary word for physicians, but a great defense lawyer can provide the support to help reduce the anxiety.
Guest: Gabriela Cora, MD
Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD
In an ideal world, we would work 8 hours, sleep 8 hours and play 8 hours each day. Most of us are not successful at achieving a healthy work and life balance. Dr. Cora discusses strategies to help you regain the balance in your life.
Guest: Gabriela Cora, MD
Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD
Millions of Americans are thinking, planning, and scheming about how to stretch a 24-hour day into an endless and productive workday, an endless loop of "useful" time. Dr Corá gives us tips on how to realign our goals with our value system.
Guest: James Gottesman, MD
Host: Michael Greenberg, MD
Dr. Michael Greenberg welcomes Dr. James Gottesman as he discusses how using a computer generated consent and information forms can help reduce physician stress.
Guest: James Gottesman, MD
Host: Michael Greenberg, MD
In this segment, Dr. Michael Greenberg speaks with Dr. James Gottesman about how a more extensive informed consent can save doctors time and money
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Guest: James Bream, JD
Attorney, Jim Bream joins Dr. Kaskel to discuss the very real effects of Medical Malpractice Stress Syndrome and what do about it, as well as concrete steps doctors should take if they are sued.
Guest: James Bream, JD
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Learn about the myths regarding medical malpractice when attorney Jim Bream joins Dr. Kaskel for another lively discussion.
Guest: Dan Hounchell
Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD
Dan Hounchell provides a step by step plan for doctors to utilize when negotiating contracts with insurance companies.
Guest: Dan Hounchell
Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD
Dan Hounchell explains how to negotiate contracts with health insurers and avoid the take it or leave it mentality that health insurers present to doctors in regards to contracts.
Guest: Linda Clever, MD
Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD
Dr. Clever discusses ways in which to lead a full life every day instead of just going through the motions.
Guest: Laurie Hyland Robertson
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
What every practice should know in order to run a smooth business while also practicing good medicine.
Guest: Laurie Hyland Robertson
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
How to staff your office so that patient flow remains comfortable for the patients and staff.
Guest: Bob Gatewood, MBA
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Understanding your practice management: Getting return on investment from your Revenue Cycle management solution
Guest: Bob Gatewood, MBA
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Industry Trends Impacting Practice’s Revenues
Guest: Bob Gatewood, MBA
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Practice Management Software systems vs. Revenue cycle management Solutions
Guest: Bob Gatewood, MBA
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Defining Revenue Cycle Management: Regardless of our specialty in medicine, we all have business objectives to meet. Increasing revenue is usually one of the highest priorities in any of our practices
Guest: Robert Lowes
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Senior editor Bob Lowes joins Dr. Kaskel to discuss the glory days of the doctors lounge and explore why the reasons that have led up to their disappearance. Learn the positives and negatives in how this impacts all doctors.
Guest: Neil Baum, MD
Host: Michael Greenberg, MD
Dr. Baum continues his discussion on improving your practice internally.
Guest: Neil Baum, MD
Host: Michael Greenberg, MD
Dr. Baum discusses ways in which physicians can improve their practices internally and the difference this makes in patient retention.
Guest: Marguerite Germain, MD
Host: Michael Greenberg, MD
Dr. Germain continues her discussion on effective staff communication within your medical practice.
Guest: Marguerite Germain, MD
Host: Michael Greenberg, MD
Dr. Germain discusses how she implemented effective staff meetings with her medical practice and how this has impacted her staff and her overall practice.
Guest: James Bream, JD
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Attorney Jim Bream of Querrey and Harrow discusses irregular charting habits that could lead to trouble as what should not be documented.
Guest: James Bream, JD
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Attorney Jim Bream of Querrey & Harrow discusses patient noncompliance and termination of Physician Patient Relationship. Learn how charting plays a vital role in these scenarios.
Guest: James Bream, JD
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Attorney Jim Bream of Querrey and Harrow goes over what to chart, when to chart in more detail, and sheds light on "the lore of the chart".
Guest: James Bream, JD
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Attorney Jim Bream of Querrey and Harrow joins Dr. Larry Kaskel to discuss why physicians get sued based on bad charting. Tune in to learn some of the very best practices in record keeping.
Guest: Kevin T. Scheper
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
The Implementation process The many terrifying stories regarding implementation cycles associated with EMRs…can there be a happy ending?
Guest: Kevin T. Scheper
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Inputs vs. Outcomes; One of the larger debates around EMRs is whether the system alone will improve care. How will the electronic inputs effect the physician?
Guest: Kim LaFontana
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
The Self Pay Evolution – What is it and why is it happening?
Guest: Kim LaFontana
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
What is the culture of your practice and how does It effect your bottom line?
Guest: Kim LaFontana
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
A detailed knowledge of your practice’s anatomy is of utmost importance to the stability of your business.
Guest: Carson Porter, JD
Host: Mark Chyna, MD
Mr. Porter discusses patient safety in the physician's practice and the hospital setting.
Guest: Wayne Guglielmo
Host: Larry Kaskel, MD
Wayne Guglielmo, award winning health care reporter talks about specific doctors' experiences with the micropractice. He will address micropractice key elements and goals as well as revenue impact.