EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS – 2010

Each educational session provides handouts and/or take-home materials. 

Module 1

Maximizing Management Relations with Physicians — The Four Goals
Examines why the practice has hired you. Takes an in-depth look at establishing four indispensable goals to better assure your success as a practice manager.

Financial Policies & Tax Reduction Strategies
Examines a progressive and effective approach to financial policies and tax reduction strategies. Addresses streamlined monthly management reports, embezzlement control, record retention guidelines, in addition to equipment corporations, automobile lease agreements, childcare and medical expense reimbursement plans, and payroll tax depositing, etc.

Leadership Development
Examines the need for and characteristics of leadership. Provides an opportunity for self-evaluation of individual leadership traits, to grow current leadership skills, and learn ways to better influence, convince and motivate your staff.

Coding For Maximum Reimbursement
Examines current ICD-9 and CPT coding practices for maximum reimbursement for services. Course content is both general and specialty specific. 

Insuring Practice Assets
Takes an in-depth look at properly insuring the assets of the practice. Examines why we buy insurance; what types of insurance are needed; how to effectively shop the market; what affects the premium; and, whether you can buy too much insurance? 

Risk Management
Takes an in-depth look at potential liability in the every day workings of a medical practice. Highlights medical malpractice in the U.S., what causes it, and the means to reduce its risk. Informative video vignettes are used.

Best Practices in Identity Theft Prevention
It is no longer just a problem for financial institutions, credit entities and other companies whose business requires the storing of personal information; medical practices could face the risk of liability when personal information of employees and patients fall into the wrong hands. According to the Federal Trade Commission’s Web site, “Identity theft occurs when someone uses personal information without permission to commit fraud or other crimes.” Medical practices that are careless in maintaining personal information may be subject to a claim of negligence if the information is purloined and, as a result, an individual suffers a loss. Come learn about best practices to avoid becoming a statistic. 

Module 2

HIPAA Compliance
Focuses on practical attention to HIPAA requirements. Commonsense approach to dealing with electronic transcription, patient privacy, and security of healthcare information.

Proven Collection Strategies
Focuses on understanding the debtor (patient) and improving patient collections. Looks at why patients don’t pay, legal issues, steps to a clean AR, what to say in a variety of situations, collection companies, and recommended letters and forms.

Success Through Customer Service (DISC)
Looks at the identification of different behavioral styles in the workplace and its impact on customer relations. Examines how to get styles interacting and working better together. The use of behavioral evaluation tools is informative and fun.

Effective Operations Strategy
Identifies the two essential ingredients for effective office operations. Also examines general operating procedures including telephones, scheduling, registration, insurance billing & follow-up, and medical records.

Leadership Development
Examines the need for and characteristics of leadership. Provides an opportunity for self-evaluation of individual leadership traits, to grow current leadership skills, and learn ways to better influence, convince and motivate your staff.

Medical Malpractice Protection
Medical malpractice law suits are extremely personal and attack the very fabric that makes up your physician(s). This educational session emphasizes a working knowledge of medical malpractice coverage inclusing policy terms, content, premium and other compelling considerations in properly insuring your provider(s).

Module 3

Marketing Strategies That Work
Identifies the role of marketing, its need, plan development, and proven marketing strategies that include Yellow Pages, newspapers, brochures, mailers, radio, and television. Examines the costs associated with marketing, and methods of tracking to ensure awareness of campaign success.

Fraud & Abuse Compliance I & II
I) Addresses a practice’s compliance with Fraud and Abuse guidelines. Review a Fraud and Abuse compliance plan. Learn the Ten Coding Compliance Commandments. Come away with a sample plan that can easily be customized to fit any practice. II) Learn answers to what the OIG, FBI, and other federal agencies are doing today to enforce the mandates. What are the chances of the FBI darkening your door? How is an investigation conducted? What are your rights?

Optimizing Information Technology
Examines the fast paced development of information technology available for the medical practice. Focuses on electronic products and services including electronic medical records, e-perscribe, and the power of the Internet to streamline the revenue cycle.

Managing Your Practice in Challenging Times 
In the current economic environment, many medical practices feel under siege. Practices face pressure from all directions. Healthcare reform, Medicare, Medicaid, insurance companies, coding, PQRI, tort reform, private pay, cost of doing business and the economy in general are all creating pressures. With all the chaos, let's focus on what you can do to help your practice. You will learn about annual business plans, monthly/quarterly financial reports, maximizing revenue, managing "revenue leaks," and maintaining healthy banking relationships.

Maximizing Vendor Relationships
Emphasizes the understanding of the medical product distribution process, allowing management to better utilize the medical sales industry to enhance the medical practice. Examines the medical vendor industry, the supply chain, types of vendors, differentiating product and service needs, choosing a vendor, and creating a partnership. 

Shopping Smart for Employee Benefits
Shopping for employee benefits can be a difficult task! It can be made harder if the insurance broker isn’t knowledgeable and willing to provide great customer service. What should an employer expect from their broker? Are all brokers created equal? What kind of products are available to consider in a benefit package? Can conflicts of interest exist between a broker and the employer? How often should benefits be shopped? Are there things brokers don’t want you to know? Do insurance companies perform equally in coverage ratings and service? 

Module 4

OSHA & CLIA Compliance
Takes an in-depth look at the Bloodborne Pathogen Standard, Hazardous Chemical Communication Standard, tuberculosis protocol, emergency preparedness, ergonomics and in-office laboratory compliance.

Successful HR Management Strategies
Visits the vital role of personnel management in the medical practice. Examines issues of governmental compliance, personnel policies, compensation, benefits, and staff development.

Maximizing Retirement Benefits
Provides a down-to-earth understanding of retirement plans and tax-saving options for business owners and employees. Learn common terminology and what plans are losing favor and which are growing in popularity. Specifically addresses tax and business advantages of qualified benefit and qualified contribution plans like profit sharing plans, 401(k) plans, and money purchase plans, etc.

Wage & Hour Compliance
Takes an overview look at the Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Focuses on issues of hourly/salary status, overtime, comp time, work time, travel, education/training, lunch and breaks, and independent contractors, etc.

Building Revenue Through Pharmaceutical Dispensing
Emphasizes increasing revenue thru pharmaceutical dispensing in the medical practice. What does pharmaceutical dispensing offer a practice and its patients? Is pharmaceutical dispensing right for your practice? How to successfully manage pharmaceutical dispensing. How to get started?

Boosting the Bottom-line with Laboratory Services 
Focuses on increasing revenue through the use of in-house laboratory services. What does laboratory services offer a practice and its patients? Did you know that many medical specialties have laboratory services? Is an in-house lab right for your practice? How to successfully manage laboratory services. How to get started. 

Round Table Topic Discussions
Participating in the Round Table Topic Sessions has produced many great ideas. Its success comes from attendee participation and putting heads together to help one another. Offers the opportunity to “share a challenge” with peers and receive possible solutions on-the-spot.