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April 2012 - Vol 12, Issue 4
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Coker Group Publishes its Latest Book! |
The Healthcare Executive's Guide to ACO Strategy is the first comprehensive book dissecting the integral components of ACOs from physician, provider, and payer views, including analysis of the CMS final regulations. In the wake of healthcare reform, ACOs continue to emerge as the care delivery and reimbursement model of the future. Get the book that provides specifics on incorporating accountable care structure and strategy into your organization so you can enter the ACO era prepared and positioned to succeed.
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| Need a Speaker? | |
Let Coker Group speak at your upcoming event!
For more information on the educational programs Coker can facilitate, please email us or call 678-280-9690. |
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EHR Not Working? Tips for Converting to a New System, Part 1
By: Jeffery Daigrepont | |
Buying and implementing an electronic health record (EHR) is the biggest decision a practice will ever make. EHRs can have both positive and negative impacts on the operations of a practice, depending on the vendor's qualifications and how the system is implemented. Keep in mind that vendors are not responsible for all failures. Some practices find it extremely difficult to implement change; others have buyer's remorse and regret their decision to purchase an EHR. Practices can also find it difficult to adjust to an EHR when the system does not meet their unique needs and requirements.
Anatomy of a Practice
One reason practices and vendors struggle with EHR systems is the complexity of the practice itself. Let's examine the "anatomy" of a practice by reviewing its services:
- Professional Services
- Ancillary Services
- Hospital Services
- Surgical Services
- Outreach Services
- Elective Services
- Billing Services
- Etc.
When you look inside the basic practice structure shown above, the systems get even more complicated. The composition consists of:
- Device integration
- Image management, storage, and retrieval
- Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs)
- Exam room instruments
- Reporting
- PQRS/E-prescribing
- Clinical integration
- External integration
- Practice management integration
- And on and on . . .
Why Do EHRs Fail?
To understand why some EHRs fail involves first determining if the solution was ever capable of meeting the requirements of a typical practice, as outlined above. For example, a practice could operate under two tax identification numbers, which typically requires two databases to keep the financials separate. Not all systems can support multiple databases within a single application. A purchaser who discovers this limitation only after the system is in place faces ...click here to read the full article.
This article was originally published in the March 2012 Edition of AAOE News. To learn more, visit www.aao.org/aaoe. |
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Coffee with Coker - a FREE monthly webinar! | |
 Join Us in May
Date: Friday, May 11, 2012
Time: 11:30 a.m. EST
Completing a Do-it-Yourself Compliance Review in Your Practice
We all know about "DIY - do it yourself" projects. Step-by-step instructions alongside the right tools are the key to taking on projects you thought you'd need a professional to finish. One of our coding and compliance experts will share the common compliance mistakes seen most often in physician practices and what you can do to correct them. During this webinar you will hear real-life examples and:
- Determine if your physician is a coding outlier and possibly a target of an audit
- Uncover the top three compliance missteps for mid-level provider billing
- Learn a simple process to update billing codes each year
- Review the maze of Medicare Wellness services and ensure compliant billing
- Discover the most common documentation mistake -it's right under your nose!
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Building Patient Satisfaction
By: Trish Hutcherson | |
Good service is something most of us expect when we walk into any customer-centric operation. Whether it is a retail store, restaurant, or customer service hotline, an attitude leaves a lasting impression--good or bad. Each of us can likely recall a time when we encountered a "not-so-great" attitude and, conversely, one that was so good it deepened our appreciation for that particular experience.
This concept is no different in a medical practice. Physicians and their staff need to know how patients want to be treated. Satisfied patients are more likely to:
- remain with a physician
- refer others
- follow physician orders
- pay bills on time
- refrain from filing malpractice suits
Alternatively, dissatisfied patients will:
- leave a practice because of an attitude of indifference by staff
- tell multiple people about their negative experience
- complain most frequently about poor communication
- leave a practice without even bothering to voice their displeasure
- continue with a physician as a patient if a complaint is resolved in their favor
So, what does it take to provide the kind of customer service that results in attracting, retaining, and satisfying patients? Click here to read the full article. |
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About Coker Group
Coker Group, a leader in healthcare consulting, helps physicians, hospitals, and other providers find answers and solve problems in management and business operations. Our consulting team members are proficient, trustworthy professionals with experience and strengths in various areas. Coker's staff includes seasoned individuals in finance, administration, management, operations, compliance, and information systems. Coker integrity is unquestionable.
The CokerConnection© 2012 is an electronic newsletter published monthly by Coker Group, copyedited by Kay Stanley and compiled for the internet by Trish Hutcherson. The articles and viewpoints presented in the CokerConnection© are for informational purposes only and not intended to constitute legal or financial advice. If legal, financial, or other professional advice is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. |
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