features

24 Payer Trend: 'Tiering' Physicians and 'Steering' Patients (PDF available)

Trevor J. Stone and Drew Sullivan

Insurers are experimenting with plans that drive patients to physicians deemed to be high-quality and low-cost.

29 Panel Size: Answers to Physicians' Frequently Asked Questions (PDF available)

Mark Murrray, MD, MPA, Mike Davies, MD, and Barbara Boushon, RN

Does one size fit all? What do you do if your patient panel is too big - or too small? The experts answer these questions and more.

35 The Makings of a Good Meeting (PDF available)

Milisa K Rizer, MD, MPH, and Doug Knutson, MD

Don't waste time on bad meetings. Here's how to make sure your meetings are necessary and productive.

38 Optimizing Referrals and Consults With a Standardized Process (PDF available)

Mara Reichman

Successful referrals and consultations depend on open and succinct communication between you, your patients and your consultants.

DEPARTMENTS

8 from the editor

Becoming a Superpractice

Robert L. Edsall

You don't need a phone booth for a changing room.

9 letters

Contemplating complementary medicine?

10 opinion

Baumol's Disease

Bobby J. Newbell, MD

Health care in general may suffer from an incurable disease. (Are you surprised?)

12 news & trends

Inflation outpaces physicians' pay increases • State task force studying doctor pay • Industry and teaching physicians • Study adds up cost of annual physicals

15 Coding & Documentation

Cindy Hughes, CPC

Same code for same procedure • Initial hospital care and 99221 • Prothrombin time testing with 99211 • Trigger point injections • Removing multiple lesions • 90805 includes E/M services • Using test results as a diagnosis • NPs and care plan oversight

44 practice pearls

Retrieving medical records • Walk the walk • Make a good first impression • Increase the time you have for patients

45 CME QUIZ

Earn 3 CME credits.

47 FPM peer reviewer list

Thanks to these reviewers for their help in 2007.

52 the last word

Aiding the Wounded Among Us

Mitchell L. Cohen, MD

When facing the pain of a malpractice lawsuit, physicians need the compassion and support of their colleagues.

49 CLASSIFIEDS

51 CONTACT US