• FEATURES

    Calculating Your Costs Per Visit

    Jeff Kullgren, Maria D. Sibella

    Do you know what it costs your practice to provide an adult physical, a well-child exam or an office procedure? A “unit cost analysis” will tell you that and more.

    Making Sense of Preventive Medicine Coding

    Emily Hill

    Find out how to properly code and bill for the preventive services you provide.

    EDITOR’S PAGE

    Respecifying the Specialty

    Robert L. Edsall

    Are you ready for the rebirth of family medicine?

    LETTERS

    The range of a wireless network

    Vital practices need adequate reimbursement

    Dean Norris

    Electronic filing cabinet tips

    R. Swarsen

    GETTING PAID

    Why Every Practice Needs a Payment Policy

    Maria V. Ciletti

    Putting your expectations in writing helps encourage patients to pay at the time of service.

    CODING & DOCUMENTATION

    CODING & DOCUMENTATION

    Kent J. Moore

    Coding translator time | Blood-pressure checks | Tracheostomy tube | Patient representative | Cerumen removal | Office spirometry | ICD-9 “omit code”

    MONITOR

    MONITOR

    Aetna, CIGNA settlements promise improved claims processing, better relations with physicians | PRACTICE PEARLS from here and there | Longer waits for non-HIPAA-compliant claims | Physicians take steps to boost incomes | DoctorsKnow.us no longer

    FEATURE

    Recommendations for the Future of Family Medicine

    Jennifer Bush

    Where do you begin the enormous task of retooling family medicine and reforming health care? Family medicine’s leaders offer a road map.

    IMPROVING PATIENT CARE

    Using a Tracking Book for Unresolved Issues

    Peter Schludermann

    This simple strategy will help you and your staff reduce errors and provide better follow-up care.

    PRACTICE DIARY

    PRACTICE DIARY

    Sanford J. Brown

    I was just finishing up with a patient, a retired social worker named Paul, when I noticed he was looking at the plaques on my wall. “Your certificates say you’re a family physician,” he said. “What’s the difference between that and a general practitioner?”

    ASK FPM

    ASK FPM

    JeffreyB. Miller, J.Phillip Macon, J.P. Macon, null Company, Mark Smith, F.Michael Arnow, null CPA, null CFP

    Charging for missed appointments | Financial arrangements for new physicians | Compensation formulas | Malpractice insurance policies

    COMPUTERS

    Online Communication With Patients: Making It Work

    Joseph E. Scherger

    Find out what it takes to communicate successfully with patients online – and get reimbursed for it.

    BALANCING ACT

    Teaching Kindness

    James R. Dykes

    This family physician learned from personal experience that kindness is at the core of healing.



    Disclosure

    All editors and editorial advisory board members in a position to control content for this activity, FPM journal, are required to disclose any relevant financial relationships. View disclosures.



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