How to attract more kid patients to your practice: four tips -- FPM
Having young patients on your schedule can add some fun and variety to your workday. To grow this patient population, consider these four tips.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/caring_for_kids.html
Three things to consider before you start screening for social determinants of health ...
Social needs can complicate a patient’s health issues, but before you add another screening, answer these three questions.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/social_needs_screening.html
The secret to motivation at work -- FPM
People who receive extrinsic rewards for doing their jobs learn and produce more slowly, but those with intrinsic motivation invest more deeply and progress farther. Three factors make all the difference.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/intrinsic_motivation.html
Three principles for improving patient satisfaction with service -- FPM
Practices can focus on improving these three areas to boost patient satisfaction with the quality of their care.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/improving_service.html
How to get sedentary patients to exercise -- FPM
This Maryland-based practice created a special area trail guide to help patients get out of their house and get walking.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/sedentary_patients.html
Five mobile apps to encourage mindfulness -- FPM
Five mobile applications to help patients use mindfulness to treat depression, chronic pain, tobacco use disorder, and other problems.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/mindfulness_apps.html
Less than a month left to submit 2018 MIPS data -- FPM
Physicians eligible for the Merit-based Incentive Payment System in 2018 have only a few more weeks to report your quality measures.
Family Practice Management : Getting Paid : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/gettingpaid/entry/MIPS_2018_deadline.html
CMS finds errors in MIPS payment adjustments -- FPM
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services says it is working to fix errors in how this year's MIPS payment adjustments were applied to some physicians.
Family Practice Management : Getting Paid : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/gettingpaid/entry/incorrect_MIPS_payment.html
Two ways to address difficult emotions in the exam room -- FPM
When patients display negative emotions in the exam room, such as anger or frustration, asking them about their feelings can feel risky. Using these two strategies can help you better address patients’ difficult emotions and protect the healing process.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/difficult_emotions.html
Ten steps to better practice efficiency -- FPM
Proven techniques borrowed from the manufacturing industry could help your practice operate more efficiently. Here are 10 steps to help eliminate bottlenecks in your workflow and save time.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/office_efficiency.html
How to properly code for a Pap smear -- FPM
Screening for cervical cancer is often included in the physical exam portion of a preventive medicine service. Follow this advice to see when you can bill separately for a Pap smear.
Family Practice Management : Getting Paid : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/gettingpaid/entry/pap_smear.html
The accurate valuation of office visits: one thing you can do -- FPM
The relative value of office-based E/M codes is being reviewed. To help inform that review, family physicians can take this one critical step.
Family Practice Management : Getting Paid : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/gettingpaid/entry/ruc_survey.html
New reports look at family medicine office visit billing -- FPM
Here's what to do with that Medicare comparative billing report you may have received analyzing how you bill family medicine office visits.
Family Practice Management : Getting Paid : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/gettingpaid/entry/comparative_billing_reports.html
Two simple ways to improve patient satisfaction with visit length -- FPM
How do you prevent the patient complaint My doctor didn’t spend enough time with me, especially if you can’t increase visit length? Research points to two techniques that can help patients feel more satisfied with the amount of time you spend with them.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/visit_length.html
Three myths about HIPAA -- FPM
Although HIPAA has existed for more than 20 years, many organizations still struggle to interpret the law correctly. When their interpretations are too strict, it can make physician and staff jobs harder than they need to be. Here are three common myths about HIPAA.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/hipaa_myths.html
Time to check your 2019 MIPS eligibility status -- FPM
If you are unclear whether the Merit-based Incentive Payment System applies to you in 2019, use this tool to check your eligibility.
Family Practice Management : Getting Paid : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/gettingpaid/entry/2019_MIPS_eligibility.html
A checklist for better dementia care plans -- FPM
Physicians may not be able to control many facets of dementia care, but this checklist can help you tackle the cognitive, functional, and behavioral losses that most matter to patients and their families.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/dementia_care.html
Why did that idea flop? -- FPM
Are you committing one of three key mistakes that can prevent sustainable change from taking hold in your practice?
