Matrix Management

Jennifer A. O’Brien, MSOD

What to expect from the orthopaedic surgery group practice manager Jennifer A. O’Brien, MSOD Matrix management means that an employee may have multiple reporting relationships. A unilateral decision by one of the managers could affect the productivity and work flow within the other units or other overall business goals such as eliminating the expense of unnecessary overtime or achieving cross training and coverage that will serve all the partners when a staff person has to be out.

Lessons from the Literature on Litigation

Robert R. Slater Jr, MD

The threat of being sued for malpractice hangs over the heads of physicians like the sword of Damocles. Concerns about litigation often play some role in the decision making process when treating patients. To put this in context, a frequently cited study published in 1993 found that nearly 40 percent of the U.S. membership of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand has been sued at some point, and more than one third of members had been sued more than once.

Reducing the Tax Bite on Retirement Wealth

Tax diversification is the key Carole C. Foos, CPA, and David B. Mandell, JD, MBA Nearly all orthopaedic surgeons are focused on reducing their income taxes. This is understandable, because income taxes are generally the highest-rate tax AAOS members will pay during their lifetimes. Compared to other taxes, the raw amount of income tax paid is also typically the largest, and income taxes must be paid annually.

Journal Club Topics

Looking for articles on which to base a journal club session—particularly one on advocacy or practice management topics? Look no farther than AAOS Now. In the past year, AAOS Now has published a number of articles that would make good fodder for a journal club discussion.

The Growth Prescription

Bill Champion; Tony Edwards

Twenty years ago, reimbursement changes and the introduction of managed care and capitated plans fostered fear and uncertainty among orthopaedic surgeons. However, once they were able to get past their fears of the unknown, many made decisions that had a significant impact on their future success. Orthopaedic surgeons became smarter and began to view their practices as professional services firms that provided clinical services instead of as medical clinics.

Hit by an Alligator or Crushed by a Crocodile

Margaret M. Maley, BSN, MS

External cause codes in the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition (ICD-10) have been the source of much hilarity—and considerable concern. After all, who would ever consider the need for a code to report the following incidents?

Rethink Your ICD-10 Implementation Strategy

Howard Mevis

On March 31, 2014, Congress passed H.R. 4302, the “Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014.” In addition to establishing a 1-year patch under the sustainable growth rate Medicare physician payment, the bill also delayed the implementation date for converting to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th edition (ICD-10) for 1 year, to Oct. 1, 2015.

Wanted: ASCs for Education, Quality Improvement Initiative

The AAOS and the Health Research and Educational Trust of the American Hospital Association are seeking Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) to participate in a new educational and quality improvement program. Between 9 and 12 ASCs will be selected to take part in the year-long program, which involves an educational component focused on improving teamwork, communication, infection prevention, and safety, along with data collection and monitoring.

Improving Outcomes for Worker’s Comp Patients

J. Mark Melhorn, MD

Appropriate return to work can help workers who are injured on the job, their employers, and society at large.

EHR Incentive Program

Hardship exception applications due July 1 Medicare providers who were unable to successfully demonstrate meaningful use for 2013 due to circumstances beyond their control can apply for a hardship exception. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is accepting applications for hardship exceptions to avoid the upcoming Medicare payment adjustment for the 2013 reporting year. Payment adjustments for the Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program will begin on Jan.