The 2003 Physician Fee Schedule has been out since the beginning of the year, but because the government released it two months late, its effective date is March 1. This year, experts agree that the 4.4% reduction in the conversion factor ($34.59 for 2003) is the 220-page tome's biggest news maker.

With more than 20 different codes describing lesion-removal procedures, selecting the correct one can be difficult. Adding to your challenge: What should you do when a patient needs two different types of lesions removed? Jo Ann Steigerwald, RHIT, senior consultant for Cleveland-based health care consulting firm the Wellington Group, says a physician removing multiple lesions is not unusual

Picture this: You and your significant other celebrate your anniversary by going to an expensive restaurant. The atmosphere is tremendous, and the food is delectable, but your waiter, in the midst of a bad day, brings his sour attitude to your table. It ruins your meal and your entire evening. You vow never to return

Coding for anthrax testing and treatmentThe 21st century brought new importance to an old disease. Many people, especially in the Northeast, have visited their physician's offices to be tested-and in a few cases treated-for anthrax since September 11, 2001. Medicare beneficiaries are covered for anthrax testing and treatment under the following rules:1. Medicare covers anthrax testing when reasonable and necessary and ordered by a physician, but only for individual testing. There is no Medicare coverage for mass testing performed by public health officials. Use ICD-9

The HIPAA security ruling will bring a number of new requirements to doctors’ offices, and workstations will not be exempt. Each workstation must be organized in a secure manner, and you will be expected to develop policies that inform the employee of how to use their workstation in an appropriate manner. Your policy should include the functions that are appropriate to that specific workstation, and the proper manner in which those functions are to be performed. In other words, you don’t want your patients’ medical records available at your front desk computer if anyo

Anne Arundel Urology, P.A. Annapolis, MarylandWeb site address: http://www.aaurology.comThe opening page of Anne Arundel Urology’s Web site features graphics that are effective because of their simplicity. In four boxes of various shades, they show surfers that they are covering both the high-tech and high-touch sides of the medical field. The technical side is represented by a computer keyboard, while the caring and expertise of the doctors is apparent in the photo of hanging lab jackets and stethoscopes. The other two boxes direct patients to either the practice’s home

By now the importance of good telephone techniques in forming quality patient relationships is understood by most health care practices. However, because there are always new staff to be trained, and because even seasoned staff members can become harried and cease to use the best telephone etiquette, it’s a good idea to seek constant improvement in this area. The results are often better patient retention and an increase in new patients. One way to be sure your telephone response protocol is remembered and followed is to create a guide for your staff to follow. These forms should

When it comes to capturing patient charges, three distinct levels of difficulty quickly present them selves. Capturing charges for services provided in the office are at the bottom of the pyramid of difficulty, since they are the most easily controlled. Charges for out-of -office services, such as hospital rounds, represent the middle level because they are a little harder to track. At the top of the steep walls are after-hours services, which are unplanned. These are especially difficult to capture if they are provided outside the office.In your officeThese three words, "in your

When the Office of Inspector General (OIG) releases its Work Plan for the new year, heads pop up and eyes open, but changes aren’t necessarily made right away. Now that we’re actually a few months into 2002, we’re wondering how well your practice priorities are matching up with the OIG’s. They may not match up too well at all. After all, the Work Plan summary isn’t the place to find specifics. It doesn’t give detailed outlines of the investigations that are or will be occurring. It does, however, make it clear where the Inspector General’s prio