med monthly april 2013
DESCRIPTION
The Prescription issue of Med Monthly magazineTRANSCRIPT
APRIL 2013
the
Prescriptions
issue
Med Monthly
POINT OF CAREDISPENSING –How It Can BenefitYour Practicepg. 42
ARE E-PRESCRIPTIONS RIGHT FOR YOUR PRACTICE?Pg. 48
Prevention EffortsFOCUSED ON YOUTH
REDUCEPrescription AbuseInto Adulthood pg. 44
Free Samples to Patients andOffice Calls to PhysiciansSTILL MAJOR PART OFPHARMACEUTICAL ADVERTISINGpg. 10
contents42 POINT OF CARE DISPENSING: How It Can Benefit Your Practice
44 PREVENTION EFFORTS FOCUSED ON YOUTH REDUCE PRESCRIPTION ABUSE INTO ADULTHOOD
48 ARE E-PRESCRIPTIONS RIGHT FOR YOUR PRACTICE?
legal
36 FEDERAL LEGISLATION TO PREVENT PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE INTRODUCED TO SENATE38 DOCTORS CAUTION AGAINST PRESCRIBING ATTENTION-BOOSTING DRUGS TO HEALTHY KIDS40 SEQUESTER WILL HIT EHR INCENTIVE PROGRAM
the art51 DREW BODNER: Retired Clinical Pharmacist Finds His Montana Muse
healthy living54 STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD
features
in every issue4 editor’s letter8 news briefs
60 resource guide76 top 9 list
insight
10 OFFICE CALLS TO PHYSICIANS STILL MAJOR PART OF PHARMACEUTICAL ADVERTISING
12 GLOBAL SURVEY SHEDS LIGHT ON PATIENT SAFETY CHALLENGES IN NURSING
16 THE PHYSICIANS FOUNDATION AWARDS MORE THAN $1.5 MILLION IN PHYSICIAN LEADERSHIP GRANTS
practice tips
18 NEW IN-OFFICE SOLUTION ENABLES PHYSICIANS TO CAPTURE PATIENT REVIEWS AT THE POINT OF SERVICE
20 PA PRESCRIBER CREDENTIALING AND PRESCRIBING: Medicaid Changes in NC
22 MEDICAL PRACTICE MARKETING: Implement Pricing Programs and Promotions the Right Way!
51
international24 EUROPEAN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LABORA-TORY: Innovative Strategy Pinpoints Genes Underlying Cardiovascular Disease Risk
research and technology
26 EHR TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENTS: Moving Health Care Forward
28 YOU IMAGINE - Dental Apps That Kick, Part 2
34 TRINSIC ANIMATION PRESENTS FLOCKING IN THE MEDICAL ANIMATION CONTEXT
22MEDICAL
PRACTICEMARKETING:
RETIRED CLINICAL PHARMACIST FINDS HIS MONTANA MUSE
Implement Pricing Programs and Promotions the
RIGHT WAY!
4 | APRIL 2013
editor’s letter
April’s issue of Med Monthly discusses prescription drugs. From finding new ways to reduce errors in prescribing to in-creasing revenue by distributing medications directly from a practice, our articles shed new light on this area of medicine. We also delve into the growing problem of prescription drug abuse among teens.
Our feature from the National Institutes of Health, “Preven-tion Efforts Focused on Youth Reduce Prescription Abuse Into Adulthood,” focuses on reducing prescription drug abuse among teens. Prescription and over the counter medicines are the number one way twelfth graders get high. The NIH’s studies show that middle and high school students are developmen-tally predisposed for addictive behavior, and that preventative efforts decrease long term risk factors.
If one electronic devise could save 7,000 lives a year in the US, would you consider using it in your practice? Thomas Hibbard’s “Are E-Prescriptions Right For Your Practice?” de-scribes a system that would give medical staff the ability to send their prescriptions electronically. Everyone knows that most doctors’ handwriting is almost impossible to read; E-prescrip-tions reduces human error in filling prescriptions and provides other benefits such as increased adherence (which improves patient safety) and billions in savings over the next 10 years.
An even better way to handle prescriptions is Point of Care Pharmaceutical Dispensing. A practice can fill many prescrip-tions within its office with an average of $10 profit per bottle. The reduction in staff time in contacting pharmacies is esti-mated to add $25,000 a year to the bottom line. Jeff Bugonian, author of “Point of Care Dispensing – How It Can Benefit Your Practice” discusses this very viable way to improve profits and increase patient compliance.
So enjoy our insight into how prescription drugs can affect your practice, patients and those who the drugs were not intended. We look forward to Med Monthly’s May issue which pertains to “Your Practice Staff ”.
Managing Editor
Ashley Austin
Med Monthly
Publisher
Managing Editor
Creative Director
Contributors
Med Monthly is a national monthly magazine committed to providing
insights about the health care profession, current events, what’s
working and what’s not in the health care industry, as well as practical
advice for physicians and practices. We are currently accepting articles to
be considered for publication. For more information on writing for Med Monthly,
check out our writer’s guidelines at medmonthly.com/writers-guidelines
April 2013
P.O. Box 99488Raleigh, NC 27624
Online 24/7 at medmonthly.com
contributors
Philip Driver
Ashley Austin
Thomas Hibbard
Ashley Acornley, MS, RD, LDNJeff BugonianJoseph ConnThomas HibbardLaura MasskeFrank J. RoselloLisa ShockMarlee WardJessica Zigmond
MEDMONTHLY.COM |5
Laura Maaskeis a medical illustrator with a Mas-ter's of Science degree in Biomedi-cal Visualization from the University of Toronto. She launched Medim-agery in 1997, specializing in the creation of patient education ma-terials, interactive media, e-books, cellular and molecular illustrations,
and design of medical education materials. For more information, please visit Medimagery.com, send a note to [email protected] or call 262.308.1300.
Lisa P. Shock, MHS, PA-Cis a PA who has practiced in primary care and geriatrics. She enjoys part-time clinical practice and is the President and CEO of Utilization So-lutions in Healthcare – a specialty consultant company for physician practices and hospitals, offering services to help implement and im-prove the utilization of PAs and NPs
in the health care system. Contact her with questions at [email protected]
Frank J. RoselloEnvironmental Intelligence, LLC, is a complete, full-service healthcare IT solution provider. With a team having more than 10 years of prov-en clinical expertise in delivering end-to-end health IT solutions, En-vironmental Intelligence provides medical practices and facilities
onsite expert IT consulting, installation, and implementa-tion that is focused on physicians, their patients, and the quality of their care.
Ashley Acornley, RD, LDNholds a BS in Nutritional Sciences with a minor in Kinesiology from Penn State University. She com-pleted her Dietetic Internship at Meredith College and recently completed her Master’s Degree in Nutrition. She is also an AFAA certi-
fied personal trainer. Her blog can be found at: ashley-freshfromthefarm.wordpress.com
Creative DirectorThomas Hibbard
6 | APRIL 2013
designer's thoughts
Winston Churchill once said “Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.” This applies to our first tech article on recording software for medical practices.
Imagine being able to have your patients review their office visit before they leave your practice. Digital Assent introduces the ReviewCatcher, the health care industry’s first in-office solution for capturing electronic ratings and reviews from patients. “We developed ReviewCatcher in direct response to requests from our physician customers,” said Andrew Ibbotson, founder and CEO of Digital Assent. “Every physician we work with is con-cerned about their online reputation, but they feel powerless in their ability to protect and proactively grow their online repu-tation. By creating an easy-to-use review capture solution, we enable physicians to privately capture feedback from patients before they leave the office.”
In the “Research and Technology” section of this month’s mag-azine, Trinsic Animation announces its new flocking technol-ogy for use in medical applications that records movement of large groups of individual cells including the flow of red blood cells through the circulatory system, stem cells as they move towards an attractant, RNA strand movement, and brain cell axon behavior. The applications for this technology are endless and exciting for future health care research.
Laura Maaske’s “YOU IMAGINE: Dental Apps That Kick” is the second part of her article exploring mobile apps for den-tistry for both patients and dentists. In this issue she concludes her study of dental apps, with apps for dentists for easier record keeping, less paperwork, and the ability to transport dental charts electronically. She also discusses apps for patients who want to do some self exploring on dental questions, in terms they can understand and the ability to visually see the results of select dental procedures.
Tim O’Reilly, founder of O’Reilly Media states, “What new technology does is create new opportunities to do a job that customers want done.” Med Monthly will continue keeping you informed each month on what’s new in medical technology to assist in recognizing new and profitable health care opportuni-ties for you and your patients.
From the Drawing Board
We understand that most physicians cannot take valuable time away from seeing patients and managing their day-to-day operations of their practice to think about real estate. For over 100 years we have been helping clients find the best real estate solutions in the Triangle. Our combination of energetic young leaders, wisdom of established team members, and full range of real estate services have provided our healthcare clients with peace of mind, ideas and solutions.
RALEIGHHeadquarters & Property Management (919) 821-1350
Commercial Sales & Leasing (919) 821-7177
MOREHEAD CITY(252) 247-5772
www.yorkproperties.com
York Properties Broker Team
BROKERAGE LEASING PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT SECURITY MAINTENANCE LANDSCAPING
HELPING YOU WITH REAL ESTATE, SO YOU CAN FOCUS ON HELPING OTHERS.
We understand that most physicians cannot take valuable time away from seeing patients and managing their day-to-day operations of their practice to think about real estate. For over 100 years we have been helping clients find the best real estate solutions in the Triangle. Our combination of energetic young leaders, wisdom of established team members, and full range of real estate services have provided our healthcare clients with peace of mind, ideas and solutions.
RALEIGHHeadquarters & Property Management (919) 821-1350
Commercial Sales & Leasing (919) 821-7177
MOREHEAD CITY(252) 247-5772
www.yorkproperties.com
York Properties Broker Team
BROKERAGE LEASING PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT SECURITY MAINTENANCE LANDSCAPING
HELPING YOU WITH REAL ESTATE, SO YOU CAN FOCUS ON HELPING OTHERS.
8 | APRIL 2013
news briefs
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that savings on prescription drugs made possible by the Affordable Care Act reached $5.1 billion. More than 5.8 million people with Medicare have benefited from the as-sistance the health care law provides with the Medicare prescription drug coverage gap known as the donut hole. In the first 10 months of 2012 alone, almost 2.8 million individuals have saved an average of $677 on prescription drugs. During the same period, about 23.4 million people with original Medicare received one or more preventive services at no cost to them, with 2.5 million having received an Annual Wellness Visit. “The health care law is saving money for people with Medicare,” Secretary Sebelius said. “Everyone with Medicare should look at their health and drug plan options for additional value before the Medicare open enrollment period ends this week.” For 2013 the health care law provides people with Medicare in the donut hole with greater savings, as discounts rise to 53 percent of the cost of brand name drugs and 21 percent of the cost of generic drugs. Savings on Medicare coverage of prescription drugs will gradually increase until 2020, when the donut hole will be closed. Because of the health care law, people with Medicare can be healthier with free access (no deductible or co-pay) to many preventive services. Before 2011, people with Medicare had to pay part of the cost for many preventive services. Cost is no longer a barrier for seniors who want to stay healthy and treat problems early. In 2011, an estimated 32.5 million people with original Medicare or Medicare Advantage received one or more free preventive benefits. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) encourages people with Medicare to enroll in high quality plans and get the most value for their premiums. Medi-care health and prescription drug plans with 5 star ratings may continuously market and enroll benefi-ciaries throughout 2013. Medicare beneficiaries in consistently low performing plans (those receiving less than 3 star ratings for at least the past three years) have been notified about their plan’s poor performance and how they can switch to a higher quality plan. CMS announced that individuals with Medicare who are affected by Hurricane Sandy and unable to make a plan selection by Dec. 7, 2012, can still enroll in health and prescription drug coverage for 2013 by calling 1-800-MEDICARE anytime, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. People who are satisfied that their current coverage under original Medicare or a Medicare health or drug plan meets their needs for next year, do not need to take any action to continue their current coverage.
Source: http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2012pres/12/20121203a.html
PEOPLE WITH MEDICARE SAVE $5 BILLION ONPRESCRIPTION DRUGS BECAUSE OF HEALTH CARE LAW
COMING SOON
IN MED MONTHLY
In the upcoming
May 2013 issue, Med
Monthly’s theme will
be Your Practice
Staff
MEDMONTHLY.COM |9
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has sched-uled another National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day which will take place on Saturday, April 27, 2013, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity for those who missed the previous events, or who have sub-sequently accumulated unwanted, unused prescription drugs, to safely dispose of those medications.
In the four previous Take-Back events, DEA in conjunction with our state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners have collected more than 2 million pounds (1,018 tons) of prescription medications were removed from circulation.
The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposal, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of these medications.
Shortly after DEA’s first Take-Back Day event two years ago, Congress passed, and President Obama signed, the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010, which amended the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), allowing DEA to develop permanent, ongoing, and responsible methods for disposal. Prior to the passage of the Disposal Act, the CSA provided no legal means for transferring possession of controlled substance medications from users to other individuals for disposal. On December 21, 2012, DEA published in the Federal Register a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Disposal of Controlled Sub-stances. These regulations would implement the Se-cure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-273) by expanding the options available to collect controlled substances from ultimate users for purposes of disposal to include: Take-Back events, mail-back pro-grams, and collection receptacle locations.
However, until these regulations become permanent, DEA will continue to hold Take-Back Days.
http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/take-back/
GOT DRUGS: NATIONAL TAKE-BACK INITIATIVE
“Our lawmakers have failed to act, and Medicare patients and physicians will now feel real pain in the form of new cuts that come at an already difficult time for the nation’s economy. A report released jointly by the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association and the American Nurses Association found up to 766,000 health care and related jobs could be lost by 2021 as a result of the two percent cut in Medicare resulting from sequestration. “The across-the-board cut will hit physicians particularly hard because of the fundamentally flawed Medicare physician payment system. Since 2001 Medicare payments for physician services have only increased by four percent, while the cost of caring for patients has gone up by more than 20 percent. A two percent cut widens the already enormous gap between what Medicare pays and the actual cost of caring for seniors. “Physicians continue to face drastic cuts from the SGR, and an additional two percent cut coming from sequestration further threatens access to care for patients and prevents needed improvements in Medicare. Creating a larger gap between Medicare payment rates and the cost of delivering care will stifle innovation, reduce access to care and increase dysfunction within the Medicare program. At the same time that Medicare physician payment rates have been frozen, physicians need to make investments in their practices to help design, lead and adopt new models of care delivery that can increase quality and reduce costs now and in the future. Further cuts are counterproductive and stifle important progress while placing an unsustainable burden on physician practices.”
Source: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/news/news/2013-03-01-statement-on-sequestra-tion-cuts.page
Sequestration Cuts Cause Real Pain for Patients, Physicians
DEA Upcoming Take-Back Day — April 27, 2013
(10:00AM - 2:00PM)
10 | APRIL 2013
insight
Despite Improvement, Distribution of Free Samples
to Patients andOffice Calls to PhysiciansSTILL MAJOR PART OFPHARMACEUTICAL
ADVERTISING
MEDMONTHLY.COM |11
With over 30 years of experience, Additional Staffing Group can provide
your practice with an exceptionally talented staff that will streamline
operations in your health care facility.
OUR SERVICES INCLUDE: Short/Long Term Temporary Placement Direct Hire and Executive Permanent Placement Payroll Services HR Consultant Services
WE STAFF: Receptionists Medical Records Technicians Accounting and Medical Billing Specialists
919-844-6601www.astaffinggroup.com
WORKFORCE EXPANSION SOLUTIONS
EMPLOYING PEOPLE THAT FIT
T he pharmaceutical industry has pulled back on marketing to physicians and consumers, yet some enduring patterns persist. According to a new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, advertising peaked in 2004,
with industry promotion to physicians declining nearly 25 percent by 2010, to $27.7 billion or 9 percent of sales. Similar declines were seen in direct-to-consumer advertising, which remains concentrated among a small number of products. The number of products promoted to providers peaked at over 3,000 in 2004, and declined by approximately 20 percent by 2010. Despite these changes, there was little change in the split of marketing between primary care physicians and specialists, and the proportion of all promotion taking place in physicians’ offices also remains unchanged. Free samples and physician detailing accounted for over 70 percent of promotional expendi-tures in 2010, with the remainder comprised by consumer advertising as well as physician marketing through journal ads, e-promotion and sponsored conferences and meetings. The results are featured in the February 2013 issue of the open-access journal PLOS ONE.
