This issue is filled with helpful advice on a diverse group of topics – leadership, workflow, marketing, stress reduction, and quality reporting – all of which speak to our mission of helping you build a rewarding practice, one where you can be successful, effective, and happy.

Leadership. In our new “Employed Practice” department, Arnold Cuenca, DO, CAQSM, FAAFP, introduces the topic “How to Be a Leader When You Are Not ‘the’ Leader.” Leadership is about more than titles. This article discusses how all physicians can and should be “servant leaders” to their patients, their staff, and even their administration.

Workflow. Christine A. Sinsky, MD, FACP, Thomas A. Sinsky, MD, FACP, and Ellie Rajcevich present the important topic of pre-visit planning in “Putting Pre-Visit Planning Into Practice.” Their article is a must read for every provider interested in being more efficient in their daily workflow and more proactive in their care.

Marketing. What are your patients saying about you online? “Establishing and Protecting Your Online Reputation” by Rodney Gin, MD, leads you into the “Wild West” of online reviews. How do you deal with bad reviews? How do you improve your reviews? Read this article for useful tips.

Stress reduction. Do you feel overwhelmed and on the edge of burn-out? “Eight Ways to Lower Practice Stress and Get Home Sooner” by Dike Drummond, MD, is the second in our three-part series on physician burnout. This article offers practical suggestions on how to reduce stress in your work life and make your day easier.

Quality reporting. What is a QRUR, and why should you care? The article by Heidy Robertson-Cooper, MPA, titled “What You Need to Know About the New 'Quality and Resource Use Report'” introduces a report card you've probably never seen before for a Medicare program you've probably never heard of before. That program, called the Value-Based Payment Modifier), will affect your Medicare reimbursement, if not this year, by no later than 2018. To learn more about the QRUR report card, be sure to read our article.

I hope you find the information in these articles stimulating and actionable. Please let us know what you think. Email us.