CMS is asking for public input on whether or not physicians have a privacy interest with their Medicare payments. If they do, CMS says it wants to create a review system that balances a physician's privacy with the public interest.

Healthcare organizations are working to both discipline and reform physicians who display disruptive behavior. The process requires leaders to strike a tricky balance between "managing disruptive behavior" and "caring for and protecting the victims," says one expert.

In what researchers are calling "the largest and most comprehensive study of medical (finding) reversal," they identify 146 medical practices that have been refuted by subsequent studies, but which continue to be used by providers.

Hospitals can't expect to control or prevent outbreaks of infections such asvancomycin-resistant enterococcuswithout sharing data and coordinating with other regional providers, a Johns Hopkins researcher says.

Physician groups are alerting members to be prepared to respond to public disclosures as pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers begin tracking and reporting their financial interactions with physicians.

"All businesses with sedentary workers should allow employees to use" treadmill desks, says a former Mayo Clinic CEO and enthusiastic advocate for walking while working. Healthcare providers are no exception.

The lackluster history associated with new patient E/Ms — particularly when trying to bill the higher-level services — often stands in the way of getting paid, experts tell Part B News.

EHR vendors are rolling out financial analysis tools that pull data from your electronic health records and practice management systems. While this is a promising development, it may not be time to stop using your Excel spreadsheets yet.

Providers already know their financial relationships with pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers will soon become public via an HHS website thanks to the new Sunshine Act. But failing to tell patients about those relationships up front may lead to hefty fines for violating state consumer protection laws.

If your practice is affiliated with a hospital or health system, you may be using the wrong place of service (POS) code on your claims — just as CMS is cracking down.