Operations

Get the message right the first time. Use this form to make sure all the information is covered.

Physicians often want to review an overdue patient account before it is sent to a collection agency. Staff can use this form to summarize the status of the account, making review easier.

Ask staff to sign this agreement, showing that they understand the need to protect patient confidentiality.

Smooth patient referrals -- and your relationship with specialists -- with this easy form.

If you are shopping for sharps or syringes, make your selection easier using this template. Provided courtesy of Quality America, Inc. For more information about OSHA compliance, please visit www.quality-america.com.

Opening a new practice? Here are some of the things you will need to get done before the doors open.

Instead of having patients carry all their medications to every visit, ask them to bring in this simple chart. It's a more efficient way to check for counterindications. You can even give patients a digital copy by saving it to a disk or e-mailing a copy. That makes it easy for patients to update it.

Detailed elements to consider when reviewing workflow in your office. Use this checklist to help define staff responsibilities and best methods to make workflow seamless.

You give annual reviews to staff, why not to physicians? This form gives physicians feedback about their clinical quality, bedside manner, and ability to work with others.

Specialists, use this waiver if a patient forgot his referral. It says that the patient agrees to pay for services rendered that are not covered by his managed care company.

An easy way to find out what patients think of your practice -- and where you need to improve.

Michael Howe, former CEO of CVS MinuteClinic, discusses how care-delivery models will continue to change and what physicians can learn from industries outside of healthcare.

When declining reimbursements seem out of control, many physicians focus on the more manageable side of the business equation: costs.

Employee fatigue and lack of engagement can be tricky problems for managers to combat. But there are ways to challenge and inspire your staff without breaking the bank. Here’s how to re-energize and recharge your team.

Psychiatrist Teresa Ramerth on the painful lesson she learned when a common medication she prescribed nearly killed her sister.

Indiscriminate tongue wagging around the office can affect everything from staff morale to patient care. Here’s how to stop loose lips and protect patient privacy, care, and trust.

Expert Judy Capko explains why it’s crucial to designate someone in your practice the captain of your coding team.

Unfortunately, physicians are not immune to the growing threat of identity theft and data breaches. Check out our guide to keeping your personal information secure.

In this podcast, Justin Barnes, of the EHR Association and Greenway Medical Technologies, explains CMS’ final rule for meaningful use criteria for EHR incentives.

Are you taking a close look at the fine print before signing your equipment leasing paperwork? You should be. We show you why and what pitfalls to avoid.

How to create phone system efficiencies without driving your patients nuts.

We know EHRs can improve practice efficiency, but can they improve patient care? The evidence is suggesting they can. From disease management tools to automated reminders, EHRs are offering welcome improvements in patient outcomes.

Sue Lowden, a Nevada Republican who’s running for the U.S. Senate, recently made headlines by proposing that the uninsured barter for healthcare with goods and services. In fact, barter is making a comeback throughout the country because people have less money to spend on everything, including healthcare, but there are a couple of problems with the proposal.

Medicare is getting more aggressive with audits through its Recovery Audit Contractor program. Here’s how to assess your billing procedures to avoid audits, and establish a process for when a RAC does come knocking.

If your idea of effective marketing is a Yellow Pages ad, then you need some help. We show you clever, cheap, and effective ways to get the word out about how great your practice is.

All physicians have those patients who cross the line from engaged in their own care to, umm, over-prepared. Here’s how to deal with them effectively.

Here's a primer to assist your medical practice maintain its patient records and avoid any legal troubles.

When a drug that you prescribe often is recalled, you’re going to get swamped with calls and questions. Better to have a recall response plan in place before trouble strikes.

Safety and quality checklists can save lives in hospitals, as a new British Medical Journal study reiterates. Yet only a fraction of U.S. hospitals are using the World Health Organization (WHO) surgical safety checklist, which was introduced here 15 months ago. And the Leapfrog Group, a public-private consortium that presses for quality improvement in hospitals, has found that a minority of hospitals adhere to nationally endorsed process measures that have been shown to reduce mortality.