Technology & AI

What is the biggest reason your practice hasn't engaged in social media?

Even if you previously passed on using voice recognition technology, with EHRs and the movement toward integrated healthcare, it might deserve a second look.

With government incentive dollars flowing and new tech tools like tablet computers and patient portals emerging, more practices are embracing a digital future. But for many, the old barrier to adoption - money - remains.

Patients say they want their doctors’ offices to be tech-savvy. They want to communicate with you and your staff, use patient portals and smartphone applications. But there’s a difference between wanting a digital future and actually knowing how to get there. Here’s how to get your patients and staff on board.

Use technology to free your staff and patients from non-urgent phone calls

How often are physicians recommending mobile apps to their patients as tools for improving their health?

Here are six ways you can maximize your time and improve practice performance.

The feds are cracking down on (even accidental) violations of data security rules. Here's how to avoid serious financial and administrative penalties.

Before looking for a new space to practice, evaluate the office you're in.

It used to be that you examined the patient. But from your credentials to your use of technology, patients are increasingly examining you. Here's how to deal with this new generation of engaged, informed, and demanding patients.

Social media isn't just a tool for doctors to share health information. It's also a tool to establish your practice as a credible source for health-related information.

The one thing that can never be replaced by sophisticated equipment is the level of courtesy that is extended to patients, colleagues, and staff.

Medical practices are often fraught with poor policies and time sucks that undermine staff performance. Here's what to look for - and what to do about it.

Anyone who thinks that physicians' slow adoption of EHRs makes them modern-day Luddites hasn't seen a doc with an iPad. Tablet computing does seem uniquely suited to healthcare, and physicians are warming quickly to the intuitive gizmos. But will tablets revolutionize medical practice - and yours?

To stay safe and weed out the billing and collections problems stifling your practice's revenue stream, our experts recommend a "bottom-to-top" assessment of your entire billing operation.

Many physicians have discovered that blogging is a great way to build community with others in healthcare, share their opinions and successes, and vent.

You've probably heard of state and regional Health Information Exchanges, but what the heck are they, exactly, and can they be of any use to your practice?

Is staff mediocrity costing you money? Here's how to fix it.

While many industries are wringing even more efficiencies out of their IT systems investments, many in healthcare circles are still quarreling over whether healthcare IT is even a good idea.

It isn't easy for practices to become accredited as a patient centered medical home. To help you assess your readiness and make the transition, here are a few guidelines to get you started.

You may be afraid of audits, but if you aren't auditing your own billing procedures, you're probably losing a fortune. Here's how.

Are you ready to make social media platforms part of your practice? Make sure you put reasonable constraints in place.

Posting a general disclaimer on your practice's social media platforms protects both you and your patients.

Many physicians believe that they open themselves up to potential liability risks by engaging in social media. In practice, it is always prudent to be concerned with malpractice risk. That said, the key to effectively utilizing social media is twofold.

Looking for the best defense against possible litigation? According to plaintiffs' attorneys, good communication and proper documentation are your best weapons when legal action threatens. Here's the inside scoop on how to protect yourself against lawsuits, straight from the people who make a living filing them.

What yardstick should you use to measure your practice against those of your colleagues?

Medical practices have been slow to embrace the "customer comes first" mentality that defines corporate America - an operational oversight they can no longer ignore.

Noteworthy items from February 2011

Times are tight for small and large practices alike. But there are ways to supplement your income without selling out. Here are 10 ways you can leverage your skills to boost your income.