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Practice Management Operations

  • Interpreters Services, Limited English Proficiency (LEP), Hearing Impaired
  • Pay For Performance (P4P)
  • Physician Compensation
  • Practice Informatics (Electronic Billing/Electronic Data Interchange/Electronic Medical Records)
  • Practice Models
  • Rural Health

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    Closing a Medical Practice - handout

    While there are no formally stated rules for closing a medical practice, there are several important items which should be considered and planned in advance. The list below (available as a download) is not comprehensive, but the Washington State Medical Association believes it will be helpful.

    To download the list, click here [PDF].

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    Coding and Office Staff Certification Guidance

    To assist in the process of becoming a Certified Coder or Medical Billing Specialist, Click here [PDF].

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    Electronic Health Records/Electronic Medical Records: Practical Guidance for Physicians and Managers

    The WSMA receives frequent inquiries from physicians' offices regarding electronic medical records. To assist in that process, the WSMA has prepared the following guidance.

    Click here [PDF] to download Electronic Health Records/Electronic Medical Records: Practical Guidance for Physicians and Managers.

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    Email: Secured Services for Physicians' Practices

    HealthyEmail is a physician outreach program that offers a sophisticated, secure email communication tool to all U.S. physicians and their office staff. The program also includes the promotion, education, and support necessary to ensure awareness, adoption, and satisfaction by the physician community. The goal is to diminish the complexity, provide a level of standardization, and address security risks associated with inappropriate email communications.

    www.healthyemail.org

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    HIPAA Transactions CD Training Tool: What you need to know

    The new requirements imposed by HIPAA legislation have dramatically altered the process for submitting EDI claims, as well as your process for collecting health related data within your practice. So it is important that clinical and non-clinical and non-clinical staff understand those requirements and what steps you'll need to take to comply with HIPAA regulations.

    To help you meet those goals, the WSMA, in collaboration with Dr. Joe Nichols of Care Delivery Consultants, is offering this comprehensive CD-based educational program. This CD will provide you with the necessary understanding of these important new concepts and functions.

    WSMA and WSMGMA members can purchase this thorough and convenient-to-use CD for $225. The rate for non-members is $325. To download the [PDF] order form, click here, or contact Michelle Lott at the WSMA at (206)-441-9762 or via e-mail at mml@wsma.org.

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    Internal Billing Audit for Physicians' Practices

    Through a cooperative effort with the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), the AMA's Private Sector Advocacy has developed this brochure. It encourages physicians and their office staff to carefully examine claims that are submitted to health plans for inconsistencies and inaccuracies in the submission and payment processes.

    To download, click here. [PDF]

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    Healthcare Information and Management Systems Certification

    This noncredit certificate program is designed to meet the educational needs of the entry to mid-level IT staff member. The program includes courses that effectively integrate industry expertise with cutting edge research and was developed in collaboration with the University of Connecticut College of Continuing Studies, the School of Business Administration and the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS).

    The entire certificate program is offered online to accommodate the busy schedules of working adults.

    For more information on the Healthcare IT Certification Program. Click here.

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    Medicare Compliance Guidance for Small Practices

    Medicare is taking strong action to combat fraud and abuse of the system in key areas. In an effort to assist small practices with this task the Department of Health and Human Services has published compliance guidance for small practices.

    For the Compliance Guidance, click here. (http://oig.hhs.gov/authorities/docs/physician.pdf)

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    Pay For Performance (P4P) Programs: Useful References and Websites

    American Medical Association
    www.ama-assn.org/ama

    Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS)
    www.cms.hhs.gov

    Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) www.jcaho.org

    Leapfrog Group
    www.leapfroggroup.org/leapfrog_compendium

    Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
    www.medpac.gov

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    Physician Compensation

    The WSMA periodically receives inquiries from physicians regarding compensation levels. To assist in that process, the WSMA has prepared the following list of resources.

    Caution should be exercised when attempting to use any such data. One key question to consider: Are the data representative? Findings drawn from a survey with wide geographic sampling may not be representative of actual local marketplace conditions. For example, a national survey may not have received an ample number of responses to be truly representative of conditions in a defined geographic area, be that a multi-state region, a particular state, or areas within a state.

    Data are also time-sensitive, that is, the older the data, the higher the potential that the data may not be representative of current economic conditions.

    Users of such data should always consider local marketplace dynamics as a primary economic influence, and use data as a guide rather than as absolute measures.

    For more information on Physician Compensation, click here. [PDF]

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    Practice Informatics Resources for Physicians' Practices

    Click here to download resources.

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    University of Washington Health Information Administration Certification and Degree Program

    The University of Washington offers several programs for individuals seeking to work with health information management, health data systems and patient records in the health care industry and is designed to develop skills necessary to administer information technology systems in the health care environment.  Certificate recipients are eligible to take the American Health Information Management Association national certifying examination. The Bachelor of Science in Health Information Administration (HIA), prepares students for the Registered Health Information Administrator (R.H.I.A.) national certifying examination of the American Health Information Management Association.

    For more information on the UW Certificate Program in Health Information Administration. Click here.

    For more information on the UW Bachelor of Science in Health Information Administration (HIA). Click here.

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