Exclusive: ACR Convergence 2024| Focus Rheums

An official publication of the ACR and the ARP serving rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals

Articles by From the College

Tips for Conducting a Market Analysis

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Given the weakened economy, today’s rheumatology practice must be proactive, understand the market in which it operates, and plan for the future. Conducting a competitive market analysis is a critical first step toward the financial success of any medical practice.

Don’t Just Watch Health Policy Unfold—Take Action

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If you are tired of just watching and reading about health policy decisions that affect you, your patients, and your profession, take action today to help shape the future of healthcare. The ACR offers multiple ways for you to stay informed about legislation affecting rheumatology professionals and can teach you how to influence the decisions made on Capitol Hill.

Major Grant Funding for Collaborative RA Projects

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In the last three years, the ACR REF has raised more than $26 million toward the $30-million goal for the Within Our Reach: Finding a Cure for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) campaign. Even in the worst economy this country has seen since the Great Depression, in fiscal year 2009, contributions to the Within Our Reach campaign exceeded $6.1 million. For the first quarter of fiscal year 2010, more than $1.1 million has already been received.

Hiring Billing Staff

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One of the most important things in a medical practice is hiring billing staff. This task may sound easy, but it’s not. In today’s medical environment, knowing even basic things to look for when hiring billing staff will help you establish a practice that runs successfully.

Reach Beyond the Digital Walls of Your Practice

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How much time and money do you spend trying to find information about your patients? Are you frustrated by the difficulties in obtaining patient medical records, test results, lab reports, radiology results, and insurance eligibility from organizations across state lines, down the street, or even across the hall? Do you ever order redundant tests simply because you are unable to access the results of tests ordered by another member of the care team?

Billing for Time

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When counseling or coordination of care dominates the encounter between the physician and the patient and his or her family, time may be considered the controlling factor to qualify for a particular level of E/M coding.

ALERT: 2010 ICD-9-CM/CPT Code Changes

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As of January 1, physicians can no longer bill the inpatient/outpatient consultation evaluation and management (E/M) codes for Medicare patients. E/M codes for new or established patients should be used as appropriate.