“There have been important changes in the pharmaceutical marketplace during the past decade, including changes in the types of therapies being brought to market as well as an overall aging of the drugs with FDA approval,” said G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS, senior author of the study and an associate professor with the Bloomberg School’s Department of Epidemiology and co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Drug Safety & Effectiveness. “Since pharmaceutical promotion can influence demand for drugs and affect physician prescribing, it is important to know how drugs are being marketed and promoted.”
Alexander, along with colleagues from the University of Chicago, the University of Pittsburgh, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the National Bureau of Economic Research, analyzed annual data from 2001 through 2010 to examine inflation-adjusted total promotion spending for the pharmaceutical industry as a whole and for top-selling and top-promoted therapies. Expenditures were also broken down by type of promotion and, for physician detailing, by specialty.
The authors were surprised to find that, despite anecdotal reports and calls from professional societies, there was no substantial change in the amount of overall proportion of promotion taking place in physicians’ offices. Lead author Rachel Kornfield describes, “There has been growing concern about the conflicts of interest introduced by physicians’ relationships with pharmaceutical companies, but the data show that physician detailing and the distribution of free samples is still the dominant form of drug promotion.”
In addition, despite enthusiasm and publicity regarding new forms of marketing via the Internet and other electronic media, these channels accounted for a very small amount of overall marketing spending to providers - less than 2 percent over the decade examined. The authors found that the majority of marketing and promotion still takes place as it has in the past - through the distribution of free samples to patients and office calls to physicians.
Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/257198.php
12 | APRIL 2013
insight
Global Survey Sheds Light on Patient Safety
ChallengesIn Nursing
MEDMONTHLY.COM |13
When it comes to addressing patient safety issues within a hospital, nurses want to make a difference and they assign themselves great responsibility for safe outcomes. However, the question remains whether hospitals are doing everything they can in terms of keeping patients safe. According to a recent survey of nurses in the U.S., UK and China by GE Healthcare and the American Nurses Association, many nurses have witnessed errors and few call their own hospitals safe. “Our goal in initiating this survey with the ANA was to get to the root causes of what is driving patient safety issues in today’s hospital, by surveying those who know the hospital best – nurses,” said Rob Reilly, Chief Marketing Officer, GE Healthcare, USCAN. “It is clear from the results of this survey that nurses place much of the responsibility of patient safety on their own shoulders. However, with the challenges facing today’s hospital, it is almost impossible for a nurse to shoulder this entire burden, and this survey provides valuable information on how we can work to improve the situation.” Nurses cited workload, too many patients, time pressure and fatigue as factors leading to compromised safety. Additionally, nurses addressed access to technology, hospital culture and communication as the main barriers to patient safety.
Access to Technology
59% of nurses agree that although patient safety data is collected and reported, there is no follow-up or feedback given to the nurses. Three quarters (74%) of nurses name “technology/software” as a patient safety initiative that exists in their hospital and an additional 23% would like to see this in their health system. Nurses see technological innovation as key to identifying early warning signs of patient risk and alerting staff (68%) as well as improving the effectiveness of communication with regards to patient information in the hospital setting (67%). “Through the survey we found a lot of information about the challenges facing today’s nurses including workloads, too many patients, time pressure, less than ideal nurse ratios and fatigue, but what we were also able to identify is some potential areas for improvement, with one significant area being technology to report errors,” said Reilly. “This survey is only one small part of the picture, and our efforts are one small part of a solution that involves
• Survey of 900 nurses in the U.S., UK and China by GE Healthcare and the American Nurses Association finds many nurses have witnessed errors and few call their own hospitals safe.
• Survey shows nurses feel responsible for patient safety, but heavy workload and poor communication increases risks.
• Non-punitive culture and access to technology for recording errors are highlighted as potential solutions.
continued on page 14
14 | APRIL 2013
culture are communication with the patient and effective communication with the physicians. However, just 4 in 10 (37%) rate their hospital as excellent at communication with the patient and 31% say their hospital is excellent at communication between staff. Further, 33% name “poor communication among nurses at handoff ” as something that has increased the risk of patient safety incidences in their hospital in the past 12 months, and 31% say “poor communication with doctors” has also increased the risk of patient safety incidents. “It’s no surprise that communication is a challenge for nurses today, given heavy patient loads and the time that they are able to spend on patient care is constantly decreasing,” said Cheryl Peterson, MSN, RN, director of nursing practice & policy of ANA. “Where we can help is increasing the quality of communication, andarming nurses and front-line staff with the information they need to effectively communicate on behalf of the patient.”
About the GE Healthcare Patient Safety Survey The GE Healthcare Patient Safety Study was conducted by research firm Edelman Berland as an online survey among a total of 900 practicing registered nurses (500 in the United States, 200 in the United Kingdom, and 200 in China). The survey took an average of 27 minutes to complete in the U.S., 30 minutes in the UK and 34 minutes in China. Total as represented in this study includes respondents from the U.S., UK and China, and the U.S. is weighted down so that each of the three countries is represented equally within that total. The margin of error is +/- 5 percent with a 95 percent confidence level. Edelman Berland also conducted 14 in-depth interviews with nurses from a wide spectrum of facilities,
participation from the individual hospital on up to national programs like the Partnership for Patients. GE and ANA are committed to helping healthcare systems tackle some of their toughest challenges, including addressing patient safety concerns through innovative technologies, partnerships and cultural education.”
Culture
According to the survey, nurses see themselves as having by far the most responsibility for patient safety (90%), over physicians (69%) or patient safety officers (60%). Nearly all (95%) nurses believe that it is extremely or very important that hospital leadership make patient safety a priority in creating an effective patient safety culture. The vast majority of nurses (85%) agree that their hospital has a patient safety culture, and 94% report that their hospitals have programs in place that promote patient safety. Having a culture where nurses are not penalized for reporting errors or near misses is seen as important by 90% of nurses. However, 59% agree that nurses often hold back in reporting patient errors in fear of punishment [67% US, 62% UK, 49% China], and 62% agree that nurses often hold back in reporting near misses for that reason [69% US, 65% UK, 54% China]. However, it is questionable if these programs are meeting their objectives; only 41% of nurses describe the hospital they work in as “safe” and fewer than 6 in 10 (57%) believe the patient safety programs in their hospital are effective, resulting in a great opportunity for improvement in patient safety procedures.
Communication
Among the most important aspects of creating an effective patient safety
organizations and fields with similarly varied backgrounds with patient, teaching and administrative responsibilities. Interviews lasted between half an hour and an hour and were conducted between October 12 and November 4, 2011 in the U.S., the UK and China. Subjects were recruited with the assistance of GE, the American Nursing Association and the Royal College of Nurses.
About GE Healthcare GE Healthcare provides transformational medical technologies and services to meet the demand for increased access, enhanced quality and more affordable healthcare around the world. GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter - great people and technologies taking on tough challenges. From medical imaging, software & IT, patient monitoring and diagnostics to drug discovery, biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies and performance improvement solutions, GE Healthcare helps medical professionals deliver great healthcare to their patients. For more information about GE Healthcare, visit our website at www.gehealthcare.com.
About American Nurses AssociationThe American Nurses Association (ANA) is the only full-service professional organization representing the interests of the nation’s 3.1 million registered nurses through its constituent and state nurses associations and its organizational affiliates. The ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the rights of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.
Source: http://www.pressreleasepoint.com/global-survey-sheds-light-patient-safety-challenges-nursing
continued from page 13
MEDMONTHLY.COM |15
Med Monthly
Medvertisingcompound noun: 1. The action of calling attention to medical goods or services for sale. Exclusively refers to advertising in Med Monthly.
Scan this code with your smartphone or visit medmonthly.com
Come see why we’re not your father’s medical journal
919.747.9031 | [email protected] | medmonthly.com
insight
THE PHYSICIANS FOUNDATION Awards More Than $1.5 Million in Physician Leadership Grants
Funds Provide Management Skills Necessary to Navigate Ongoing Regulatory and Administrative
Changes Within U.S. Health Care System
The Physicians Foundation, a nonprofit organization that seeks to advance the work of practicing physicians and help facilitate the delivery of health care to patients, has recently awarded more than $1.5 million in grants designed to foster physician leadership skills.
16 | APRIL 2013
The 17 grants, awarded to health care organizations and medical society foundations across the country, aim to create resources and programs to train physicians and medical professionals in leadership, business management, communication and interdisciplinary collaboration. “In today’s challenging health care environment, it is imperative that medical practices remain viable so that doctors can continue to provide the highest quality of care possible to patients,” said Dr. Alan Plummer, Physicians Foundation Vice President and chairman of the Grants committee. “The Foundation is committed to equipping physicians with the necessary leadership skills to practice medicine successfully amidst ongoing regulatory and administrative changes, and we are pleased to fund so many organizations that share that same goal.”
Examples of the grants awarded by The Physicians Foundation include:
• Institute for Medical Quality: Stepping Up to Leadership Expansion – Physician leadership program that teaches effective communication, legal knowledge and management skills to physicians, chiefs of staff, department chairs and committee members. The grant will assist in expanding the California program to Texas and Washington, D.C.
• North Carolina Medical Society Foundation: Kanof Institute for Physician Leadership – Leadership training organization that offers educational courses in leadership fundamentals, health care management and clinical quality, including a focus on performance improvement and team-based care.
• The Daniel Hanley Center for Health Leadership – Statewide initiative to expand physician leadership capacity in Maine by supporting three state medical societies in establishing leadership programs. The grant will also assist
in creating physician leadership case studies that can be used by other societies to advance program development in other states.
“There is a considerable need today for practicing physicians to effectively lead and oversee all elements of care, including clinical and operational responsibilities,” said Jill Silverman, president and CEO of the Institute for Medical Quality. “This grant support from The Physicians Foundation allows our organization to continue offering physicians in a multitude of practice arrangements the knowledge, confidence and non-medical leadership skills required to succeed in today’s health care environment.” Since 2010, The Physicians Foundation has awarded 35 leadership grants across more than 20 states, totaling approximately $2.75 million.
Source: http://www.physiciansfoundation.org/news/the-physicians-foundation-awards-more-than-1.5-million-in-physician-leaders
MEDMONTHLY.COM |17
practice tips
18 | APRIL 2013
New In-Office Solution Enables Physicians to Capture Patient
Reviews at thePoint of Service
Digital Assent Revolutionizes Physician Ratings With
ReviewCatcherTM
MEDMONTHLY.COM |19
Atlanta-based Digital Assent today announced the launch of ReviewCatcherTM, the healthcare industry’s first in-office solution for capturing electronic ratings and reviews from patients. Attendees of the 2013 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) conference in Miami are the first to experience ReviewCatcher, the newest product offered by the fast-growing healthcare media and marketing company. ReviewCatcher helps physicians grow their online reputation and attract new patients. Digital Assent is best known for its PatientPad® solution - a tablet-based practice marketing and patient engagement solution that is transforming the patient experience at doctors’ offices throughout the United States. ReviewCatcher is an innovative solution to a previously difficult-to-address problem. It is available as a standalone solution or as an add-on service to the PatientPad system. “We developed ReviewCatcher in direct response to requests from our physician customers,” said Andrew Ibbotson, founder and CEO of Digital Assent. “Every physician we work with is concerned about their online reputation, but they feel powerless in their ability to protect and proactively grow their online reputation.” “After speaking with a number of our physician customers about their concerns, we realized that we were in the perfect position to address this issue,” said CTO and co-founder Tim Collins. “PatientPad is used by patients throughout the patient visit. By creating an easy-to-use review capture solution for the PatientPad, we enable physicians to privately capture feedback from patients before they leave the office.” “In addition to collecting positive reviews from satisfied patients, another major benefit of capturing real-time feedback from patients is that it gives office administrators the opportunity to resolve issues immediately, before the patient has the chance to post a negative review online,” commented Ed Zunzunegui, vice president of customer support for Digital Assent. ReviewCatcher provides a simple user interface that lets patients quickly leave a 1 to 5-star rating and brief review. All patient reviews are delivered to designated office staff in real-time and selected testimonials can be automatically displayed on the office’s PatientPads and practice website to help promote those services. In order to help physicians grow their online reputation, the ReviewCatcher system can be configured to send patients a confirmation email thanking them for their feedback and encouraging them to share their review on popular ratings websites like Yelp, Yahoo! Local, Google+, Citysearch, Healthgrades, Vitals and RealSelf. Since the review has already been written, it
takes very little effort for patients to share their review online. To learn more about ReviewCatcher, please visit http://www.GetReviewCatcher.com.
About Digital AssentDigital Assent is a healthcare media and marketing company that helps physicians and brands more effectively engage patients at the point of care. The company’s award-winning PatientPad® technology is transforming the patient experience at doctor’s offices throughout the United States. Upon arrival, each patient is given their own PatientPad® tablet to check-in for their appointment. Patients then hold on to the PatientPad® to learn more about their visit, explore relevant health information and share their feedback before they leave. Digital Assent’s rapidly growing PatientPad® Network now spans every major metropolitan market in the country. For more information about Digital Assent, please visit www.DigitalAssent.com.
Source: http://globenewswire.com/news-release/2013/03/04/528037/10024003/en/Digital-Assent-Revolutionizes-Physician-Ratings-With-ReviewCatcher-TM.html
CALLING ALL WRITERS
Are you educated in the medical and health care fieldand looking to showcase your exceptional writing skills?
To become a contributing writerin Med Monthly magazine,contact MedMedia9 [email protected]
Med MonthlyContact us:
medmonthly.com
Editorial Calendar: May 2013 - Your Practice Staff l June 2013 - Dermatology
20 | APRIL 2013
practice tips
PA PrescriberCredentialingand Prescribing –
By Lisa P. Shock, MHS, PA-CPresident/CEO Utilization Solutions in Healthcare, Inc.
Medicaid Changes in NC
T he Division of Medical Assistance (DMA) put forth information in their clinical policies that Physician Assistants would be required to enroll with North Carolina
Medicaid effective November 1, 2011. All services rendered by Physician Assistants were to be filed to Medicaid with their NPI as the rendering (or attend-ing) provider. Physician Assistants would therefore not be allowed to bill “incident to” the physician after December 31, 2011. Implementation of this rule and credentialing of Physician Assistants in NC has been a topic of debate. It is the position of the North Carolina Academy of Physician Assistants (NCAPA) and the North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS) that such requirements, when made outside the rulemaking process, are not enforceable. Experts representing NCAPA and NCMS believe that PAs are already enrolled with Medicaid as a rendering provider, however they are not credentialed. NCAPA, supported by the NC Medical Society, continues discussions with the DMA and the NC Department of Justice to ensure requirements are reflected in agency rules before they are announced and enforced. Credentialing is not the only confusing issue. Initially, in its December Medicaid Provider Bulletin, the Division of Medical Assistance (DMA) published the following information regarding prescribers who are not enrolled in Medicaid:
The Affordable Care Act established a new rule that prohibits Medicaid programs from paying for prescrip-tions written by prescribers who are not enrolled in the Medicaid program. On January 1, 2013, pharmacy pro-viders will begin to receive a message at point-of-sale for prescriptions written by prescribers not enrolled in the Medicaid program. This message will notify pharmacy providers that pharmacy claims written by non-enrolled prescribers will begin denying on April 1, 2013.
In both the December and February Medicaid Bulletins, DMA announced all Medicaid prescribers must be direct enrolled or their prescriptions would be rejected, effective April 1, 2013. DMA is under pressure to implement a related federal requirement that all Medicaid prescribers be enrolled by April 1. The Division of Medical Assistance (DMA) has since changed their ruling. The Medicaid prescriber enrollment deadline of April 1 has been rescinded. To date, no new deadline has been established. The North Carolina Academy of Physician Assistants (NCAPA) continues its discussions with the Division of Medical Assistance (DMA) regarding Medicaid enrollment applications for physician assistants (PAs). Meetings also continue with health policy advisors for the NC House of Representatives. The DMA has not established a new deadline specifically requiring PAs to direct enroll. Currently, it is NCAPA’s recommendation that PAs begin the enrollment and credentialing process. Physician Assistants may enroll by completing the Medicaid provider enrollment application on www.nctracks.nc.gov.
