Best Practices for Orthopaedic Practices

AAOE members weigh in on office technology Recently, AAOS Now asked representatives from the American Association of Orthopaedic Executives (AAOE) to participate in a roundtable discussion on technology best practices in the orthopaedic practice setting. Moderating the discussion was George D. Trantow, FACHE, of Aspen Orthopaedic Associates (Colo.), which has 10 orthopaedic surgeons and 55 full-time employees. Joining him were the following practice managers: James P. Kidd, CMPE, of St.

5010 – Ready or Not It’s Here!

Jackie Griffin

Recently, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it would not take enforcement measures against Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-covered organizations that were not 5010 compliant until June 30, 2012. This is not an extended deadline for compliance, simply a grace period before the agency begins taking enforcement actions. However, providers may already be experiencing an increase in claim rejections.

10 Steps to Getting Paid Faster

Jackie Ryan, MPA

Your orthopaedic practice faces an ever-changing landscape of policies and mandates that can force you to adapt your processes for revenue management. The recent 5010 transition and upcoming ICD-10 requirements, declining Medicare reimbursements, and growing patient responsibility for payments are just a few of the issues you face. Your practice needs systems and support you can count on to manage your revenue cycle more efficiently.

New Coding & Reimbursement Webpage

The AAOS has a new webpage dedicated to coding policy and reimbursement. Now you can browse through coding frequently asked questions, review previously published articles on coding issues, find information on various payment policies, and check for upcoming AAOS-sponsored coding courses. In conjunction with the new coding webpage, the AAOS is introducing a new coding inquiry service.

The Benefits of Using Medical Scribes

G. Klaud Miller, MD

Scribes have been used to document and record events for thousands of years. In modern medicine, the scribe’s function is to accompany the physician during a patient examination and document the visit in the patient’s medical chart. In orthopaedics, a scribe is ideally either a physician’s assistant, nurse, or a certified athletic trainer who already understands the specialty.

More Steps to Improve Practice Efficiency

Dale A. Reigle

Last month, I reviewed several ways to improve practice efficiency in the areas of facilities, equipment, and information technology. This article will deal with efficiencies in the areas of staffing, processes, and physician work habits. Staffing Costs related to employee salaries and benefits are usually the largest ongoing, nonprovider cost in an orthopaedic clinic.

Taking Control of Your Email

Chad A. Krueger, MD

The first thing you do when you wake up is check email on your smart phone. When you arrive at work, you log in to your computer and start working on the emails that you received overnight and during the drive to the office. While addressing those, you stop to read incoming messages, some of which may require immediate attention. All this before you’ve eaten breakfast or started planning your day. If this scenario sounds familiar, email may have too much control over your life.

Pearls and Pitfalls in Medical Liability Lawsuits

Thomas B. Fleeter, MD

During the 2012 AAOS Annual Meeting, the AAOS Medical Liability Committee hosted an instructional course lecture designed to help orthopaedic surgeons understand what’s involved in constructing a medical liability case and how to avoid being the target of a malpractice lawsuit. “Anatomy of a Medical Liability Lawsuit: Practical Issues in Malpractice Avoidance,” included, among others, Byron Mitchell, JD, a defense attorney from Virginia, and Joseph L.

New Device and New Procedure Liability

James W. Ogilvie, MD

The practice of medicine is constantly changing. To provide optimum care orthopaedic surgeons must be willing to change and advance as well. Innovative procedures and devices, combined with continuing medical education, are the basis for improving medical care in orthopaedic surgery. The implementation and use of innovative devices and procedures, however, carry potential liabilities that orthopaedic surgeons should understand and be ready to address. FDA approval status The U.S.