Link Fest: Updates on group visits, RVUs, Medicare and the ‘Physician Shortage’

I’ve been storing up some links and today seemed to be a good time to have at ‘em!  They range from the scary (Health Policy and Market) to the fun (the Efficient MD’s slide show.)
Read The Country Doc Report for another take on the group visit.  Country Doc relates how his practice does a group diabetic [...]

Group Visits: Treadmill Medicine or Meaningful Encounter?

I have been encouraging physicians to explore group visits for a while.  Group visits are especially suited for stable patients with chronic disease–think hypertension, diabetes, COPD. Patients with chronic diseases make up the majority of the primary care office visits, especially for internists.  Group visits can increase patient and physician satisfaction, and encourage healthier patients [...]

What if Starbucks billed like ICD-10?

Ah, yes, ICD-10 is coming!  Yes, the new coding system with 10 times more codes than the previous is slated to go live in 2011.  Much of the world now uses ICD-10 because it has more codes, as apparently, we are running out of codes.  You, my beloved provider, will be shouldering the burden of [...]

Billing for Phone Calls: Acceptable Practice or Reptilian Behavior?

My trusty health insurance, for which I pay handsomely, (yes, I am self-insured) sent me an email titled, “Calls could cost you.” It states that calling your physician may cost you. I quote:
“Many times people call their doctor to ask a question, resolve a concern, or ask about a referral. Traditionally, doctors haven’t charged to [...]

Resuscitating Primary Care: Part II

All right, pencils out, notebooks at the ready!  Quiz to follow!  Here is Part II of Resuscitating Primary Care.  At our last session, we noted the primary care was indeed a “code-blue/COR-0″.  As promised, I will apply my laser sharp focus to “fixing” this problem.
Buckle up!
You are a shrink. This is another unavoidable issue.  [...]

Resuscitating Primary Care, Part I

 
As promised, I will turn my laser like focus to the task of “fixing” primary care.  I will examine both micro and macro ways of doing this, coming up with to do lists that physicians can implement in their practices as well as global suggestions that will take shifts in health care policy.  (Which only we [...]