Read more here:
http://www.ncdhhs.gov/dma/bulletin/pa.htm
http:/ncapaorg/?newsarticle=ncapa-recommends-medicaid-enrollment
About the Author:Lisa P. Shock, MHS, PA-C, is a seasoned PA who has worked with clients to expand care teams in both large and small settings. She enjoys part time clinical primary care practice and is the President and CEO of Utilization Solutions in Healthcare – a specialty consultant company for physician practices and hospitals, offering a wide range of services to help implement and improve upon the utilization of PAs and NPs in the health care system. Contact her at [email protected]
‘‘The North Carolina Academy of Physician Assistants (NCAPA) continues its discussions with the Division of Medical Assistance (DMA) regarding Medicaid enrollment applications for physician assistants (PAs). Meetings also continue with health policy advisors for the NC House of Representatives.
MEDMONTHLY.COM |21
IMPLEMENT PRICING PROGRAMS ANDPROMOTIONS THE
RIGHT WAY!
By Marlee WardRx MD Marketing Solutions
MEDICALPRACTICE
MARKETING:
22 | APRIL 2013
practice tips
In the medical field it is NEVER profitable to compete on price. So, our first bit of advice is: Don’t compete on price! Price reduction alone is never a good strategy for improving profits. Building a recognizable and reputable brand for your medical practice is always the most effective way to create long-term growth. Offer your patients products and services that provide exceptional value and meet their needs. People will justify the price of something if it meets their needs! Unfortunately, not competing on price isn’t always an option. If you are in a hyper-competitive market, a slow economy, or trying to develop niche markets, implementing strategic pricing programs may be necessary. The best way to choose a pricing strategy is to identify the purpose behind it and evaluate whether or not it fits into your medical marketing plan. Depending on your purpose, the following are effective ways to compete on price as a medical professional:
MONEY OFF NEXT PURCHASE
A great way to encourage long-term patient loyalty is by offering a dollar amount off of your patient’s next purchase. For example, a dentist can offer $20.00 off a tooth whitening treatment when patients who come in for a routine cleaning schedule a whitening treatment within the next 30 days. This is an effective pricing strategy because it requires that a patient make a repeat visit and purchase. It also supports any medical marketing strategy designed to promote a specific product, protect market share, or maintain a healthy sales volume.
MULTIPLE PRODUCTS FOR THE SAME PRICE
This is your everyday buy two get one free promotion. This type of pricing strategy is most effective when your two purchased products cover your cost of the free product. Patients
like these types of promotions because they feel compelled to “get their money’s worth” and take advantage of a limited offer. Use this type of pricing strategy to launch new products, develop niche markets or reward repeat patients.
REFERRAL PROGRAMS
Offer your patients a gift card for new patient referrals. If you are an aesthetic practitioner who offers laser treatments in packages or provides services which require follow-up visits, your current patient base will be eager to refer patients and receive gift cards to use on their return visits. This builds patient loyalty, creates profit in mature markets, and will certainly attract patients. PRACTICE MEMBERSHIP SPECIALS
Costco, Sam’s Club, and CVS have built their brands on this pricing strategy. In the medical field, this pricing strategy best operates in the form of a point system similar to accruing frequently flyer miles. Look at a chiropractic practice for example. A chiropractor can offer a free membership which allows patients to earn points for treatments they receive. Once a patient has earned a certain number of points, they can then use those points to redeem specific treatments. Don’t let patients apply points to any and all treatments you offer. Identify which treatments are the lowest cost to you and let patient’s apply points to those treatments.
SPECIAL PAYMENT PLAN PROGRAMS
No physician wants to go into the business of banking, so use this type of pricing strategy with caution. Payment plan programs are most effective when designated for specific types of procedures that are big ticket items. Payment plan programs are simply
installment plans that allow patients to pay for a procedure over time upfront. Practices that offer cosmetic procedures will find this pricing strategy most useful. For instance, a cosmetic surgeon may offer a payment plan for liposuction or breast augmentation to be paid in three installments with the third and last payment due on the procedure date. This give people time to organize their resources for big ticket items and can help you attract patients who might otherwise not be able to afford your service. No matter what pricing strategy you decide to use in your practice, be sure you don’t fall into a price war with your competitors. Price wars can devastate a practice and negatively affect your medical marketing efforts. Use pricing strategies to your advantage when you can, but focus on building a superior brand that will build patient loyalty and improve your profits long-term.
Rx MD Marketing Solutions, a healthcare marketing consulting firm. Learn more at http://rxmdmarketingsolutions.com
MEDMONTHLY.COM |23
Building a recognizable and reputable brand for your medical practice is always the most effective way to create long-term growth. Offer your patients products and services that provide exceptional value and meet their needs. People will justify the price of something if it meets their needs!
‘‘
international
24| APRIL 2013
S tudies screening the genome of hundreds of thou-sands of individuals (known as Genome-wide as-sociation studies or GWAS) have linked more than 100 regions in the genome to the risk of developing
cardiovascular disease. Researchers from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and the Univer-sity of Heidelberg, Germany, through the joint Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit (MMPU), are taking these results one step further by pinpointing the exact genes that could have a role in the onset of the disease. Their findings are published today in the Public Library of Science (PLoS) Genetics. The scientists used a technology called “RNA interference” that can selectively decrease the level of expression of targeted genes. By observing what changes, if any, this decrease causes in cells, researchers can identify the function of the genes and, on a larger scale, objectively test the function of many genes in parallel. Cholesterol levels in the blood are one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease. They are controlled by the amount of cholesterol that cells can take in - thus removing it from the blood - and metabolize. The researchers used RNA interference to test the function of each of the genes within 56 regions previously identified by GWAS as being linked with cardiovascular disease. They selectively decreased their action and measured what, if any, changes this induced in cholesterol metabolism. From this they could deduce which of the genes are most likely to be involved in the onset of the disease.
“This is the first wide–scale RNA interference study that follows up on GWAS. It has proven its potential by narrowing down a large list of candidate genes to the few with an important function that we can now focus on in future in-depth studies,” explains Rainer Pepperkok at EMBL, who co-led the study with Heiko Runz at the University of Heidelberg. “In principle, our approach can be applied to any disease that has an observable effect on cells”, adds Heiko Runz. “The genes identified here may further our understanding of the mechanisms leading to cardiovascular disease and allow us to improve its prediction and diagnosis”.
In a nutshell:•Genome-wideassociationstudies(GWAS)enable
scientists to trace the origin of human diseases to distinct regions in the genome, but their resolution is limited
•RNAinterferenceisapowerfultechnologytotest,inparallel, the function of many genes
•Thecombinationofthesetwoapproachespinpointswhat genes are the most important for the control of cholesterol levels, and thus likely to confer a risk for cardiovascular disease
Source: http://www.embl.de/aboutus/communication_outreach/media_relations/2013/130228_Heidelberg1/index.html
ZEROING IN ONHEART DISEASE
European Molecular Biology Laboratory’s Innovative StrategyPinpoints Genes Underlying Cardiovascular Disease Risk
26 | MARCH 2013
research & technology
26 | APRIL 2013
by Frank J. Rosello,CEO, EnvironmentalIntelligence LLC
EHR Technology Advancements –Moving HealthCare Forward
MEDMONTHLY.COM |27
T echnology continues to im-prove practically all aspects of our lives – and health information technology is no
different. Software and hardware de-velopers are working fast to introduce new innovations and applications to electronic health records (EHR) tech-nology that will dramatically improve the delivery of health care. Recently the first iPad-native EHR platform gained ONC-ATCB certification qualifying it for Meaningful Use incentives. Then after just three short weeks after gaining certification, the same developer launched an iOS app to replace paper-based patient check-in. This new patient check-in app can be integrated into a medical practice as a stand-alone application as well as integrates with the iPad EHR platform. Many other top-rated EHR software developers are in the process of introducing similar iPad and tablet capability to their EHR platforms. This new app digitizes the waiting room and eliminates significant barriers to mass adoption of patient check-in technology. The app is designed to be intuitive for both physician and patient users to create a better patient check-in experience.The app features customizable templates that enable physicians to eliminate traditional paper forms and clipboards in the waiting room. The functionality of the app allows patients to:
• Completefamilymedicalhistoryand demographic information.
• Snapaprofilephoto.• SigntherequiredHIPPAconsent
form with digital signature.• Completeinsuranceforms.
The information is then populated to the EHR platform providing accuracy, convenience, and a little more fun to a doctor’s visit. As a patient, imagine visiting a new doctor
prepared to complete several time consuming forms and instead being handed an iPad. This tool will also eliminate patients having to complete duplicate forms and will simplify the review of their information and make any necessary changes on the iPad. For the operations of the practice, entering insurance information alone takes a lot of time not to mention having to decipher patient’s handwriting that may lead to data input errors and inaccurate recorded health history. People love gadgets and this technology will not only enhance the patient experience, it will save medical practices time and money too. Another EHR innovation building momentum is medical speech recognition solutions. The technology is designed to help clinicians create medical notes directly into their EHR platform in real-time. With this real-time, voice-driven clinical documentation capability, clinicians will become empowered to capture a more complete patient story. This feature alone will enhance the patient experience and improve overall care, while enabling healthcare professionals to feel they are not sacrificing precious time. Leveraging this technology is also saving medical practices money, particularly in smaller practices. A leading developer of this technology has validated that these practices are saving as much as $10,000 per clinician, per year in reduced medical transcription costs. The technology also helps decrease report turnaround time, improve the comprehensiveness of patient medical records, which leads to more accurate reimbursement. With this improved speech recognition technology, the patient will feel they are being heard and the physician will be equipped with the information to provide better and efficient care. Now that’s a win-win.
research & technology
28 | APRIL 2013
Dental AppsThat KickPart 2 of 2
YOUIMAGINE
By
MEDMONTHLY.COM |29
Dentist will be looking to make paperwork more streamlined. CDT Code Check 2013 is a $19.99 app put out by the American Dental Association (http://www.ada.org/3827.aspx). It contains the complete listing for the CDT codes, and tracks changes in the codes as they occur. These codes can be searched by keyword, by code number, or by category. It is designed particularly for practitioners who travel between offices without a bulky code book and without internet connectivity. In addition to looking up claim codes, it is good for making claim forms.
continued on page 30
FINDING AN APP FOR THAT Dental apps offer a promise for both dentists and patients. They can inform and educate, hold medical records, and they can change dental habits for the young and the old alike. They serve as a bridge between the dentist and the patient. What is being done to enhance this bridge? I have reviewed dozens of dental apps, spoken with dentists and developers about their plans, and I offer the insights of that exploration here. I want to be clear that I am in no way paid or compensated by any of the app developers I will be reviewing. While iTunes doesn’t offer subcategories in Medical, dental apps came in four varieties. There are (1) apps that motivate kids to brush or visit the dentist. There are (2) apps dentists can use to to communicate with and educate patients about dental health and procedures. There are (3) apps that dentists use to hold medical records or reference data. And there are (4) apps patients can use to learn more on their own. I covered 1 and 2 in last month’s issue. In Part 2 of this issue I’ll focus on 3 and 4.
3. APPS FOR DENTISTS
CDT Code Check
30 | APRIL 2013
Smart Dental Chart
continued from page 29
Smart Dental Chart by Ashley Dental Partners Lite is a free app (limited) or paid app with a tap and drag dental chart that can be exported by email, picture save, or airprint. It includes an anatomy section with pop-out details. The Lite version offers primary teeth and a tooth miss-ing function. The professional version includes the full range and costs $299.99.
These apps may be a beginning step. Are there any features or apps you see a need for that are not yet available?
MEDMONTHLY.COM |31
continued on page 34
Orosphere by Curve Technologies (http://orasphere.com) is a free app with a limited but beautifully didactic set of educational videos to teach about the tooth. The free version includes a segment on tooth anatomy and one on root canals.ompleted, the app may be misleading.
4. PATIENT SELF-EXPLORATION
Orosphere
continued on page 32
32 | APRIL 2013
continued from page 31
Dental Expert and Pediatric Dental Expert are two free app for patients by Cosmetic Innovations, Inc (http://www.cosmeticinnovations.com). They includes an expansive collection of questions and answers related to dentistry. As a medical illustrator, I see a marked lack of visual interest in this app. And I wondered why the Smile Gallery in the adult app is offered as a section as it does little to explain or inform. But I enjoyed the thoroughly informative explanations offered in the Q & A and Myths v. Facts sections.
Dental Expert and Pediatric Dental Expert
Exploring dental apps these past couple months, I was left with a sense that it is an area where some good efforts have been made, and where there is also great potential. These apps should offer a complete range of information, easy to access and navigate, 3D when necessary, and with complete text and narrative explanations. In the meantime, explore as you will and enjoy the many free choices available for mobile devices.
Medimagery Medical Illustration & [email protected]://www.medimagery.com/http://www.linkedin.com/in/lauramaaskehttp://twitter.com/#!/Medimageryhttp://www.facebook.com/Medimageryhttp://www.facebook.com/laura.maaskehttp://medillsb.com/ArtistPortfolioThumbs.aspx?AID=4115
Scan this QR code with your smart-phone to learn more.
It’s Time to Get Online!Showcase your practice and develop the right image.
Our website packages are custom designed and affordable.
Increase your patientvolume and profitability
with a website fromMedMedia9.
Visit us today at medmedia9.com to find out how we can make your practice grow. Click on the “Web Design” tab for more details and view the sample website.
Call MedMedia9 today at919-747-9031.
MedM edia9medmedia9.com
34 | APRIL 2013
research & technology
Imagine a flock of birds all taking flight at once or a shoal of sardines circling for safety in their mass numbers. Flocking is very helpful in the wilds of the world, but it is also very useful in the bread and butter aspects of animation.
Take into consideration the humble red blood cell as it travels along its circulatory route through the body. Deep in the bodies capillaries the cells are pressed single file and pretty much have to go where the direction of travel drives them. Like military school students in a lunch line, they advance single file perfectly. But in larger veins and arteries, especially torturous anatomy or in varicose veins the red blood cells are so numerous that they roll and tumble to the beat of the body’s mighty pump. In cases like this, flocking behavior is ideal for allowing the cells to get through the turbulence but still have that nice random organic flow. Throw in all the other characters that inhabit the blood stream and one has an ideal use for flocking.
Another great place to put flocking to use in a medical animation is, believe it or not, on the two dimensional surface of a slide. Imagine a slide surface covered from end to end with simple stem cells. Place an attractant at one end of those cells and they hurl themselves toward it (in cellular time that is) as they collide and twist toward their destination. But watch them carefully, they don’t take the most direct path since they need to interact with the thousands of other cells all striving for the same goal. A flow begins to take place, and it looks identical to a large mass of birds changing direction in midair.
Other exceptional uses could include brain cell axon behavior, RNA strand movement and even the humble particle that is so often used in many method of action medical animations. Imagine a simple cytokine, being released from a macrophage in some kind of auto immune reaction. Thousands of particles are being released, and each cytokine is destine for a matching receptor on a nearby cell. What might look like a random path when first released, if the camera is pulled back to reveal them in mass,a perfect venue for flocking behavior is seen to direct them in a more natural way towards the cells in question. As the tiny cytokines begin to group, they begin to take on an elegant wispy feel that could resemble vapor.
To really give a medical animation a true sense of organics, try flocking. One won’t be disappointed.
Trinsic animation is a full featured medical animation studio that specializes in biotech, pharmaceutical and medical device animations. Trinsic Animation is passionate about medical animation. Every project is approached with the scientific accuracy and the creative beauty that a medical animation need to become a success.
Source: http://www.pressreleasepoint.com/trinsic-animation-presents-flocking-medical-animation-context
Trinsic Animation Presents Flockingin the Medical Animation Context
Flocking, as you know, is most easily described when discussing the group activities of birds or in the shoaling behavior of fish. In a nutshell it is the interaction of a group of many independent organisms to move as one.
Trinsic Animation Presents Flockingin the Medical Animation Context
MEDMONTHLY.COM |35
36 |APRIL 2013
legal
FederalLegislationto PreventPrescriptionDrug AbuseIntroducedto Senate
National Associationof Boards of Pharmacy
MEDMONTHLY.COM |37
A imed to address prescrip-tion drug misuse, addiction, and overdose deaths, the Prescription Drug Abuse
Prevention and Treatment Act (SB 348) was reintroduced in the United States Senate by Senator Jay Rock-efeller (D-WV) and Representative Nick Rahall (D-WV). The bill includes a number of provisions aimed to prevent diversion and abuse and foster safe use of prescription drugs. Under the law, health care providers would be required to complete new training before obtaining a license to prescribe certain prescription pain killers. The implementation of consumer educa-tion on safe medication use would also be required. The bill also includes pro-visions for increased funding of state prescription monitoring programs.
