The Journal of medical practice management : MPM
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How can you recognize the best job applicant for an open position in your practice when he or she shows up at your door? The up-to-date, comprehensive job description will be your best guide. In this article, the author suggests what information should be included in job descriptions, who should write job descriptions for your practice, and when and how to determine appropriate salary and benefits for each job description. In addition, this article offers an important disclaimer for job descriptions that will protect you legally and that every employee in your practice should sign.
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An emerging strategy to manage financial risk in clinical practice is to involve the physician at the point of care. Using handheld technology, encounter-specific information along with medical necessity policy can be presented to physicians allowing them to integrate it into their medical decision-making process. Three different strategies are discussed: reference books or paper encounter forms, electronic reference tools, and integrated process tools. The electronic reference tool strategy was evaluated and showed a return on investment exceeding 1200% due to reduced overhead costs associated with rework of claim errors.
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First Health has become the first national managed care company to establish reimbursement for Web-based Internet consultations between patients and their physicians. Initially limited to chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma, and congestive heart failure, the program will reimburse up to 24 consultations per year at a rate of $25 each. Privacy issues have been addressed by utilizing secure network procedures. First Health believes that this initiative will enhance subscribers' well-being and potentially reduce the rates of hospitalization and even lengths of stay.
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The past decade saw several attempts to consolidate physician practices, but this sector remains one of the last cottage industries in the United States. This article develops a framework for analyzing the optimal size of a physician practice. ⋯ Existing empirical research suggests three "optimal" sizes of practices: 5-10 physicians, based on economies of scale and decision-making; 20-30 physicians, based on economies of scope and initial development of a corporate structure; and 80+ (multi-specialty) physicians, which can create an system of referrals and utilization. The article concludes with observations about the challenges to physician practices as they grow.