31

Purchasing an Affordable Electronic Health Record
Louis Spikol, MD
An economy model may provide all the functionality your practice needs.

37

Practicing Without Paper Charts: One Clinic's Experience
Robert Rowley, MD
Their revenues are up. Their quality of care is high. And their doctors are getting home in time for dinner.

47

Electronic Health Records: A User-Satisfaction Survey
Kenneth G. Adler, MD, MMM, and Robert L. Edsall
If you already use an electronic health record system, here's your chance to help your colleagues who haven't yet made the leap.

55

How to Select an Electronic Health Record System
Kenneth G. Adler, MD, MMM
These 12 steps will help make the selection process easier and lead you to the EHR that's right for your practice.

15

GETTING PAID
New Year, New Medicare Benefits
Kent J. Moore
Here's how to make sure you're paid for the Welcome to Medicare physical and other new benefits.

23

CODING & DOCUMENTATION
Answers to Your Questions
Kent J. Moore
Care plan oversight for Medicare patients • ICD-9 code for prescription drug management • Work RVUs for ob ultrasound • Coding cerumen removal • Newborn-care codes • Telephone care • Coding visits to care facilities • HCPCS code for Depo-Testosterone • Deep excision of a lipoma

65

IMPROVING PATIENT CARE
Managing the Habitual No-Show Patient
Tito Izard, MD
One office cut down on missed appointments by putting its problem patients on probation.

80

BALANCING ACT
Making the Most of Every Minute
Carla Jardim, MD
Even in a busy office, it pays to slow down and make every second count.

11

EDITOR'S PAGE
Electronic Health Records: Taking the Plunge
Robert L. Edsall
Choosing the right electronic health record system
for your practice may not be easy, but this issue makes it easier.

12

LETTERS
E-H-R spells trouble • More EHR woes • How will data standards affect EHRs? • Full financial disclosure would help EHR assessment

27

MONITOR
EHR certification to begin by summer • Most FPs will commit to EHRs, says survey • Malpractice premiums decline in at least one state • Public weighs in on top health care priorities

68

PRACTICE DIARY
Sanford J. Brown, MD
Headache • Ticketed!

70

ASK FPM
When to notify your malpractice insurance about a claim • Document refills thoroughly • Agreements
to limit liability

75

FPM QUIZ
Earn 4 CME credits.

77

CLASSIFIEDS