The following is a press release from the office of Senator Rockefeller:
Senator Jay Rockefeller and U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall announced they have introduced companion legislation to combat the growing prescription drug abuse epidemic. Senator Joe Manchin cosponsored the Senate bill. In the last decade, West Virginia has experienced a tragic increase in deaths and overdoses from prescription drugs. West Virginia has one of the highest rates of drug overdose deaths in the country, and nine out of ten drug-related deaths in the state result from the misuse and abuse of prescrip-tion drugs, especially opioid painkill-ers. “I’ve reached out to West Virgin-ians – health care providers, schools, pharmacists – asking for new ideas on how to reduce prescription drug abuse. This legislation reflects that real, on-the-ground feedback from West Virginia. And it addresses a complex problem in an equally intricate way,” Rockefeller said. “Prescription drug abuse is ripping our communities at the seams – so we need a broad, no-
holds-barred approach to tackling it. That’s what this legislation offers.” “The prescription drug abuse epi-demic is hitting southern West Vir-ginia hard and taking a heavy toll on our families and communities, as well as our businesses and workforce. We must do more at the Federal level to increase patient awareness and better train health care providers in order to prevent and treat pill abuse. These are straightforward and necessary policy changes that need to take effect and I will press hard for action in the House of Representatives,” said Rahall, who is a co-chairman of the Congressional Prescription Drug Abuse Caucus. “Drug addiction hurts more than just the person abusing drugs; it destroys lives, tears families apart and hurts communities’ abilities to cre-ate and keep good jobs,” Manchin said. “To fight our state’s drug abuse epidemic, we need to take a positive step toward combating this escalating problem in our state and across our country. Too many families and com-munities have been torn apart by drug abuse and my heart goes out to them. They need to know that I am deter-mined to do everything I can to curb drug abuse.” Through a multifaceted approach to addressing the unsafe use of prescrip-tion pain killers, the Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, which Rockefeller and Rahall first in-troduced in 2011, would help decrease the number of opioid and methadone-related deaths in West Virginia and nationwide through: • Newtrainingrequirementsfor
health care professionals before they can be licensed to prescribe these drugs;
• Consumereducationonthesafeuse of painkillers and preventing diversion and abuse;
• Basicclinicalstandardsforsafeuseand dosage of pain medications, including methadone;
• Increasedfederalsupportforstateprescription drug monitoring pro-grams; and
• Comprehensivereportingofopioid-related deaths to help guide solutions.
On February 21, Rockefeller joined a roundtable discussion Rahall was hosting at Marshall University’s Foren-sic Science Center on efforts to address the public health and safety challenges of prescription drug abuse and traf-ficking in West Virginia. Speaking with them was White House Office of Na-tional Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Director Gil Kerlikowske, who joined Rockefeller in the state two years ago for a discussion on this growing epidemic.
Sources: http://www.rockefeller.sen-ate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=de0d54d4-63ff-4f30-92e3-a39d11e5b877 http://www.nabp.net/news/federal-legislation-to-prevent-prescription-drug-abuse-introduced-to-senate
“Under the law, health care providers would be required to complete new training before obtaining a license to prescribe certain prescription pain killers. The implementation of consumer education on safe medication use would also be required.”
‘‘
Doctors Caution Against Prescribing Attention-Boosting Drugs to Healthy Kids
Ethical, Legal, Social,And Neurodevelopmental Implications
38| APRIL 2013
legal
The American Academy of Neurology (AAN), the world’s largest professional association of neurologists, is releasing a position paper on how the practice of prescribing drugs to boost cognitive function, or memory and thinking abilities, in healthy children and teens is misguided. The statement is published in the March 13, 2013, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. This growing trend, in which teens use “study drugs” before tests and parents request ADHD drugs for kids who don’t meet the criteria for the disorder, has made headlines recently in the United States. The Academy has spent the past several years analyzing all of the available research and ethical issues to develop this official position paper. “Doctors caring for children and teens have a professional obligation to always protect the best interests of the child, to protect vulnerable populations, and prevent the misuse of medication,” said author William Graf, MD, of Yale University in New Haven, Conn., and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. “The practice of prescribing these drugs, called neuroenhancements, for healthy students is not justifiable.” The statement provides evidence that points to dozens of ethical, legal, social and developmental reasons why prescribing mind-enhancing drugs, such as those for ADHD, for healthy people is viewed differently in children and adolescents than it would be in functional, independent adults with full decision-making capacities. The Academy has a separate position statement that addresses the use of neuroenhancements in adults. The article notes many reasons against prescribing neuroenhancement including: the child’s best interest; the long-term health and safety of neuroenhancements, which has not been studied in children; kids and
teens may lack complete decision-making capacities while their cognitive skills, emotional abilities and mature judgments are still developing; maintaining doctor-patient trust; and the risks of over-medication and dependency. “The physician should talk to the child about the request, as it may reflect other medical, social or psychological motivations such as anxiety, depression or insomnia. There are alternatives to neuroenhancements available, including maintaining good sleep, nutrition, study habits and exercise regimens,” said Graf.
View the full statement at: http://neurology.org/lookup/doi/10.1212/WNL.0b013e318289703b. View the AAN’s full statement on neuroenhancements and adults at: http://www.neurology.org/content/early/2009/09/23/WNL.0b013e3181beecfe.full.pdf
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 25,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, brain injury, Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy.
For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit http://www.aan.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.
Source: http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/600016/?sc=rsmn&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NewswiseMednews+%28Newswise%3A+MedNews%29&utm_content=FeedBurner
Providing customized,
simple
NUTRITION SOLUTIONS
to ENHANCE
HEALTH and
OPTIMIZE SPORTS
PERFORMANCE
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina and
Cigna insurance provider.
Tracy Owens, MPH, RD, CSSD, LDN Ashley Acornley, MS, RD, LDN
6200 Falls of Neuse Road, Suite 200 Raleigh, NC 27609
919-876-9779
legal
40 | APRIL 2013
SequesterWill Hit EHRIncentiveProgram
The fiscal trap that members of Congress and the president set for themselves will punch a 2% hole in one of the federal electronic health-record incentive payment programs under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, a federal official has confirmed. The cuts, called the sequester, include an across-the-board reduction in Medicare payments. EHR incentive payments distributed under Medicaid won’t be affected. On March 1, President Barack Obama signed an order for sequestration that set in motion automatic federal budget cuts required by the Budget Control Act of 2011, the legislative effort passed by Congress with cuts promoted at the time to be so draconian that they would compel both Republicans and Democrats to reach a budget compromise. That didn’t happen, and now, Medicare providers should expect cuts
in payments for services provided on or after April 1. Most hospitals participate in both the Medicare and Medicaid portions of the EHR incentive payment program, but 181 are listed as “Medicare only” providers on the latest CMS report on program expenditures. On average, these Medicare-only hospitals have been paid $1.87 million each, which means a 2% cut would amount to about $37,500 for similarly compensated hospitals once the cuts are applied. The cut would amount to a few hundred dollars for physicians and other “eligible professionals.” The top EHR incentive payment for them under Medicare is now $18,000, so the 2% reduction would cost them $360. In an address to the Federation of American Hospitals on Tuesday, Acting CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner touched on the EHR incentive payment program, noting
the CMS this year will “spend a lot of time around education and around the audit process.” Tavenner, who spoke at the HIMSS conference in New Orleans, said “We are fully committed to the program” but will be “pausing and reflecting” on problem areas, such as appropriate coding levels, “and trying to increase the education; make sure we have the vendors on board.” She said there also will be “some small targeted audits to make sure it’s being done appropriately.”
Source: http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20130305/NEWS/303059943?AllowView=VW8xUmo5Q21TcWJOb1gzb0tNN3RLZ0h0MWg5SVgra3NZRzROR3l0WWRMWGJWLzBFRWxiNUtpQzMyWmVvNTNrWUpiaWk=&utm_source=link-20130305-NEWS-303059943&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=am
By Joseph Conn andJessica Zigmond
ModernHealthCare.com
THINKING ABOUT SELLING YOUR PRACTICE?
Medical Practice Listings can help you sell your practice online!
919.848.4202 | medicalpracticelistings.com
The Standard Listing offers you the opportunity to gain national exposure by posting your listing on our website which is viewed daily by our network of professionals. This option also includes a brief practice consultation to explain the benefits of marketing through the Medical Practice Listings website.
In addtion to the benefits in the standard listing our Professional Listing affords you access to services provided by our expert legal and marketing team and a Bizscore Practice Valuation. This valuation compares your practice with other practices in your area, provides projections and determines what your practice is worth.
Now offering two types of listings to better serve all practice specialties and budgets.
Standard Listing Professional Listing
Visit us today at www.medicalpracticelistings.com to learn more.
42 | APRIL 2013
features
Point Of Care Dispensing –How It Can Benefit Your
Practice
By Jeff Bugonian, CPht and Dispensing
Consultant for MedX Sales
MEDMONTHLY.COM |43
T here is a misconception in the United States that every physician is making too much money or that all physicians
are rich. “M.D.” does not stand for “Many Dollars” unless you are speak-ing of the dollars it takes to operate a practice. Just think of where the income from your practice is spent: employee salaries, employee benefits, office supplies, medical supplies, office equipment, maintenance, malpractice insurance, EMR, etc…And then there are the repayment of tuition loans. In order for most physicians to take home $100,000 per year, the practice likely needs to gross around 1 mil-lion dollars. Additionally, as expenses increase and reimbursements continue to decrease, the financial outlook does not look good. With that in mind, many physicians are looking for ways to decrease business expenses and increase revenue. Physicians are outsourcing collections, joining a physician’s buying group or hiring a practice management consultant to combat this ever growing problem. Physicians are also looking at ancillary services to improve profits. One very simple ancillary service that physicians can take advantage of today is Point of Care (POC) Pharmaceutical Dispensing.
“But I am not a pharmacist”, you may think. That may be true, but you do not need to be a pharmacist. Forty-three states allow physicians to dispense pharmaceuticals to their patients with few, if any, restrictions. The only states that restrict dispensing to such an extent that it becomes problematic are New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Texas, Montana, Wyoming and Utah. Most other states specifically mention physician dispensing as an allowable practice in their regulations and laws. Since it is legally allowable, it is highly probable that it will not result in an increase to your malpractice insurance.
So how can POC Dispensing help your practice? Let’s look at 2 ways – time and money – and they are closely linked. First of all think about your time. How much time per day do you or your staff spend on the phone with pharmacies? You probably get several calls per day to clarify prescriptions or get them changed. If you spend 1 hour per day on the phone instead of seeing patients you may be conservatively losing $100. That is over $25,000 per year.
How can POC Dispensing increase your revenue? Simply by filling the prescription utilizing pre-packaged medications instead of having your patient go to a pharmacy. The average physician sees 100 patients per week. Most of those visits will result in writing at least 1 prescription. Presently, you do not make any money on that prescription. POC Dispensing may allow you to fill that prescription and make an average profit of $10 for each bottle dispensed. This could increase your income by over $50,000 per year. And it only takes a minute or two to dispense since the bottles are prepackaged and sealed, there is no pill counting. It works best with generic, acute-care meds such as antibiotics and pain control.
If you treat Worker’s Comp (WC) patients and your state recognizes physician dispensing, you can earn substantially more income from dispensing. If you practice Occupational Health or another modality such as Orthopedics, Pain Management or Neurology and you treat Worker’s Comp patients, you could be losing $100,000 or more per year.
Which practice types does this work especially well with? In addition to the Occupational Health and Orthopedic practices mentioned you can add Family Practice, Oral Surgery, Urgent Care and Podiatry. There is also a medical practice model that is gaining popularity which is based on membership. This Concierge model typically limits the number of patients and has them pay a monthly fee for physician services. Since these patients are normally uninsured, POC dispensing is a great fit. As you see, Point of Care Dispensing can significantly improve your practice’s financial health.
How can it help the patient? It will be beneficial to your patients because it will assure compliance. Many paper prescriptions go unfilled simply because the patient does not feel that they have the time to wait for an hour or more at the pharmacy. Those patients that do wait may spend the entire time impulse shopping at a large retailer that has a pharmacy. Many of your patients would rather get the medication from you even if it means bypassing a $4 bottle cost. In the end, your patients will walk away happier and more compliant.
If you would like to contact the author for more specific information or to add this service to your practice please contact him through his website: www.medxdrdispensing.com, or email at [email protected].
Physicians are also looking at ancillary services to improve profits. One very simple ancillary servicethat physicians can take advantage of today is Point of Care(POC) Pharmaceutical Dispensing.
‘‘
Prevention Efforts Focused on Youth ReducePrescriptionAbuse IntoAdulthood
features
44 | APRIL 2013
NIH-funded research shows effectiveness of community-based, substance abuse prevention interventions begun during middle school years
M iddle school students from small towns and rural communities who received any of three community-
based prevention programs were less likely to abuse prescription medica-tions in late adolescence and young adulthood. The research, published today in the American Journal of Pub-lic Health, was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and the National Institute of Mental Health, all com-ponents of the National Institutes of Health. “Prescription medications are beneficial when used as prescribed to treat pain, anxiety, or ADHD,” said NIDA Director Dr. Nora D. Volkow. “However, their abuse can have serious consequences, including addiction or even death from overdose. We are especially concerned about prescrip-tion drug abuse among teens, who are developmentally at an increased risk for addiction.” Prescription drug abuse — taking a medication without a prescription or in a way (higher dose, snorted) or for reasons other than pre-scribed (to get high) — has become one of the most se-rious public health concerns in the United States. Ac-cording to the 2012 Moni-toring the Future survey of U.S. teen substance use, prescription and over-the-counter medications were among the top substances abused by 12th graders in the past year. In 2011, about 1.7 million people 12-25 years old, or more than 4,500 young people per day, abused a prescription drug for the first time, according to the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The article, by scientists at Iowa State University, Ames, and Penn State, Uni-versity Park, presents the
combined research results of three ran-domized controlled trials of preventive interventions – termed “universal” because they target all youth regardless of risk for future substance abuse. All three studies involved rural or small-town students in grades six or seven, who were randomly assigned to a con-trol condition (receiving no prevention intervention) or to a family-focused intervention alone or in combination with a school-based intervention: • Study1,begunin1993,testeda
family-focused intervention alone (22 schools).
• Study2,begunin1997,testedacombined family-focused interven-tion and a school-based life skills training program (24 schools).
• Study3,begunin2002,testedade-livery system for a family-focused intervention and one of three school-based interventions selected from a menu (28 schools).
All of these interventions addressed general risk and protective factors for substance abuse rather than specifi-cally targeting prescription drug abuse. In follow-up questionnaires and tele-phone interviews completed at 17-25
years of age, students across the three studies showed reductions in risk — ranging from about 20 percent to as much as 65 percent — for prescription drug and opioid abuse, compared to students in the control groups. Im-portantly, the interventions used had previously been shown to reduce the likelihood of other substance use or other problem behaviors. “We could find no other random-ized, controlled studies where brief community-based preventive interven-tions conducted during middle school were associated with long-term reduc-tions in prescription drug abuse -- six to 14 years after initial program imple-mentation,” said Dr. Richard Spoth, from the Partnerships in Prevention Science Institute at Iowa State Uni-versity and first author on the study. “The intervention effects were compa-rable or even stronger for participants who had started misusing substances prior to the middle school interven-tions, suggesting that these programs also can be successful in higher-risk groups.” The study can be found at: http://ajph.aphapublications.org/toc/ajph/0/0
MEDMONTHLY.COM |45
Past Year’s Abuse of Pharmaceuticals Among 12th Graders
continued on page 46
For information on prescription drug abuse, go to: http://www.druga-buse.gov/publications/drugfacts/pre-scription-over-counter-medications. The study was funded under grant numbers DA013709, DA10815, DA007029, AA14702 and MH49217. The National Institute on Drug Abuse is a component of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Depart-ment of Health and Human Services. NIDA supports most of the world’s research on the health aspects of drug abuse and addiction. The Institute carries out a large variety of programs to inform policy and improve prac-tice. Fact sheets on the health effects of drugs of abuse and information on NIDA research and other activi-ties can be found on the NIDA home page at http://www.drugabuse.gov, which is now compatible with your smartphone, iPad or tablet. To order publications in English or Spanish, call NIDA’s DrugPubs research dissemina-tion center at 1-877-NIDA-NIH or 240-645-0228 (TDD) or fax or email requests to 240-645-0227 or [email protected]. Online ordering is available at http://drugpubs.drugabuse.gov. NIDA’s media guide can be found at http://drugabuse.gov/mediaguide/, and its new easy-to-read website can be found at http://www.easyread.dru-gabuse.gov.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medi-cal research agency, includes 27 Insti-tutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and sup-porting basic, clinical, and translation-al medical research, and is investigat-ing the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.
