Any electronic medical record (EMR) vendor can dazzle you with a demonstration of its software. All EMR systems offer multifunctional programs that can perform a vast array of services. However, although the purpose of each program is basically the same (i.e., to eliminate paper charts and improve communication), every office runs differently, and the software needs to be tailored to the unique needs of your practice.

The best way to ensure a financially secure retirement is to have a comprehensive plan. And that means having enough money to last for 30-40 years beyond one's working life, allowing for the possibility that you'll live to be 100. Think that sounds like a stretch? Within the next 10 or 15 years, it is widely expected that there will be a big leap in human longevity that will radically change our society, primarily due to advances in medicine, genetics, and technology.

Editor's note: This is the first in a two-part series about physician-advisor relationships. This month, we cover four common flaws in physician-advisor relationships. In September, we will discuss how to remedy these problems so you can move toward your goal of minimizing your exposures to lawsuits and taxes. Most physicians do not get the maximum value from their professional advisors. The main reason for this is that although the typical specialty physician receives nearly 25,000 hours of training in his or her profession, he or she receives zero hours of training in financial issues related to the business of being a doctor.