Articles
Readers Speak Out on the Turtle vs. Rabbit Controversy
Family physicians from across the country have strongly held and differing views on the clash of practice styles. Is there a solution?
Improve Your ICD-9 Coding Accuracy
Reviewing the fundamentals can strengthen your ICD-9 coding and streamline the reimbursement process.
A Quick-Reference Card for Identifying Level-4 Visits
The author's tool will help you keep in mind what qualifies a visit for a 99214 or a 99204.
Becoming a Physician Executive: Where to Look Before Making the Leap
Would administrative medicine be a good fit for you? Here are some issues you should think about as you consider the switch.
Monitoring Your Practice's Financial Data: 10 Vital Signs
Knowing your collection rate and overhead percentage isn't enough anymore. Here are 10 questions you need to be able to answer.
From the Editor
The Patient vs. Physician Relationship
Making Wise Medical Decisions. When I saw it on the shelf of the public library, I was understandably intrigued. It's a paperback book about three-quarters of an inch thick, and I figured it must represent a pretty powerful distillation of wisdom if it manages to encompass such…
Opinion
The Ideal Physician Leader: A Family Physician
These are turbulent times. The system of health care in this country has experienced radical change with the advent of managed care and the involvement of Wall Street. It seems that the profit motive has supplanted the values of meeting the needs of individual patients…
Letters
Getting Paid
How Medicare Views Concurrent Care
Understanding Medicare's criteria for “reasonable and necessary” is one giant step toward getting paid for concurrent care.
Coding & Documentation
Coding and Documentation
This is a corrected version of the article that appeared in print.
Monitor
Monitor
Physician groups call for universal coverage | Family physicians see small income gain | AMA delegates vote to create union | Physician report cards receive low grade | HHS expands ‘senior patrols,’ billing education | Y2K Update: More medical devices found to be noncompliant…
Practice Diary
Practice Diary
Close calls | Drug reps | Routines | The art of nudging
Improving Patient Care
Tips for Boosting Efficiency and Morale
Even in managed care, there are ways to simplify work, revive your employees' satisfaction and make patients happier as a result.
Computers
WebMD: The Online Future for Physicians?
I signed up for WebMD with a good deal of skepticism, became more and more enthusiastic as I began using it, and have ended up both delighted with it and puzzled about its ultimate value for family physicians.
Ask FPM
Ask FPM
Handling an EEO complaint | Intoxicated patients | Group averages
Salaried FP
Bonuses and Incentives: Three Key Questions
When you evaluate incentives in your compensation plan, it pays to know the big picture.
Balancing Act
Kick the Procrastination Habit
If you're struggling to achieve life balance, procrastination could be what's keeping you from it.