Source: http://www.nih.gov/news/health/feb2013/nida-14.htm
continued from page 45
Lindsay Driver EmployeeSync Specialist
Consolidate Payroll, Benefits Administration, Time & Attendance and Personnel Management in one single database Available in IN, KY, NC, OH, PA, TN, VA Designed for employers with 25+ employees
www.Jones‐Insurance.com/EmployeeSync
46 | APRIL 2013
What’s your practice worth?When most doctors are asked what their practice is worth, the answer is usually, “I don’t know.” Doctors can tell you what their practices made or lost last year, but few actually know what it’s worth.
In today’s world, expenses are rising and profits are being squeezed. A BizScore Performance Review will provide details regarding liquidity, profits & profit margins, sales, borrowing and assets.
Our three signature sections include: Performance review Valuation Projections
919.846.4747bizscorevaluation.com
Scan this QR code with your smart phone to learn more.
48 | APRIL 2013
features
Are E-Prescriptions Right For Your
Practice?
By Thomas HibbardCreative Director, Med Monthly
MEDMONTHLY.COM |49
It is estimated that approximately 7,000 deaths occur each year in the United States due to medication errors. These errors are predominately due to hand-writing illegibility, wrong dosing, missed drug-drug or drug-allergy reactions. With approximately 3 billion prescriptions written annually, which constitutes one of the largest paper-based processes in the United States, the writing of prescriptions can be streamlined and efficient by using an e-prescribing system.1
Electronic prescribing or e-prescribing (e-Rx) is the computer-based electronic transmission and filling of a medical prescription, taking the place of paper and faxed prescriptions. E-prescribing allows a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant to electronically transmit a new prescription or renewal authorization to a local or mail-order pharmacy. It has the ability to send error-free, accurate, and understandable prescriptions electronically from the healthcare provider to the pharmacy. E-prescribing is meant to reduce the risks associated with traditional prescription script writing. It is also one of the major reasons for the push for electronic health records (EHR). Small and mid-size practices are leading the way, making up a sizeable chunk of the 58% of physicians using e-prescribing tools outside of the hospital.2
Do E-prescriptions Actually Improve Patient Health?
According to a study by Surescripts, e-prescribing is linked to an increase in first-fill medication adherence and health care savings that could lead to $140 to $240 billion in health care savings and improved health outcomes over the next ten years. Physicians adopting e-prescribing wrote out nearly 40% of their prescriptions electronically. This resulted in a 10% increase in patient first-fill medication adherence, which
translates to fewer doctor visits and reduced risk of hospitalization. When taking into account the 60/40 ratio of paper-to-electronic prescriptions, the study demonstrated prescription delivery rates rising to 81.8%, and 76.5% getting picked up. This is encouraging, considering how many prescriptions never make it to a pharmacy counter.3
Benefits
The benefits of e-prescribing to both patients and clinicians include:l Improving patient safety and
quality of care - Illegibility from handwritten prescriptions is eliminated, decreasing the risk of medication errors while simultaneously decreasing risks related to liability. Oral miscommunications regarding prescriptions can be reduced, as e-prescribing should decrease the need for phone calls between prescribers and dispensers. Electronic prescribing has the potential to eliminate most of these types of errors. Warning and alert systems are provided at the point of care. E-prescribing systems can enhance an overall medication management process through clinical decision support systems that can perform checks against the patient’s current medications for drug-drug interactions, drug-allergy interactions, diagnoses, body weight, age, drug appropriateness, and correct dosing. Based on these algorithms, the system can alert prescribers to contradictions, adverse reactions, duplicate therapies and flag lethal dosages and lethal combinations of drugs.
l Reducing time spent on phone calls and call-backs to pharmacies - According to estimates, almost 30 percent of prescriptions require pharmacy callbacks. E-prescribing can significantly reduce the volume of pharmacy call-backs related to
illegibility, mistaken prescription choices, formulary and pharmacy benefits, decreasing the amount of time wasted on the phone. This ultimately impacts office workflow efficiency and overall productivity in a positive manner.
l Reducing time spent faxing prescriptions to pharmacies - Both prescribers and pharmacists can save time and resources spent on faxing prescriptions through a reduction in labor costs, handling costs, and paper expenses waste due to unreliability.
l Automating the prescription renewal request and authorization process - With e-prescribing, renewal authorization can be an automated process that provides efficiencies for both the prescriber and pharmacist. With limited resource utilization and just a few clicks on behalf of the prescriber, they can complete a medication renewal task while enhancing continuous patient documentation.
l Increasing patient convenience and medication compliance - It is estimated that 20% of paper-based prescription orders go unfilled by the patient, partly due to the hassle of dropping off a paper prescription and waiting for it to be filled. By eliminating or reducing this waiting period, e-prescribing may help reduce the
continued on page 50
‘‘“E-prescriptions not only fulfill Meaningful Use requirements, but it’s clear that they help reduce or prevent errors. They can aid in making your practice more organized and save your practice money.”
50| APRIL 2013
number of unfilled prescriptions and hence, increasing medication compliance.
l Improving formulary adherence permits lower cost drug substitutions - By checking with the patient’s health plan or insurance coverage at the point of care, generic substitutions or lower cost therapeutic alternatives can be encouraged to help reduce patient costs. Lower costs may also help improve patient compliance.
l Allowing greater prescriber mobility - Improved prescriber convenience can be achieved when using mobile devices that work on a wireless network, to write and renew prescriptions. Such mobile devices may include laptops, PDA’s, tablet computers, or mobile phones. This freedom of mobility allows prescribers to write/renew prescriptions anywhere, even when not in the office.
Challenges and Limitations
Challenges and limitations that may hinder the widespread adoption of e-prescribing practices are:l Financial Cost and Return on
Investment (ROI) - The costs associated with purchasing, implementing, training staff and maintaining such a system may be beyond the means of small clinical practices, and is noted to be one of the greatest implementation barriers. As a result, large urban areas (large practices) may see the greatest ROI when compared to those in rural or inner city locations (small practices).
l Change Management - Many underestimate the challenges pertaining to change management when transitioning from paper-based prescriptions to e-prescribing. This is especially true in busy practices where health care providers and associated staff are accustomed to their
current management system. Staff accustomed to certain work practices may have particular aversions to the technology, so it may be difficult to get everyone on board immediately when introducing such a dramatic change.
l Hardware and Software Selection - Choosing the right hardware platform and software applications can be a rather daunting task for practices, especially in regards to small and busy settings. Initiatives must be put into place to allow for effective and strategic planning prior to adoption.
l Integrity of data input - Accidental data entry errors such as selecting the wrong patient or clicking on the wrong choice in a menu of dosages may occur. Software vendors should continually review user feedback and follow best practices in user interface design.
l Security and Privacy - As with many eHealth solutions, privacy of patient information stored in electronic format may lead to the possibility of novel errors, such as inadvertently divulging protected health information on the internet through inadequate security practices. Instances of negligence may also arise, where employees may forward prescriptions to organizations outside its intended use. Therefore, hospitals, practices and pharmacies should be protected with firewalls, use strict computer permission settings, and remain vigilant toward signs of an intrusion.
l System Downtime - Periods of system downtime may arise, either due to network-related issues, hardware failure, or loss of electricity. The inability to use electronic prescribing when the system is not accessible is of great concern, and must be addressed with the discussion of fall-back procedures and mechanisms when such situations arise.4
How to Get Your Practice Started
l Purchase hardware such as desktop PC’s, laptops, pocket PC’s, tablet PC’s , PDA’s utilizing a wired or wireless network.
l Install an internet connection; high speed is highly recommended.
l Decide whether you wish to choose a stand-alone e-prescription software or a full EMR system which includes e-prescribing functionality.
l Choose an e-prescribing software vendor. The e-prescribing vendor will need to utilize a company which supplies the electronic prescribing network (hub or gateway for transmissions). There are several e-prescription networking companies. Among the industry leaders are SureScripts (http://surescripts.com/), RxHub (http://www.rxhub.net/index.html), and ProxyMed (http://www.proxymed.com/).
In Conclusion
E-prescriptions not only fulfill Meaningful Use requirements, but it’s clear that they help reduce or prevent errors. They can aid in making your practice more organized and save your practice money. Furthermore, e-prescriptions assist your patients to adhere to their medication regimen, contributing to their improved health and satisfaction.
References:1 http://www.emrconsultant.com/education/e-prescribing2 http://www.poweryourpractice.com/do-eprescriptions-actually-improve-patient-health/3 http://www.poweryourpractice.com/eprescribing-could-save-health-care-billions/4 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_prescribing
continued from page 49
MEDMONTHLY.COM |51
the arts
By Thomas HibbardCreative Director, Med Monthly
D rew Bodner, RPh is a retired clinical pharmacist with a passion for art. He retired in 2003 after 39 years of continual employment at Shawnee Mission Medical Center in Johnson County,
Kansas. He started the clinical program there for the Medi-cal Surgical Unit. Bodner also worked in ICU and was the wound care pharmacist for SMMC. He still remains active, maintaining his Missouri and Kansas pharmacy licenses and continuing his APhA, MSHP, and KPha memberships, including helping to plan KPhA conferences. His grandparents homesteaded in Montana in 1892 from what is now the Slovak Republic and he and his wife, Joanne, own a cattle ranch, the N Lazy J, there on a side hill of the Highwood Mountains where they go each summer. With only 1200 people in the entire county and 60 miles between his home and the closest full line grocery store, life can be challenging. From his home he can see Glacier National Park 150 miles away because there is nothing but flat prairie between them.
Retired Clinical Pharmacist Finds His Montana Muse
The beautiful Montana landscape is where he gets much of his inspiration and he has been a featured artist in Montana for the last 5 years. Even his company name, Montanamuses.com, reflects his love of the area. Bodner states, “My art is all about nature, even down to the wood grains I like to paint. And the Montana sunsets are great.” His art roots go clear back to his grandparents and their homestead. They were frequently visited by C.M. Russell (Charlie Russell), a famous Montana artist of the Old American West, when he was passing through on horseback. Bodner’s father painted many art pieces throughout his life imitating Charlie Russell’s style and subject matter and was quite an accomplished artist himself. Bodner believes that is why he became an artist and he still has over 30 of his father’s paintings. Bodner started painting while wintering in Foley, Alabama at Paulette’s Palette and has painted in Florida, Alabama, New Mexico, Arizona, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. When he’s in Montana he paints at the Mid-Montana State
Drew Bodner:
Our
Mon
tana
Hom
e
continued on page 52
52| APRIL 2013
Every Picture Tells a Story...
As a young man, Bodner took a ride with his dad. They stopped at a rock arch at the edge of the forest and his father took a picture of Bodner with Lonesome Charlie, his horse. It is the subject matter of the painting on the left.
The painting below is the watercolor he did from his friend’s childhood memory entitled. “Waiting for My Coal Miner Husband.”
Resting With Lonesome Charlie
Waiting for My Coal Miner Husband
MEDMONTHLY.COM |55
Mama Owl
Mama Owl lives on the N Lazy J and enjoys posing almost as much as watching her young. This is a excellent example of Bodner’s rendering of wood grains.
Art Society and at Studio 706; when he’s in Kansas he’s a member at the Seniors’ Art Council. His recent works are in acrylic and watercolor, but he would love to get back into oils in the near future. His work is displayed at Prairie Collection in Stanford, Montana; Made in Montana in Great Falls, Montana; and a gallery in Raton, New Mexico. And his photograph entitled “Mama Owl” was recently juried into the Arti Gras show in Leawood, Kansas. And he also teaches art classes at a Kansas City inner-city grade school and tutors math. “There’s no bad art. All art is good art. I find and encourage the good points in everyone’s art,” he shares. Each of his paintings has a story. They bring back fond memories from the artist’s personal life or from the people who have shared their stories with him. A friend, a former grade school teacher in Hughesville who became a Sister of Charity in Leavenworth, told him of a tender remembrance of standing in front of her cabin in Ashland, Montana in 1925 with her mother and siblings waiting for their father to return from the coal mine. Bodner did the painting, “Waiting for My Coal Miner Husband”, from her description of her mother with her three children all under the age of 4; daughter on one side, young boy on other, small baby in her arms. The young boy in the image is of Drew, himself, at age four. He shares, “Can you imagine the mother’s stress with those small children, at dusk, waiting for her husband to return from the coal mine. In those days, coal was mined for their own use. My friend is the young girl on the right side. I took a painting of myself with the sheep in Montana as a little boy for the picture of the boy on the other side. Her parents went on to have many more children.” “I paint these pictures and envision myself there. I can transport myself to another world and actually feel I’m there in what I am painting. That’s the fun of it and that’s what relieves stress. It’s just like magic.”
continued from page 51
Two watercolor paintings of Montana wagons near the Bodner homestead
Worn Out Buckboardd
Besides his original paintings for sale, Bodner currently has a line of over 100 stationery cards, each card displaying an original piece of his art.
By Ashley Acornley, MS, RD, LDN
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 bunches or bags spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces 4 cups sliced strawberries 1/8 cup fat free feta cheese 1/8 cup sliced almonds 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup white wine vinegar 1/2 cup white sugar 1/4 teaspoon paprika 2 tablespoons sesame seeds 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Preparation:1. In a large bowl, toss together the spinach,
strawberries, almonds, and cheese crumbles.2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar,
sugar, paprika, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds. Pour over the spinach and strawberries, and toss
to coat.
healthy living
Goodbye winter; spring is finally here! Spring is my favorite time of the year, not only because of the warmer weather, but because there is an abundance of sea-sonal produce available starting in April! One of my favorite foods of the season is strawberries, they are very versatile in dishes and are chock full of nutrition. Straw-berries are great for immunity be-cause they are full of water, fiber, Vitamin C, and Vitamin A. Try this delicious recipe for a strawberry spinach salad - makes a great appetizer or light entrée.
