On October 5, 2011, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) published it’s long anticipated (drum roll please) … OIG 2012 Work Plan. For those of you who are not…
Skilled Nursing Facility Financing … are you ready?
Skilled nursing facility financing can be an intimidating process. With some of the information presented in this post, it can be less so. In part one of my long-term care…
Assisted Living Facility Financing … getting started
Over the years there have been many individuals who have approached us wishing to explore opportunities to enter into the assisted living market, or existing providers who are studying local markets and…
OIG Work Plan Update – “What’s new for 2012?”
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released its 2012 Work Plan the other day, as they do every year at about this time. This is the annual publication that…
A Business Associate HIPAA Risk Assessment … “Why is it necessary?”
Organizations that were once “just” business associates of Covered Entities are realizing that they’re subject to HIPAA regulations to the same extent as the Covered Entities they contract with. And…
The Healthcare ACO … “What it is and why I should care”
The Accountable Care Organization, or “ACO”, is among healthcare’s latest trends. And what about the “Medical Home“? Is that the same as an ACO, or different? Some organizations, after their…
The Home Healthcare Industry has Many Changes & Challenges Ahead
No doubt about it: The home healthcare industry is booming right along with the baby boomers. The economic downturn, healthcare reform legislation, the changing preferences of seniors in America (or…
HIPAA Security Risk Assessment and Meaningful Use
There’s lots to do and keep track of when your medical practice is preparing for Meaningful Use Attestation. With that in mind, one of the Meaningful Use Criteria that I…
Business Associate Agreements – HIPAA and HITECH
Since 2003 HIPAA regulations have required that Business Associate Agreements be in place. However, some of the most far-reaching provisions of the HITECH Act of 2009 have to do with…
HIPAA Violation – Your Risk of Being Audited Just Went Up
Up to now, the many healthcare organizations that are Covered Entities under HIPAA law did not have to worry too much about outside scrutiny of their compliance activities. Most entities…
The Benefits of EHR are Many, but Most Small Practices Miss Out
A recent article in InformationWeek highlighted the slow progress in small and midsize physician practices in expanding the use and realizing the benefits of EHR technology in their offices. A survey…
Physicians To Receive 30% Less From Medicare: Are You Still In?
A couple of today’s news headlines … “The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has issued its proposed changes to the 2012 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, including a long anticipated…
Your Healthcare Project Financial Proforma – Determining cash needs
“How much cash will I need to pull this idea off?” Maybe you’ve got plans to open a new private medical practice? Or is it that you’re finally about to…
Successful EHR Implementation: Ten Ways to Improve Your Chances
An EHR system can be a significant investment, and adopting one is certainly one of the most far reaching changes that your medical practice may make. However, even with the…
EHR System Failure – the top 4 reasons installations fail
Prior to the recent surge in EHR installations, the figure most often quoted for an EHR system failure was 20%. It should be noted that figure covered a period when systems were…
HIPAA Compliance: EHR Incentives, Risk Assessment, and Penalties
Financial penalties for HIPAA violations. How real are they? How about a recent $4.3 million civil penalty faced by Cignet Health of Prince George’s County, Maryland; or the also recent…
Nursing Home Floor Plans: Optimizing Valuable Space with Improved Circulation
A well-conceived nursing home floor plan requires thoughtful consideration. An astute design will position your facility for success. As an architectural firm specializing in nursing homes, we’re often asked how…
Medical Accounts Receivable: Monitoring and Measuring Performance
One of the most common issues we confront when called to perform a physician billing department assessment, or a more broad-based medical practice analysis, is the lament: “Why aren’t we…
Disaster Preparedness – A Must for Every Nursing Home and Assisted Living Facility
Over the past several days, I’ve watched the tragic events unfold in Japan as a result of the massive earthquake and resulting tsunami. The images-photos and videos, served as a…
Three Financial Strategies for your Medical Practice that are “Like Money in the Bank”
A question recently posted on LinkedIn regarding the “Do’s, Dont’s, Thrills and Spills” of using a lockbox for payments generated a lot of comments, and got me to thinking more…