Practice Settings and Productivity

Hazel Oreluk, MA; John Cherf, MD, MPH, MBA

Think of the last course you took at the AAOS. Were your lab partners private practitioners, members of a group practice, or hospital employees? Did you talk about the dominant payers in your geographic area? Did you discuss how many procedures you performed? The AAOS member census, Orthopaedic Practice in the United States (OPUS) Survey, has answers to these and other questions that you can use to benchmark yourself and your practice.

Tips for Managing Patient Collections in the New Reimbursement Landscape

Elizabeth W. Woodcock, MBA, FACMPE, CPC

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s 2014 Employer Health Benefits Survey, 80 percent of U.S. workers with health insurance must meet an annual deductible (average $1,100) before benefits become payable under the plan. Most health plans include extensive cost-sharing features, such as copayments, coinsurance deductibles, and narrow networks. As financial accountability for health care shifts from payers to patients, managing patient collections becomes more important than ever.

How Meaningful Is Meaningful Use?

The successful adoption and implementation of electronic health records (EHRs) has, since 2011, been measured by the attainment of “meaningful use (MU),” a series of staged requirements established by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). During the first 4 years of the program, more than 350,000 eligible providers registered, and more than $7 billion in bonus payments has been paid out. Beginning in 2016, penalties will be assessed.

Hospital Dollars and ICD-10 Documentation

Michael R. Marks, MD, MBA

An increasing number of orthopaedic surgeons are employed by hospitals or academic institutions. If you are among them, understanding the connection between your hospital paycheck and the detail of your clinical documentation is critical. In fact, your future income may depend on it. Follow the (ICD-10) money Most hospital-employed physician income is based on work relative value units (wRVUs) multiplied by a conversion factor.

A Look at Contemporary On-Call Compensation Arrangements

John Cherf, MD, MPH, MBA

The prevalence of compensating physicians for on-call services has increased over the past several years. It is estimated that as many as 35 percent of all physicians receive some type of compensation for call-related activities and that three-quarters of physicians who provide on-call coverage receive some type of compensation. On-call pay ensures that hospital emergency departments have access to physicians who provide coverage.

Medical Assistants from a Medicolegal Perspective

C. Matthew Smith, Esq.; Douglas W. Lundy, MD, MBA

The economic pressures of modern medical practice often make it desirable to employ various physician “extenders” who can assist physicians in dealing with their many patients. However, along with the economic and logistical upsides can come significant liability risks that must be managed. Medical assistants (MAs) pose a particular risk because although they are frequently the “link” between patient and physician, they have the least medical training and knowledge.

The True Cost of Self-Funding Long-Term Care

Ben Snowden

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about 70 percent of individuals older than age 65 will require long-term care (LTC) at some point in their lives. As people grow older, they may become more aware of their frailties, which seem to sneak up and burst out. Simple motions such as walking or standing can cause sudden flares of pain. Memory doesn’t work as quickly and accurately as it once did. Seemingly normal functions require more time and effort.