Strawberry SpinachSalad
54| APRIL 2013
MEDMONTHLY.COM |55
U.S. OPTICAL BOARDSAlaskaP.O. Box 110806Juneau, AK 99811(907)465-5470http://www.dced.state.ak.us/occ/pdop.htm
Arizona1400 W. Washington, Rm. 230Phoenix, AZ 85007(602)542-3095http://www.do.az.gov
ArkansasP.O. Box 627Helena, AR 72342(870)572-2847
California2005 Evergreen St., Ste. 1200Sacramento, CA 95815(916)263-2382www.medbd.ca.gov
Colorado1560 Broadway St. #1310Denver, CO 80202(303)894-7750http://www.dora.state.co.us/optometry/
Connecticut410 Capitol Ave., MS #12APPP.O. Box 340308Hartford, CT 06134(860)509-7603 ext. 4http://www.dph.state.ct.us/
Florida4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin C08Tallahassee, FL 32399(850)245-4474doh.state.fl.us
Georgia237 Coliseum Dr.Macon, GA 31217(478)207-1671www.sos.state.ga.us
HawaiiP.O. Box 3469Honolulu, HI 96801(808)[email protected]
Idaho450 W. State St., 10th FloorBoise , ID 83720(208)334-5500 www2.state.id.us/dhw
KentuckyP.O. Box 1360Frankfurt, KY 40602(502)564-3296http://bod.ky.gov
Massachusetts239 Causeway St.Boston, MA 02114(617)727-5339http://1.usa.gov/zbJVt7
NevadaP.O. Box 70503Reno, NV 89570(775)853-1421http://nvbdo.state.nv.us/
New Hampshire129 Pleasant St.Concord, NH 03301(603)271-5590www.state.nh.us
New JerseyP.O. Box 45011Newark, NJ 07101(973)504-6435http://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/ophth/
New York89 Washington Ave., 2nd Floor W.Albany, NY 12234(518)402-5944http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/od/
North CarolinaP.O. Box 25336Raleigh, NC 27611(919)733-9321http://www.ncoptometry.org/
Ohio77 S. High St.Columbus, OH 43266(614)466-9707http://optical.ohio.gov/
Oregon3218 Pringle Rd. SE Ste. 270Salem, OR 97302(503)373-7721 www.obo.state.or.us
Rhode Island3 Capitol Hill, Rm 104Providence, RI 02908(401)222-7883http://sos.ri.gov/govdirectory/index.php? page=DetailDeptAgency&eid=260
South CarolinaP.O. Box 11329Columbia, SC 29211(803)896-4665www.llr.state.sc.us
TennesseeHeritage Place Metro Center227 French Landing, Ste. 300Nashville, TN 37243(615)253-6061http://health.state.tn.us/boards/do/
TexasP.O. Box 149347Austin, TX 78714(512)834-6661www.roatx.org
Vermont National Life Bldg N FL. 2 Montpelier, VT 05620(802)828-2191http://vtprofessionals.org/opr1/opticians/
Virginia3600 W. Broad St.Richmond, VA 23230(804)367-8500www.state.va.us/licenses
Washington300 SE Quince P.O. Box 47870Olympia, WA 98504(360)236-4947http://www.doh.wa.gov/LicensesPermit-sand Certificates/ProfessionsNewRene-worUpdate/DispensingOptician.aspx
U.S. DENTAL BOARDSAlabamaAlabama Board of Dental Examiners 5346 Stadium Trace Pkwy., Ste. 112 Hoover, AL 35244(205) 985-7267http://www.dentalboard.org/
AlaskaP.O. Box 110806Juneau, AK 99811-0806(907)465-2542http://bit.ly/uaqEO8
Arizona4205 N. 7th Ave. Suite 300Phoenix, AZ 85103(602)242-1492http://azdentalboard.us/ Arkansas101 E. Capitol Ave., Suite 111Little Rock, AR 72201(501)682-2085http://www.asbde.org/
California2005 Evergreen Street, Suite 1550 Sacramento, CA 95815877-729-7789http://www.dbc.ca.gov/
Colorado1560 Broadway, Suite 1350Denver, CO 80202(303)894-7800http://www.dora.state.co.us/dental/
Connecticut410 Capitol Ave. Hartford, CT 06134(860)509-8000http://www.ct.gov/dph/site/default.asp
DelawareCannon Building, Suite 203861 Solver Lake Blvd.Dover, DE 19904(302)744-4500http://1.usa.gov/t0mbWZ
Florida4052 Bald Cypress WayBin C-08Tallahassee, FL 32399 (850)245-4474http://bit.ly/w1m4MI
Georgia237 Coliseum DriveMacon, GA 31217(478)207-2440http://sos.georgia.gov/plb/dentistry/
HawaiiDCCA-PVLAtt: DentalP.O. Box 3469Honolulu, HI 96801(808)586-3000http://1.usa.gov/s5Ry9i
IdahoP.O. Box 83720Boise, ID 83720(208)334-2369http://isbd.idaho.gov/
Illinois320 W. Washington St.Springfield, IL 62786(217)785-0820http://bit.ly/svi6Od
Indiana402 W. Washington St., Room W072Indianapolis, IN 46204(317)232-2980http://www.in.gov/pla/dental.htm
Iowa400 SW 8th St. Suite DDes Moines, IA 50309(515)281-5157http://www.state.ia.us/dentalboard/
Kansas900 SW Jackson Room 564-STopeka, KS 66612(785)296-6400http://www.accesskansas.org/kdb/
Kentucky312 Whittington Parkway, Suite 101Louisville, KY 40222(502)429-7280http://dentistry.ky.gov/
Louisiana365 Canal St., Suite 2680New Orleans, LA 70130(504)568-8574http://www.lsbd.org/
Maine143 State House Station161 Capitol St.Augusta, ME 04333(207)287-3333http://www.mainedental.org/
Maryland55 Wade Ave.Catonsville, Maryland 21228(410)402-8500http://dhmh.state.md.us/dental/
Massachusetts1000 Washington St., Suite 710Boston, MA 02118(617)727-1944http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/provider/licensing/occupational/dentist/about/
MichiganP.O. Box 30664Lansing, MI 48909(517)241-2650http://www.michigan.gov/lara/0,4601,7-154-35299_28150_27529_27533---,00.html
Minnesota2829 University Ave., SE. Suite 450Minneapolis, MN 55414(612)617-2250http://www.dentalboard.state.mn.us/
Mississippi600 E. Amite St., Suite 100Jackson, MS 39201(601)944-9622http://bit.ly/uuXKxl
Missouri3605 Missouri Blvd.P.O. Box 1367Jefferson City, MO 65102(573)751-0040http://pr.mo.gov/dental.asp
MontanaP.O. Box 200113Helena, MT 59620(406)444-2511http://bsd.dli.mt.gov/license/bsd_boards/den_board/board_page.asp
56 | APRIL 2013
OhioRiffe Center77 S. High St.,17th FloorColumbus, OH 43215(614)466-2580http://www.dental.ohio.gov/
Oklahoma201 N.E. 38th Terr., #2Oklahoma City, OK 73105(405)524-9037http://www.dentist.state.ok.us/
Oregon1600 SW 4th Ave. Suite 770Portland, OR 97201(971)673-3200http://www.oregon.gov/Dentistry/
PennsylvaniaP.O. Box 2649Harrisburg, PA 17105(717)783-7162http://bit.ly/s5oYiS
Rhode IslandDept. of HealthThree Capitol Hill, Room 104Providence, RI 02908(401)222-2828http://1.usa.gov/u66MaB
South CarolinaP.O. Box 11329Columbia, SC 29211(803)896-4599http://www.llr.state.sc.us/POL/Dentistry/ South DakotaP.O. Box 1079105. S. Euclid Ave. Suite CPierre, SC 57501(605)224-1282https://www.sdboardofdentistry.com/
Tennessee 227 French Landing, Suite 300Nashville, TN 37243(615)532-3202http://health.state.tn.us/boards/dentistry/
Texas333 Guadeloupe St. Suite 3-800Austin, TX 78701(512)463-6400http://www.tsbde.state.tx.us/
Utah160 E. 300 SouthSalt Lake City, UT 84111(801)530-6628http://1.usa.gov/xMVXWm
VermontNational Life BuildingNorth FL2Montpelier, VT 05620(802)828-1505http://bit.ly/zSHgpa
VirginiaPerimeter Center9960 Maryland Dr., Suite 300Henrico, VA 23233(804)367-4538http://www.dhp.virginia.gov/dentistry
Washington310 Israel Rd. SEP.O. Box 47865Olympia, WA 98504(360)236-4700http://www.doh.wa.gov/LicensesPermit-sandCertificates/ProfessionsNewRene-worUpdate/Dentist.aspx West Virginia1319 Robert C. Byrd Dr.P.O. Box 1447Crab Orchard, WV 258271-877-914-8266http://www.wvdentalboard.org/
WisconsinP.O. Box 8935Madison, WI 537081(877)617-1565http://dsps.wi.gov/Default.aspx?Page=90c5523f-bab0-4a45-ab94-3d9f699d4eb5 Wyoming1800 Carey Ave., 4th FloorCheyenne, WY 82002(307)777-6529http://plboards.state.wy.us/dental/index.asp
MEDMONTHLY.COM |57
Nebraska301 Centennial Mall SouthLincoln, NE 68509(402)471-3121http://dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/Pages/crl_medical_dent_hygiene_board.aspx
Nevada6010 S. Rainbow Blvd. Suite A-1Las Vegas, NV 89118(702)486-7044http://www.nvdentalboard.nv.gov/
New Hampshire2 Industrial Park Dr. Concord, NH 03301(603)271-4561http://www.nh.gov/dental/
New JerseyP.O Box 45005Newark, NJ 07101(973)504-6405http://bit.ly/uO2tLg New MexicoToney Anaya Building2550 Cerrillos Rd.Santa Fe, NM 87505(505)476-4680http://www.rld.state.nm.us/boards/Den-tal_Health_Care.aspx
New York89 Washington Ave.Albany, NY 12234(518)474-3817http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/dent/
North Carolina507 Airport Blvd., Suite 105Morrisville, NC 27560(919)678-8223http://www.ncdentalboard.org/
North DakotaP.O. Box 7246Bismark, ND 58507(701)258-8600http://www.nddentalboard.org/
AlabamaP.O. Box 946 Montgomery, AL 36101 (334)242-4116http://www.albme.org/
Alaska550 West 7th Ave., Suite 1500Anchorage, AK 99501(907)269-8163http://bit.ly/zZ455T
Arizona9545 E. Doubletree Ranch Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85258(480)551-2700http://www.azmd.gov
Arkansas1401 West Capitol Ave., Suite 340Little Rock, AR 72201(501)296-1802http://www.armedicalboard.org/
California2005 Evergreen St., Suite 1200Sacramento, CA 95815(916)263-2382 http://www.mbc.ca.gov/
Colorado1560 Broadway, Suite 1350Denver, CO 80202(303)894-7690http://www.dora.state.co.us/medical/
Connecticut401 Capitol Ave. Hartford, CT 06134(860)509-8000http://www.ct.gov/dph/site/default.asp
DelawareDivision of Professional Regulation Cannon Building 861 Silver Lake Blvd., Suite 203 Dover, DE 19904(302)744-4500http://dpr.delaware.gov/
District of Columbia899 North Capitol St., NE Washington, DC 20002 (202)442-5955http://www.dchealth.dc.gov/doh
Florida2585 Merchants Row Blvd.Tallahassee, FL 32399(850)245-4444http://www.stateofflorida.com/Portal/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=115
Georgia2 Peachtree Street NW, 36th Floor Atlanta, GA 30303 (404)656-3913http://bit.ly/vPJQyG
HawaiiDCCA-PVL P.O. Box 3469 Honolulu, HI 96801(808)587-3295http://hawaii.gov/dcca/pvl/boards/medical/
IdahoIdaho Board of Medicine P.O. Box 83720 Boise, Idaho 83720(208)327-7000http://bit.ly/orPmFU
Illinois 320 West Washington St. Springfield, IL 62786(217)785 -0820http://www.idfpr.com/profs/info/Physi-cians.asp
Indiana402 W. Washington St. #W072Indianapolis, IN 46204(317)233-0800http://www.in.gov/pla/
Iowa400 SW 8th St., Suite C Des Moines, IA 50309(515)281-6641http://medicalboard.iowa.gov/
Kansas800 SW Jackson, Lower Level, Suite ATopeka, KS 66612(785)296-7413http://www.ksbha.org/
Kentucky310 Whittington Pkwy., Suite 1B Louisville, KY 40222(502)429-7150http://kbml.ky.gov/default.htm
LouisianaLSBMEP.O. Box 30250New Orleans, LA 70190(504)568-6820http://www.lsbme.la.gov/
Maine161 Capitol Street 137 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 (207)287-3601http://bit.ly/hnrzp
Maryland4201 Patterson Ave.Baltimore, MD 21215(410)764-4777http://www.mbp.state.md.us/
Massachusetts200 Harvard Mill Sq., Suite 330 Wakefield, MA 01880 (781)876-8200http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/de-partments/borim/
MichiganBureau of Health Professions P.O. Box 30670 Lansing, MI 48909(517)335-0918http://www.michigan.gov/lara/0,4601,7-154-35299_28150_27529_27541-58914--,00.html
MinnesotaUniversity Park Plaza 2829 University Ave. SE, Suite 500 Minneapolis, MN 55414 (612)617-2130 http://bit.ly/pAFXGq
Mississippi1867 Crane Ridge Drive, Suite 200-B Jackson, MS 39216(601)987-3079http://www.msbml.state.ms.us/
MissouriMissouri Division of Professional Registration 3605 Missouri Blvd. P.O. Box 1335 Jefferson City, MO 65102 (573)751-0293 http://pr.mo.gov/healingarts.asp
U.S. MEDICAL BOARDS
58| APRIL 2013
Montana301 S. Park Ave. #430Helena, MT 59601(406)841-2300http://bit.ly/obJm7J p
NebraskaNebraska Department of Health and Human ServicesP.O. Box 95026Lincoln, NE 68509(402)471-3121http://www.mdpreferredservices.com/state-licensing-boards/nebraska-board-of-medicine-and-surgery
NevadaBoard of Medical ExaminersP.O. Box 7238Reno, NV 89510 (775)688-2559 http://www.medboard.nv.gov/
New HampshireNew Hampshire State Board of Medicine 2 Industrial Park Dr. #8 Concord, NH 03301 (603)271-1203http://www.nh.gov/medicine/
New JerseyP. O. Box 360Trenton, NJ 08625 (609)292-7837http://bit.ly/w5rc8J
New Mexico2055 S. Pacheco St. Building 400 Santa Fe, NM 87505 (505)476-7220http://www.nmmb.state.nm.us/
New YorkOffice of the ProfessionsState Education Building, 2nd FloorAlbany, NY 12234(518)474-3817http://www.op.nysed.gov/
North CarolinaP.O. Box 20007Raleigh, NC 27619(919)326-1100http://www.ncmedboard.org/
North Dakota418 E. Broadway Ave., Suite 12Bismarck, ND 58501(701)328-6500http://www.ndbomex.com/
Ohio30 E. Broad St., 3rd FloorColumbus, OH 43215(614)466-3934http://med.ohio.gov/
OklahomaP.O. Box 18256 Oklahoma City, OK 73154(405)962-1400http://www.okmedicalboard.org/
Oregon1500 SW 1st Ave., Suite 620Portland, OR 97201(971)673-2700http://www.oregon.gov/OMB/
Pennsylvania P.O. Box 2649 Harrisburg, PA 17105 (717)787-8503 http://www.dos.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/state_board_of_medi-cine/12512
Rhode Island3 Capitol HillProvidence, RI 02908(401)222-5960http://1.usa.gov/xgocXV
South CarolinaP.O. Box 11289Columbia, SC 29211(803)896-4500http://www.llr.state.sc.us/pol/medical/
South Dakota101 N. Main Ave. Suite 301Sioux Falls, SD 57104(605)367-7781http://www.sdbmoe.gov/
Tennessee425 5th Ave. NorthCordell Hull Bldg. 3rd FloorNashville, TN 37243(615)741-3111http://health.state.tn.us/boards/me/
TexasP.O. Box 2018Austin, TX 78768(512)305-7010http://bit.ly/rFyCEW
UtahP.O. Box 146741 Salt Lake City, UT 84114(801)530-6628http://www.dopl.utah.gov/
VermontP.O. Box 70Burlington, VT 05402(802)657-4220http://1.usa.gov/wMdnxh
VirginiaVirginia Dept. of Health ProfessionsPerimeter Center9960 Maryland Dr., Suite 300Henrico, VA 23233(804)367-4400http://1.usa.gov/xjfJXK
WashingtonPublic Health Systems DevelopmentWashington State Department of Health101 Israel Rd. SE, MS 47890Tumwater, WA 98501(360)236-4085http://www.medlicense.com/washington-medicallicense.html
West Virginia101 Dee Dr., Suite 103Charleston, WV 25311(304)558-2921http://www.wvbom.wv.gov/
WisconsinP.O. Box 8935Madison, WI 53708(877)617-1565http://drl.wi.gov/board_detail.asp?boardid=35&locid=0
Wyoming320 W. 25th St., Suite 200Cheyenne, WY 82002(307)778-7053http://wyomedboard.state.wy.us/
MEDMONTHLY.COM |59
medical resource guide
Find Urgent CarePO Box 15130Scottsdale, AZ 85267(602)370-0303
www.findurgentcare.com
MedMedia9PO Box 98313Raleigh, NC 27624(919)747-9031
www.medmedia9.com
Ring Ring LLC6881 Maple Creek Blvd, Suite 100West Bloomfield, MI 48322-4559(248)819-6838
www.ringringllc.com
ADVERTISING
BILLING & COLLECTION
Advanced Physician Billing, LLCPO Box 730Fishers, IN 46038(866)459-4579
www.advancedphysicianbillingllc.com
60| APRIL 2013
ANSWERING SERVICES
Corridor Medical Answering Service3088 Route 27, Suite 7Kendall Park, NJ 08824(866)447-5154
www.corridoranswering.net
Docs on Hold14849 West 95th St. Lenexa, KS 66285(913)559-3666
www.soundproductsinc.com
CODING SPECIALISTS
The Coding Institute LLC2222 Sedwick DriveDurham, NC 27713(800)508-2582
http://www.codinginstitute.com/