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/idea_flop.html
How to find joy in medicine, one day at a time -- FPM
A Grand Rapids, Mich., physician discusses what her team does every day to remember why they're in medicine.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/joyful_medicine.html
High-maintenance patients: protecting yourself and your practice -- FPM
Every physician has a patient or two (or more) who make frequent and unreasonable demands for treatment, tests, or referrals, treat staff poorly, and drain the physician’s time and energy. Rather than allow these patients’ bad behavior to affect yours, follow this simple advice.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/high_maintenance.html
How to avoid payment denials on two common diagnostic tests -- FPM
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is advising physician practices on how to avoid billing errors for two common diagnostic tests.
Family Practice Management : Getting Paid : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/gettingpaid/entry/diagnostic_test_denials.html
Three tips for better risk-adjustment coding -- FPM
Your payment is increasingly tied to the severity of your patients’ conditions. These three guidelines will help you make sure you’re using the codes that best reflect their level of risk.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/risk_adjustment.html
How to calculate the value of team documentation -- FPM
Having a medical assistant or nurse handle the paperwork related to patient visits can help you be more efficient and increase revenue. Here’s how to calculate the value.
Family Practice Management : Getting Paid : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/gettingpaid/entry/team_documentation_savings.html
Using Empowered CMAs and Nursing Staff to Improve Team-based Care -- FPM
Feb 1, 2019 - Highly trained workers can perform more visit-related tasks, boosting care quality and reducing physician burnout.
Family Practice Management : Articles
https://www.aafp.org/fpm/2019/0100/p17.html
Tools for Better Dementia Care -- FPM
Feb 1, 2019 - Quality measures and clinical tools can bring focus and clarity to caring for patients with cognitive impairment and supporting their caregivers.
Family Practice Management : Articles
https://www.aafp.org/fpm/2019/0100/p11.html
The 2019 Medicare Documentation, Coding, and Payment Update -- FPM
Feb 1, 2019 - This year’s changes include some welcome documentation relief, new codes for portal and telephone encounters, and much more.
Family Practice Management : Articles
https://www.aafp.org/fpm/2019/0100/p23.html
Coding & Documentation - Jan-Feb 2019 -- FPM
Feb 1, 2019 - Prescription drug management and E/M code selection | Review of systems: How many systems are too many? | Documenting exams by medical students | Coding for removal of skin lesions: biopsy or no?
Family Practice Management : Coding & Documentation
https://www.aafp.org/fpm/2019/0100/p30.html
Protecting Adolescent Patient Privacy: Four Key Questions -- FPM
Feb 1, 2019 - When an adolescent patient requests confidential services, here’s what you need to know about their rights and your responsibilities.
Family Practice Management : Articles
https://www.aafp.org/fpm/2019/0100/p7.html
High-Maintenance Patients -- FPM
Feb 1, 2019 - Don't let their bad behavior make you a bad doctor.
Family Practice Management : The Last Word
https://www.aafp.org/fpm/2019/0100/p36.html
Practice Pearls - Jan-Feb 2019 -- FPM
Feb 1, 2019 - Simplify the checkout process | Ensure your safety during patient visits | Keep your empathy for difficult patients
Family Practice Management : Practice Pearls
https://www.aafp.org/fpm/2019/0100/p32.html
Changes of Note for the New Year -- FPM
Feb 1, 2019 - Coding updates are just the tip of the iceberg as we begin 2019.
Family Practice Management : From the Editor
https://www.aafp.org/fpm/2019/0100/p4.html
Thank You, FPM Peer Reviewers (2018) -- FPM
Feb 1, 2019 - We would like to thank the following peer reviewers for their valuable contributions to FPM during 2018.
