by Debra Beaulieu, for HealthLeaders Media For the past several months, the United States has been suffering its most severe financial crisis since the Great Depression. It’s also “the first time in anyone’s memory that healthcare has not been recession-proof,” says Kenneth T. Hertz, CMPE, a principal consultant at the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) Health Care Consulting Group in Alexandria, LA.

by Ben Cole, for HealthLeaders Media Even though many practices employ nurse practitioners and physician assistants, collectively known as nonphysician practitioners (NPP), to make the office more efficient, some simply do not use them optimally or have the right personnel performing the right tasks. Moreover, practices may not be aware of coding regulations when services are rendered by NPPs, which may result in improper coding and inadequate reimbursement.

Compliance Create an infection control program including these five areas. Aug., p. 10.

by Justine Murphy, for HealthLeaders Media Many physician practice employees struggle with ineffi-cient time management, says Mary Witt, a vice president at The Camden Group consulting firm in El Segundo, CA, and Chicago. The key to improving your efficiency is to establish your priorities.

by Ruth Dolby Providers, practice administrators, and office staff members should be well versed in the basic components of the revenue stream to maximize revenue while staying within compliance guidelines. To keep a close watch on revenue, practices must take the measures detailed below.

by Justine Murphy, for HealthLeaders Media With increasing demands on our time and resources, sleep too often takes a backseat in physicians’ lives. Many seem to forget that sleep is an essential component in ensuring efficiency, productivity, and safety.

by Ester Horowitz Starting a medical practice today is not the same as it was 20 years ago. Today’s younger physicians are opting for partnerships or buying established medical practices outright rather than starting one from the beginning. Although this is good for physicians who are considering selling their practices in the next few years, receiving both fair market value and right value can be a challenge.

Two technological developments have had an enormous effect on physician communication and patient satisfaction: the computer and the PDA. Researchers have demonstrated that computer use during consultations has an adverse effect on the quality of interpersonal communication and a consequent negative effect on patient satisfaction.1

by John Commins, for HealthLeaders Media Peter Anderson, MD, had thought about shifting away from a traditional practice model and toward a doctor-nurse team model at his family practice for about five years, ever since he’d heard a physician talk about the concept at a 1998 seminar. Anderson was intrigued by the idea but took no action until five years later, when his practice’s finances were bleeding red ink and one of his long-serving RNs threatened to quit because of low pay.