CAREER CONSULTING
Doctor’s Crossing4107 Medical Parkway, Suite 104 Austin, Texas 78756 (512)517-8545
http://doctorscrossing.com/
COMPUTER, SOFTWARE
American Medical Software1180 Illinois 157Edwardsville, IL 62025(618) 692-1300
www.americanmedical.com
CDWG300 N. Milwaukee AveVernon Hills, IL 60061(866)782-4239
www.cdwg.com/
Instant Medical History4840 Forest Drive #349Columbia, SC 29206(803)796-7980
www.medicalhistory.com
ACCOUNTING
Boyle CPA, PLLC3716 National Drive, Suite 206Raleigh, NC 27612(919) 720-4970
www.boyle-cpa.com
Ajishra Technology Support3562 Habersham at Northlake, Bldg JTucker, GA 30084(866)473-0011
www.ajishra.com
Applied Medical Services4220 NC Hwy 55, Suite 130BDurham, NC 27713(919)477-5152
www.ams-nc.com
Axiom Business Solutions4704 E. Trindle Rd.Mechanicsburg, PA 17050(866)517-0466
www.axiom-biz.com
Frost Arnett480 James Robertson ParkwayNashville, TN 37219(800)264-7156
www.frostarnett.com
Gold Key Credit, Inc.PO Box 15670Brooksville, FL 34604888-717-9615
www.goldkeycreditinc.com
Horizon Billing Specialists4635 44th St., Suite C150Kentwood, MI 49512(800)378-9991
www.horizonbilling.com
Management Services On-Call200 Timber Hill Place, Suite 221Chapel Hill, NC 27514(866)347-0001
www.msocgroup.com
Marina Medical Billing Service18000 Studebaker Road4th FloorCerritos, CA 90703(800)287-8166
www.marinabilling.com
Mediserv6451 Brentwood Stair Rd.Ft. Worth, TX 76112(800)378-4134
www.mediservltd.com
Practice Velocity1673 Belvidere RoadBelvidere, IL 61008(888)357-4209
www.practicevelocity.com
Sweans Technologies501 Silverside Rd.Wilmington, DE 19809(302)351-3690
www.medisweans.com
VIP BillingPO Box 1350Forney, TX 75126(214)499-3440
www.vipbilling.com
ELECTRONIC MED. RECORDS
INSURANCE, MED. LIABILITY
medical resource guide
FINANCIAL CONSULTANTS
Sigmon Daknis Wealth Management701 Town Center Dr. , Ste. #104Newport News, VA 23606(757)223-5902
www.sigmondaknis.com
Sigmon & DaknisWilliamsburg, VA Office325 McLaws Circle, Suite 2Williamsburg, VA 23185 (757)258-1063
http://www.sigmondaknis.com/
MEDMONTHLY.COM |61
Biomet 3i4555 Riverside Dr.Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410(800)342-5454
www.biomet3i.com
Dental Management Club4924 Balboa Blvd #460Encino, CA 91316
www.dentalmanagementclub.com
The Dental Box Company, Inc.PO Box 101430Pittsburgh, PA 15237(412)364-8712
www.thedentalbox.com
ABELSoft1207 Delaware Ave. #433Buffalo, NY 14209(800)267-2235
www.abelmedicalsoftware.com
Acentec, Inc17815 Sky Park Circle , Suite JIrvine, CA 92614(949)474-7774
www.acentec.com
AdvancedMD 10011 S. Centennial PkwySandy, UT 84070(800) 825-0224
www.advancedmd.com
CollaborateMD201 E. Pine St. #1310Orlando, FL 32801(888)348-8457
www.collaboratemd.com
Aquesta Insurance Services, Inc.Michael W. Robertson3807 Peachtree Avenue, #103Wilmington, NC 28403Work: (910) 794-6103Cell: (910) 777-8918
www.aquestainsurance.com
Jones Insurance 820 Benson Rd. Garner, North Carolina 27529 (919) 772-0233
www.Jones-insurance.com
Medical Protective5814 Reed Rd.Fort Wayne, In 46835(800)463-3776
http://www.medpro.com/medical-protective
Medical Credentialing(800) 4-THRIVE
www.medicalcredentialing.org
Medical Practice Listings8317 Six Forks Rd. Suite #205Raleigh, NC 27624(919)848-4202
www.medicalpracticelistings.com
myEMRchoice.com24 Cherry LaneDoylestown, PA 18901(888)348-1170
www.myemrchoice.com
Physician Wellness Services5000 West 36th Street, Suite 240Minneapolis, MN 55416888.892.3861
www.physicianwellnessservices.com
Synapse Medical Management18436 Hawthorne Blvd. #201Torrance, CA 90504(310)895-7143
www.synapsemgmt.com
Urgent Care America17595 S. Tamiami TrailFort Meyers, FL 33908(239)415-3222
www.urgentcareamerica.com
Urgent Care & Occupational Medicine ConsultantLawrence Earl, MDCOO/CMO ASAP UrgentcareMedical Director, NADME.org908-635-4775 (m)866-405-4770 (f )
ASAP-Urgentcare.comUrgentCareMentor.com
Utilization [email protected](919) 289-9126
www.pushpa.biz
DENTALCONSULTING SERVICES,PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
Triangle Nutrition Therapy6200 Falls of Neuse Road, Suite 200Raleigh, NC 27609(919)876-9779
http://trianglediet.com/
DIETICIAN
DocuTAP4701 W. Research Dr. #102Sioux Falls, SD 57107-1312(877)697-4696
www.docutap.com
Integritas, Inc.2600 Garden Rd. #112Monterey, CA 93940(800)458-2486
www.integritas.com
62| APRIL 2013
medical resource guide
MEDICAL ART
Brian Allenwww.artisanprinter.com
Deborah Brenner877 Island Ave #315San Diego, CA 92101(619)818-4714
www.deborahbrenner.com
Pia De Girolamowww.piadegirolamo.com
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
ALLPRO Imaging1295 Walt Whitman RoadMelville, NY 11747(888)862-4050
www.allproimaging.com
Biosite, Inc9975 Summers Ridge RoadSan Diego, CA 92121(858)805-8378
www.biosite.com
Cryopen800 Shoreline, #900Corpus Christi, TX 78401(888)246-3928
www.cryopen.com
Carolina Liquid Chemistries, Inc.391 Technology WayWinston Salem, NC 27101(336)722-8910
www.carolinachemistries.com
Dicom Solutions548 WaldIrvine, CA 92618(800)377-2617
www.dicomsolutions.com
Tarheel Physicians Supply1934 Colwell Ave. Wilmington, NC 28403 (800)672-0441
www.thetps.com
MEDICAL PRACTICE SALES
Medical Practice Listings8317 Six Forks Rd. Ste #205Raleigh, NC 27624(919)848-4202
www.medicalpracticelistings.com
BizScorePO Box 99488Raleigh, NC 27624(919)846-4747
www.bizscorevaluation.com
MEDICAL PRACTICE VALUATIONS
MEDICAL MARKETING
High Performance NetworkRobert SayreMarketing Adviser/Business Coach
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/rob-sayre/2/977/355/
MedMedia9PO Box 98313Raleigh, NC 27624(919)747-9031
www.medmedia9.com
WhiteCoat DesignsWeb, Print & Marketing Solutions for Doc-tors(919)714-9885
www.whitecoat-designs.com
MMA Medical Architects520 Sutter StreetSan Francisco, CA 94115(415) 346-9990
http://www.mmamedarc.com
MEDICAL ARCHITECTS
LOCUM TENENS
Physician SolutionsPO Box 98313Raleigh, NC 27624(919)845-0054
www.physiciansolutions.com
Nicholas Downhttp://bit.ly/yHwxb0
Martin Friedwww.martindfried.com
Barry Hanshaw 18 Bay Path DriveBoylston MA 01505508 - 869 - [email protected]
www.barryhanshaw.com
MedImageryLaura Maask 262-308-1300 [email protected]
medimagery.com
Marianne Mitchell(215)704-3188
http://www.mariannemitchell.comhttp://www.colordrop.blogspot.com
MGIS, Inc.1849 W. North TempleSalt Lake City, UT 84116(800)969-6447www.mgis.com
Professional Medical Insurance Services16800 Greenspoint Park DriveHouston, TX 77060(877)583-5510
www.promedins.com
Wood Insurance Group4835 East Cactus Rd., #440Scottsdale, AZ 85254-3544(602)230-8200
www.woodinsurancegroup.com
INSURANCE, MED. LIABILITY MEDICAL EQUIPMENTFINANCING
Bank of AmericaMark MacKinnon, Regional Sales Manager3801 Columbine CircleCharlotte, NC 28211(704)[email protected]
www.bankofamerica.com/practicesolutions
medical resource guide
MEDMONTHLY.COM |63
MEDICAL RESEARCH
Arup Laboratories500 Chipeta WaySalt Lake City, UT 84108(800)242-2787
www.aruplab.com
Chimerix, Inc.2505 Meridian Parkway, Suite 340Durham, NC 27713(919) 806-1074
www.chimerix.com
Clinical Reference Laboratory8433 Quivira Rd.Lenexa, KS 66215(800)445-6917
www.crlcorp.comSanofi US55 Corporate DriveBridgewater, NJ 08807(800) 981-2491
www.sanofi.usScynexis, Inc.3501 C Tricenter Blvd.Durham, NC 27713(919) 933-4990
www.scynexis.com
MEDICAL PUBLISHING
Greenbranch Publishing [email protected]
www.greenbranch.com
Additional Staffing Group, Inc.8319 Six Forks Rd, Suite 103Raleigh, NC 27615(919) 844-6601
Astaffinggroup.com
SUPPLIES, GENERAL
BSN Medical5825 Carnegie BoulevardCharlotte, NC 28209(800)552-1157
www.bsnmedical.us
STAFFING COMPANIES
CNF Medical1100 Patterson AvenueWinston Salem, NC 27101(877)631-3077
www.cnfmedical.comDermabondEthicon, Route 22 WestSomerville, NJ 08876(877)984-4266
www.dermabond.com DJO1430 Decision St.Vista, CA 92081(760)727-1280
www.djoglobal.com ExpertMed31778 Enterprise Dr.Livonia, MI 48150(800)447-5050
www.expertmed.com
Gebauer Company4444 East 153rd St. Cleveland, OH 44128-2955(216)581-3030
www.gebauerspainease.com
Scarguard15 Barstow Rd.Great Neck, NY 11021(877)566-5935
www.scarguard.com
MedMedia9PO Box 98313Raleigh, NC 27624(919)747-9031
www.medmedia9.com
REAL ESTATE
York Properties, Inc.Headquarters & Property Management 1900 Cameron StreetRaleigh, NC 27605(919) 821-1350
Commercial Sales & Leasing (919) 821-7177
www.yorkproperties.com
WEBSITE DESIGN
PRACTICE FINANCING
Bank of AmericaMark MacKinnon, Regional Sales Manager3801 Columbine CircleCharlotte, NC 28211(704)[email protected]
www.bankofamerica.com/practicesolutions
Subscribe to receiveMed Monthly e-news
Click here to join our e-news subscribers and getcurrent medical news as it happens
Visit us online anytime at medmonthly.com
We have a established woman’s practice in the Raleigh North Carolina area that is available for purchase. Grossing a consis-tent $800,000.00 per year, the retained earnings are impressive to say the least. This is a two provider practice that see patients Monday through Friday from 8 till 6. This free standing prac-tice is very visible and located in the heart of medical commu-nity. There are 7 well appointed exam rooms, recently upgraded computer (EMR), the carpet and paint have always been main-tained. The all brick building can be leased or purchased.
Contact Cara or Philip for detailsregarding this very successful practice.
Medical Practice Listings; 919-848-4202
Woman’s Practice in Raleigh, North Carolina.
This is an outstanding opportunity to acquire one of the most organized and profitable primary care practices in the area. Grossing a million and a half yearly, the principal physician enjoys ordinary practice income of over $300,000 annually. Hickory is located in the foot-hills of North Carolina and is surrounded by picturesque mountains, lakes, upscale shopping malls and the school systems are excellent. If you are looking for an established practice that runs like a well oiled machine, request more information.
The free standing building that houses this practice is available to purchase or rent with an option. There are 4 exam rooms with a well appointed procedure room. The owning physician works 4 to 5 days per week and there is a full time physician assistant staffed as well.
For the well qualified purchasing physician, the owner may consider some owner-financing. Call us today.
List price: $425,000 | Year Established: 2007 | Gross Yearly Income: $1,500,000
PRIMARY CARE PRACTICE - Hickory, North Carolina
MedicalPracticeListings.com | [email protected] | 919-848-4202
Medical Practice ListingsSelling and buying made easy
Physician Solutions has immediate opportunities for psychiatrists throughout NC. Top wages, professional liability insurance and
accommodations provided.
Call us today if you are available for a few days a month, on-going or for permanent placement.
Please contact Physican Solutions at 919-845-0054 or [email protected]
NC OPPORTUNITIES LOCUMS OR PERMANENT
For more information about Physician Solutions or to see all of our locums and permanent listings,
please visit physiciansolutions.com
64| APRIL 2013
To place a classified ad, call 919.747.9031
classified listings
Classified
MEDMONTHLY.COM |65
Physicians needed
North Carolina
GP Needed Immediately On-Going 3 Days Per Week at Occupational Clinic . General Practictioner needed on-going 3 days per week at occupational clinic in Greensboro, NC. Numerous available shifts for October. Averages 25 patients per day with no call and shift hours from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm. Physician Solutions, P.O. Box 98313, Raleigh, NC 27624, and PH: (919) 845-0054, email: [email protected]
3-5 days per week in Durham, NC . Geriatric physi-cian needed immediately 3-5 days per week, on-going at nursing home in Durham. Nursing home focuses on therapy and nursing after patients are released from the hospital. Physician Solutions, P.O. Box 98313, Raleigh, NC 27624, and PH: (919) 845-0054, email: [email protected] GP Needed Immediately On-Going 1-3 Days Per Week at Addictive Diease Clinics located in Charlotte, Hick-ory, Concord & Marion North Carolina. General Practi-tioner with a knowledge or interest in addictive disease. Needed in October on-going 1-3 times per week. This clinic requires training so respond to post before Octo-ber 1st. Physician Solutions, P.O. Box 98313, Raleigh, NC 27624, and PH: (919) 845-0054, email: [email protected]
Primary Care Physician in Northwest NC (multiple locations). Primary care physician needed immediately for ongoing coverage at one of the larg-est substance abuse treatment facilities in NC. Doctor will be responsible for new patient evaluations and supportive aftercare. Counseling and therapy are combined with physician’s medical assessment and care for the treatment of adults, adolescents and families. Physician Solutions, P.O. Box 98313, Raleigh, NC 27624, and PH: (919) 845-0054, email: [email protected]
Pediatrician or Family Medicine Doctor in Fayetteville Comfortable with seeing children. Need is immediate - Full time ongoing for maternity leave. 8 am - 5 pm. Outpatient only. Physician Solutions, P.O. Box 98313, Raleigh, NC 27624, and PH: (919) 845-0054, email: [email protected]
Physicians needed
North Carolina (cont.)
continued on page 66
Immediate need for full time GP/FP for urgent cares in eastern NC. Urgent care centers from Raleigh to the eastern coast of NC seek immediate primary care physician. Full time opportunity with possibility for permanent placement. Physician Solutions, P.O. Box 98313, Raleigh, NC 27624, and PH: (919) 845-0054, email: [email protected]
General Practitioner Needed in Greensboro. Occupa-tional health care clinic seeks general practitioner for disability physicals ongoing 1-3 days a week. Adults only. 8 am-5 pm. No call required. Physician Solutions, P.O. Box 98313, Raleigh, NC 27624, andPH: (919) 845-0054, email: [email protected]
Pediatrician or Family Physician Needed Immediately at clinic in Roanoke Rapids, NC. Pediatric clinic in Ro-anoke Rapids, NC seeks Peds physician or FP comfort-able with children for 2-3 months/on-going/full-time. The chosen physician will need to be credentialed through the hospital, please email your CV, medical license and DEA so we can fill thisposition immediately.