Family Practice Management : From the Editor
https://www.aafp.org/fpm/2019/0100/p6.html
Communication checkup: How many of these skills do you practice? -- FPM
Good communication is the bedrock of good care. In the busyness of day-to-day practice, don’t neglect these seven basic skills.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/communication_checkup.html
The No. 1 question about team documentation -- FPM
To ease physicians’ administrative burdens, many practices are adopting team documentation, which involves increasing the MA-to-physician ratio and delegating more tasks to MAs. How do you convince your practice to try it?
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/team_documentation_question.html
Teen privacy: four rules -- FPM
When an adolescent patient requests confidential services, balancing the patient’s rights with the parent’s rights can be complicated. Keep these rules in mind.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/teen_privacy.html
UHC moves from denial to downcoding of E/M claims -- FPM
Physicians and their coding staff need to be aware of a change in how United Healthcare approaches and pays claims with problematic documentation.
Family Practice Management : Getting Paid : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/gettingpaid/entry/UHC_downcoding.html
Seven tips for encouraging your patients to exercise -- FPM
These seven steps can help you develop personalized physical activity plans for your patients.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/exercise_prescriptions.html
How to determine what's really urgent -- FPM
Three questions to help you determine if a task truly needs your immediate attention and response or can be delayed or even delegated elsewhere.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/time_management.html
A tool to smooth out your checkout process -- FPM
A New Mexico family physician uses checkout sheets to highlight what needs to happen before a patient leaves the office.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/checkout_process.html
More than half of Medicare claims use new ID cards -- FPM
Physicians are showing early success using the new identification cards that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services supplied to Medicare beneficiaries over the last year.
Family Practice Management : Getting Paid : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/gettingpaid/entry/Medicare_claims_new_MBI.html
Four apps to help patients better manage anxiety and depression -- FPM
Here are four mobile apps to help patients better manage anxiety and depression.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/mental_health_apps.html
Tasks your nurse could be doing to boost practice productivity -- FPM
How to expand the roles of your care team registered nurses to help the practice serve more patients and increase revenue.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/team_care_RNs.html
Six tips for a better CV -- FPM
Whether you are looking for your first job out of residency or making a career change, getting your curriculum vitae noticed by potential employers is your goal.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/curriculum_vitae.html
Ring in the New Year by submitting your 2018 MIPS data -- FPM
CMS has officially opened the data submission period for MIPS eligible clinicians who participated in Year 2 (2018) of the Quality Payment Program.
Family Practice Management : Getting Paid : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/gettingpaid/entry/How_to_submit_2018_MIPS_data.html
How to structure the patient visit for better communication -- FPM
Patient visits tend to go better if you and your patient are on the same page. To accomplish this, try structuring your patient visits to start with a brief moment of collaborative agenda-setting.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/visit_structure.html
EHRs occupy 24 percent of doctors’ time, says survey -- FPM
Family physicians spend 51 hours in practice each week, with 24 percent of that time spent interacting with the electronic health record (EHR). What can physicians do to make their EHR work less frustrating?
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/ehr_time_spent.html
Four mistakes to avoid when talking with patients about risk -- FPM
Helping patients understand their risk of developing a certain disease or the risks associated with a screening test can be complicated. Don’t make these four mistakes.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/risk_communication_mistakes.html
New Medicare card lookup tool gets update -- FPM
Even if your Medicare patients haven't yet received their new ID cards, you can lookup their beneficiary identifier online.
Family Practice Management : Getting Paid : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/gettingpaid/entry/New_Medicare_card_tool_update.html
Five ways to avoid problems with patient satisfaction scores -- FPM
Patient satisfaction scores are being used to grade physician performance and even dictate salary. Here are ways to make sure the scores are correctly generated and used.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/patient_satisfaction_scores.html
Coming soon: Medicare payment for virtual encounters -- FPM
Among the new codes going into effect in 2019 are several that reimburse physicians for various types of virtual encounters.
Family Practice Management : Quick Tips : FPM Home
https://www.aafp.org/journals/fpm/blogs/inpractice/entry/Medicare_coding_virtual_encounters.html