Is the private practice orthopaedist disappearing?

Mary Ann Porucznik

Changing practice patterns are affecting involvement Once, the image of a physician in private practice mirrored “Marcus Welby, MD,” or “Dr. Kildare.” Those days are long gone and, if a report presented at the Board of Councilors fall meeting is accurate, the independent, private-practice orthopaedic surgeon may also be disappearing. That trend could have significant implications for organizations such as the AAOS and state orthopaedic societies. In Oregon, reported Matthew C.

Category III code updates

Mary LeGrand, RN, MA, CCS-P, CPC

Get ready to use these updated spine codes What’s a Category III code? Category III codes, also known as “emerging technology” codes, were first introduced in 2002. These codes are alpha-numeric codes (such as 1234T) and are found in a tabbed section following the Category I and II codes in the 2008 CPT Professional Edition. You can also access them online (www.ama-assn.org/categoryiiicodes.pdf). Category III codes are temporary codes.

Schwarzkopf on leadership

Dale A. Reigle

Battlefield lessons work in the office “The truth of the matter,” said Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf Jr., “is that you always know the right thing to do. The hard part is doing it.” Have clear goals People need to know what success looks like. The more clearly you can describe success, the more likely it is that your employees will meet your goals. Think about the goals you have for your practice. Can you state them in a manner that is easily understood by all?

The ins and outs of a practice operational assessment

Steven E. Fisher, MBA

What you should know—and why you should do one Spend a few moments and take the simple quiz below. If you respond “I don’t know” to any of these questions, your practice is a prime candidate for an operational assessment, and you should keep reading. Operational Assessment Quiz (PDF) What is an operational assessment? An operational assessment is a review of selected aspects—frequently all aspects—of a medical practice.

You can’t afford to miss this opportunity

Thomas J. Grogan, MD

Why attend the Practice Management Symposium for Practicing Orthopaedic Surgeons? I have been in solo practice for more than 20 years. I spent years learning, developing, and honing the skills necessary to provide outstanding orthopaedic care to my patients. Like every other AAOS fellow, I am under constant attack by a third-party “army” of insurers, adjusters, and the U.S. government (Medicare/Medicaid), whose sole mission seems to be finding ways to pay me less for the work I do.

Settle or go to trial? Assessing a medical liability claim

Almor Afonso

A perspective from an insurance claims executive A medical liability lawsuit is a concern every practicing orthopaedic surgeon considers at one point or another. Whether the claim is warranted or not, the experience is universally distressing and takes precious time away from treating patients. Surprisingly, it is not necessarily just the facts surrounding the medical care that will ultimately determine whether a case is settled or defended through trial.

Avoid healthcare fraud by playing by the rules

Pete Johnson, Esq.; Timothy S. Johnson, MD

Know what’s involved—and what you should avoid doing Federal and state governments are stepping up the pace and cracking down on healthcare fraud. Even more significantly, private citizens are joining in on the action—taking a percentage of the money judgments collected by state and federal governments. If accused, physicians may face hefty fines, the loss of their practice, public embarrassment, criminal indictments, and possibly a jail sentence.

The cost of defensive medicine

Stuart L. Weinstein, MD

Tort reform could lower costs, improve patient care At the recent “America’s Health Care at Risk: Finding a Cure” conference, both Republicans and Democrats agreed that bipartisan cooperation and compromise are necessary to solve America’s healthcare problems. In the past, Congress has not addressed the fundamental issues that make the current healthcare system unsustainable.