Practice Management
Despite longstanding advice that people over the age of 6 months should be vaccinated against influenza, more than half of healthcare professionals (HCPs) opt out unless they’re required to get a shot by their employers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 75% of HCPs got a flu shot in preparation for the 2016-2017 flu season—but in clinics and other settings where vaccination was not “required, promoted, or offered on site,” …
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The Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), the EHR incentive program, and other Medicare programs are driving the cost of complying with federal regulations through the roof, according to a new survey from the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA). The group says nearly half of practices in the U.S. spend more than $40,000 per full-time physician to keep up—while 14% say that figure is $100,000 or more per physician. The MGMA says the wide range is …
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Providers are the key personnel in any medical facility, and urgent care centers are no exception. To use a sports analogy, they’re the “superstars” of the team—which means they have to deliver if you’re going to have a winning record. However, as independent contractors, they can also put you on the losing side of Department of Labor and Internal Revenue Service violations. Attorney and experienced compliance officer Kurt Tullar will explain how to stay in …
Read MoreAngela T. Burnette, JD Urgent message: Although any urgent care center could potentially face litigation at any time, the risks of being sued can be reduced by focusing on provider behaviors that build strong relationships with patients, by recognizing patient behaviors that may increase the odds of litigation, and by having a plan for handling dissatisfied patients. Lawsuits do not discriminate. They are filed against all types of health-care providers—new or experienced, group practice or …
Read MoreK Royal, JD, CIPP/E, CIPP/US Urgent message: The shift in medical practice from written charts to integrated digital platforms has dramatically increased the visibility, size, and magnitude of health-care information breaches. There are specific steps urgent care operators should take with vendors to protect patient information in this new technological environment. The news makes it seem that data breaches occur on a fairly regular basis. The Ponemon Institute even named 2014 as the year of …
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Urgent message: The escalating pressure on the industry to decrease health care costs has resulted in an increase in audit activity from government and private payors for everything from billing and coding to HIPAA and kickbacks. Therefore, it’s more important than ever for urgent care centers to build a culture of compliance. DAMARIS L. MEDINA The health care industry is in the throes of a dynamic regulatory enforcement climate. Federal and state regulators and third-party …
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