County Health Department in Fayetteville, NC seeks GP/IM/FP Full-Time, On-Going Shifts. GP/IM/FP Need-ed Immediately at County Health Department in Fay-etteville, NC. Approximately 20 patients per day with hours from 8 am -5 pm. Call or email for more informa-tion. 919-845-0054 [email protected]
Occupational Clinic in Greensboro, NC seeks FP/GP for On-Going Shifts. Locum tenens position (4-5 days a week) available for an occupational, urgent care and walk in clinic. The practice is located in Greensboro NC. Hours are 8 am-5 pm. Approximately 20 patients/day. Excellent staff. Outpatient only.
Diabetic Clinic 1 hour from Charlotte seeks FP/GP/IM for On-Going Shifts.Primary care physician needed immediately for outpatient diabetic clinic one hour outside Charlotte, NC On-going. Hours are 8 am -5 pm with no call. Approximately 15-20 patients a day.
To place a classified ad, call 919.747.9031
classified listings
Classified
66| APRIL 2013
Physicians needed
North Carolina (cont.)
Addictive Disease Clinic in Charlotte, NC and sur-rounding cities seeks GP/FP/IM for on-going shiftsAn addictive disease clinic with locations with loca-tions in Charlotte, NC and surrounding cities seeks a GP with an interest in addictive medicine for on-going shifts. This clinic has 15-25 open shifts every month and we are looking to bring on a new doctor for consistent coverage. The average daily patient load is between 20 and 25 with shifts from 8 am - 5 pm and 6 am - 2 pm. If you are interested in this position please send us your CV and feel free to contact us via email or phone with questions or to learn about other positions.
Child Health Clinic in Statesville, NC seeks pediatri-cian or Family Physician comfortable with peds for on-going, full-time shifts. Physician will work M-F 8 am - 5 pm, ongoing. Qualified physician will know EMR or Allscripts software. Physician Solutions, P.O. Box 98313, Raleigh, NC 27624, and PH: (919) 845-0054, email: [email protected]
Peds Clinic near Raleigh seeks Mid-Level Provider for on-going coverage 4x/wk. Health Department pediat-rics clinic 45 min from Raleigh needs coverage 4 days a week from January through June. Provider will see about 20 patients daily, hours are 8am-5pm with an hour for lunch.
Employee Health Clinic seeks Mid-Level Provider for FT on-going coverage near Charlotte. Health Department 45 minutes from Charlotte seeks on-going coverage for employee health clinic beginning in January. Provider will see about 20-24 patients daily, hours are 8am-5pm with an hour for lunch.
FT Mid-Level Provider needed for Wilmington practice immediately. Small private practice 45 minutes outside Wilmington seeks mid-level provider starting January. M-F 8:00-5:00, PT or FT. This practice also is looking for a PA permanently in April. Accommodations, PLI, and mileage provided. Please contact Physician Solutions at 919-845-0054 or [email protected].
Clinic between Fayetteville and Wilmington seeks FP/GP/IM Mar 22 FT ongoing. A small hospital’s outpatient clinic located within an hour of both Fayetteville and Wilmington seeks FP/GP/IM to work FT ongoing begin-ning March 22. Shifts can be either 8 or 12 hours. No call.
continued from page 65
Clinic between Fayetteville and Wilmington seeks FP/GP/IM Mar 22 FT ongoing. A small hospital’s outpatient clinic located within an hour of both Fayetteville and Wilmington seeks PA to work FT ongoing beginning March 22. Shifts can be either 8 or 12 hours. No call.
Employee Health Clinic seeks Mid-Level Provider for FT on-going coverage near Charlotte. Health Depart-ment 45 minutes from Charlotte seeks on-going cover-age for employee health clinic beginning in March. Provider will see about 20-24 patients daily, hours are 8am-5pm with an hour for lunch.
FT/PT Mid-Level Provider needed for Wilmington practice immediately. Small internal medicine private practice 45 minutes outside Wilmington seeks mid-lev-el provider starting immediately. FT/PT. M-F 8:00-5:00. Possible permanent placement.
Western North Carolina Health Department needs con-tinuing physician coverage. County Health Depart-ment seeks coverage for their walk in clinic which sees all ages. Ongoing, 8am-5pm, no call. 35-40 patients a day. Well established clinic located in a beautiful area.
Asheboro Family Practice and Urgent Care seeks GP for intermittent coverage. Family Practice and Ur-gent Care seeks general practitioner for intermittent days beginning in March from 8a-8p. Provider will see about 35 patients with no call.
Greensboro occupational health care clinic seeks general practitioner for intermittent shifts. Primary care physicians needed for occupational medicine. Adults only. Hours are 8am-5pm. Large corporation, no call required.
IM/FP needed in Fayetteville health department im-mediately. Fayetteville health department needs coverage March through June full or part time. Clinics are adult health and women’s health. Adults only. No call 8a-5p.
Geriatric physician needed immediately 2 to 5 days per week, on-going eastern NC. Nursing homes in Durham, Fayetteville and Rocky Mount seek GP/IM/FP with geriatric experience to work full or part time. Nursing home focuses on therapy and nursing after patients are released from the hospital. 8a-5p, no call.
Pediatric Locums Physician needed in Harrisonburg, Danville and Lynchburg, VA. These locum positions re-quire 30 to 40 hours per week, on-going. If you are seek-ing a beautiful climate and flexibility with your schedule, please consider one of these opportunities. Send copies of your CV, VA. medical license, DEA certificate and NPI certificate with number to Physician Solutions for immediate consideration. Physician Solutions, P.O. Box 98313, Raleigh, NC 27624, and PH: (919) 845-0054, email: [email protected]
Urgent Care opportunities throughout Virginia. We have contracts with numerous facilities and eight to 14-hour shifts are available. If you have experience treating pa-tients from pediatrics to geriatrics, we welcome your in-quires. Send copies of your CV, VA medical license, DEA certificate and NPI certificate with number to Physician Solutions for immediate consideration. Physician Solu-tions, P.O. Box 98313, Raleigh, NC 27624, and PH: (919) 845-0054, E-mail: [email protected]
South Carolina
Physicians needed
Virginia
A family and urgent care in Little River, SC seeks an FP/EM physician for 1 to 2 days per week, on-going shifts. The practice is a one-physician facility and is looking for a physician to come in regularly. The prac-tice is small and does not have a large patient load. The qualified physician will have experience in Family or Emergency medicine. If you have any availability and a SC medical license contact us today and we will do our best to work around your schedule. Physi-cian Solutions, P.O. Box 98313, Raleigh, NC 27624, and PH: (919) 845-0054, email: [email protected]
Practice wanted
Pediatric Practice Wanted in Raleigh, NCMedical Practice Listings has a qualified buyer for a pediatric practice in Raleigh, Cary or surrounding area. If you are retiring, relocating or considering your options as a pediatric practice owner, contact us and review your options. Medical Practice Listings is the leading seller of practices in the US. When you list with us, your practice re-ceives exceptional national, regional and local exposure. Contact us today at (919) 848-4202.
North Carolina
continued on page 69
To place a classified ad, call 919.747.9031
Classified
Practice for sale
North Carolina
Family Practice located in Hickory, NC. Well-established and a solid 40 to 55 patients split between an MD and physician assistant. Experienced staff and outstanding medical equipment. Gross revenues average $1,500,000 with strong profits. Monthly practice rent is only $3,000 and the utilities are very reasonable. The practice with all equipment, charts and good will are priced at $625,000. Contact Medical Practice Listings for additional informa-tion. Medical Practice Listings, P.O. Box 99488, Raleigh, NC 27624. PH: (919) 848-4202 or email: [email protected]
MEDMONTHLY.COM |67
Charlotte Occupational clinic seeks NP in March for ongoing coverage. Nurse practitioner needed in em-ployee health clinic for large corporation in Charlotte. 8a-5p ongoing full time or part time.
Nurses needed
North Carolina
Physicians needed
Adult & pediAtric integrAtive medicine prActice for sAle
This Adult and Pediatric Integrative Medicine practice, located in Cary, NC, incorporates the latest conventional and natural therapies for the treatment and prevention of health problems not requiring surgical intervention. It currently provides the following therapeutic modalities:
There is a Compounding Pharmacy located in the same suites with a consulting pharmacist working with this Integrative practice. Average Patients per Day: 12-20
Gross Yearly Income: $335,000+ | List Price: $125,000
• Conventional Medicine• Natural and Holistic
Medicine• Natural Hormone
Replacement Therapy• Functional Medicine• Nutritional Therapy
• Mind-Body Medicine• Detoxification• Supplements• Optimal Weigh Program• Preventive Care
Wellness Program• Diagnostic Testing
Call 919-848-4202 or email [email protected]
This upscale primary care practice has a boutique look and feel while realizing consistent revenues and patient flow. You will be impressed with the well appointed layout, functionality as well as the organization of this true gem of a practice. Currently accepting over 20 insurance carriers including Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Cigna, City of Seattle, Great West and United Healthcare. The astute physician considering this practice will be impressed with the comprehensive collection of computers, office furniture and medical equipment such as Welch Allyn Otoscope, Ritter Autoclave, Spirometer and Moore Medical Exam table.
Physician compensation is consistently in the $200,000 range with upside as you wish. Do not procrastinate; this practice will not be available for long.
List price: $255,000 | Year Established: 2007 | Gross Yearly Income: $380,000
FAMILY PRACTICE FOR SALEA beautiful practice located in Seattle, Washington
MedicalPracticeListings.com | [email protected] | 919.848.4202
Medical Practice ListingsSelling and buying made easy
Practice for sale
Lucrative ENT Practice with room for growth, located three miles from the beach. Physician’s assistant, audiolo-gist, esthetician and well-trained staff. Electronic medical records, mirror imaging system, established patient and referral base, hearing aids and balance testing, esthetic services and Candela laser. All aspects of otolaryngology, busy skin cancer practice, established referral base for reconstructive eyelid surgery, Botox and facial fillers. All new surgical equipment, image-guidance sinus surgery, balloon sinuplasty, nerve monitor for ear/parotid/thyroid surgery. Room for establishing allergy, cosmetics, laryngol-ogy and trans-nasal esophagoscopy. All the organiza-tion is done; walk into a ready-made practice as your own boss and make the changes you want, when you want. Physician will to stay on for a smooth transition. Hos-pital support is also an option for up to a year. The listing price is $395,000 for the practice, charts, equipment and good will. Contact Medical Practice Listings for additional information. Medical Practice Listings, P.O. Box 99488, Ra-leigh, NC 27624. PH: (919) 848-4202 or email: [email protected]
Practice for sale
South Carolina
To place a classified ad, call 919.747.9031
North Carolina
Classified
Family Practice located in Bainbridge Island, WA has recently been listed. Solid patient following and cash flow makes this 17-year-old practice very attractive. Con-tact Medical Practice Listings for more details. email: [email protected] or (919) 848-4202.
Washington
Impressive Internal Medicine Practice in Durham, NC: The City of Medicine. Over 20 years serving the community, this practice is now listed for sale. There are four well-equipped exam rooms, new computer equipment and a solid patient following. The owner is retiring and willing to continue with the new owner for a few months to assist with a smooth transition. Contact Medical Practice Listings at (919) 848-4202 for more information. View additional list-ings at: www.medicalpracticelistings.com
Primary Care Practice specializing in women’s care. The owning female physician is willing to continue with the practice for a reasonable time to assist with smooth own-ership transfer. The patient load is 35 to 40 patients per day, however that could double with a second provider. Exceptional cash flow and profitable practice that will surprise even the most optimistic practice seeker. This is a remarkable opportunity to purchase a well-established woman’s practice. Spacious practice with several well-appointed exam rooms throughout. New computers and medical management software add to this modern front desk environment. This practice is being offered for $435,000. Contact Medical Practice Listings for additional information. Medical Practice Listings, P.O. Box 99488, Raleigh, NC 27624. PH: (919) 848-4202 or send an email to [email protected]
Internal Medicine Practice located just outside Fayette-ville, NC is now being offered. The owning physician is retiring and is willing to continue working for the new owner for a month or two assisting with a smooth transac-tion. The practice treats patients four and a half days per week with no call or hospital rounds. The schedule accom-modates 35 patients per day. You will be hard pressed to find a more beautiful practice that is modern, tastefully decorated and well appointed with vibrant art work. The practice, patient charts, equipment and good will is being offered for $415,000 while the free standing building is be-ing offered for $635,000. Contact Medical Practice Listings for additional information. Medical Practice Listings, P.O. Box 99488, Raleigh, NC 27624. PH: (919) 848-4202 or email: [email protected]
Modern Vein Care Practice located in the mountains of NC. Booking seven to 10 procedures per day, you will find this impressive vein practice attractive in many ways. Housed in the same practice building with an internal medicine, you will enjoy the referrals from this as well as other primary care and specialties in the community. We have this practice listed for $295,000 which includes charts, equipment and good will. Contact Medical Practice List-ings at (919) 848-4202 for more information. View addition-al listings at www.medicalpracticelistings.com
North Carolina (con't)
classified listings
continued from page 67
MEDMONTHLY.COM |69
Primary care practice specializing in women’s careRaleigh, North Carolina
The owning physician is willing to continue with the practice for a reasonable time to assist with smooth ownership trans-fer. The patient load is 35 to 40 patients per day, however, that could double with a second provider. Exceptional cash flow and profit will surprise even the most optimistic prac-tice seeker. This is a remarkable opportunity to purchase a well-established woman’s practice. Spacious practice with several well-appointed exam rooms and beautifully decorat-ed throughout. New computers and medical management software add to this modern front desk environment.
List price: $435,000
Practice for Sale in Raleigh, NC
Call Medical Practice Listings at (919) 848-4202 for details and to view our other listings visit
www.medicalpracticelistings.com
PHYSICIANS NEEDED: Mental health facility in Eastern North Carolina seeks:
PA/FT ongoing, start immediatelyPhysician Assistant needed to work with physicians to provide primary care for resident patients. FT ongoing 8a-5p. Limited inpatient call is required. The position is responsible for performing history and physicals of patients on admission, annual physicals, dictate discharge summaries, sick call on unit assigned, suture minor lacerations, prescribe medications and order lab work. Works 8 hour shifts Monday through Friday with some extended work on rotating basis required. It is a 24 hour in-patient facility that serves adolescent, adult and geriatric patients.
FT ongoing Medical Director, start immediatelyThe Director of Medical Services is responsible for ensuring all patients receive quality medical care. The director supervises medical physicians and physi-cian extenders. The Director of Medical Services also provides guidance to the following service areas: Dental Clinic, X-Ray Department, Laboratory Services, Infection Control, Speech/Language Services, Employee Health,
Send copies of your CV, NC medical license, DEA certificate and NPI certificate with number to Physician Solutions for immediate consideration. Physician Solutions, P.O. Box 98313, Raleigh, NC 27624
PH: (919) 845-0054 | email: [email protected]
Pharmacy Department, Physical Therapy and Telemedicine. The Medical Director reports directly to the Clinical Director. The position will manage and participate in direct patient care as required; maintain and participate in an on-call schedule ensuring that a physician is always available to hospitalized patients; and maintain privileges of medical staff.
Permanent Psychiatrist needed FT, start immediatelyAn accredited State Psychiatric Hospital serving the eastern region of North Carolina, is recruiting for permanent full-time Psychiatrist. The 24 hour in-patient facility serves adolescent, adult and geriatric patients. The psychiatrist will serve as a team leader for multi-disciplinary team to ensure quality patient care/treatment. Responsibilities include:
evaluation of patient on admission and development of a comprehensive treatment plan, serve on medical staff committees, complete court papers, documenta-tion of patient progress in medical record, education of patients/families, provision of educational groups for patients.
70| APRIL 2013
Located in South Denver, Colorado, this practice features high patient volume and high visibility on the internet. Established referral sources, owner (psychologist) has excellent reputa-tion based on 30 years experience in Denver. Private pay and insurances, high-density traffic, beautifully decorated and furnished offices, 378 active and inactive clients, corporate clients, $14,000 physical assets, good parking, near bus and rapid transit housed in a well-maintained medical building. Live and work in one of the most healthy cities in the U.S.
List Price: $150,000 | Established: 2007 | Location: Colorado
Practice for Sale in South Denver
For more information contact Dr. Jack McInroy at 303-929-2598 or [email protected]
Neurofeedback and Psychological Practice
Hospice Practice wanted in Raleigh/Durham area of North Carolina.
Medical Practice Listings has a qualified physician buyer that is ready to purchase. If you are considering your hospice practice options, contact us for a confidential discussion regarding your practice.
Hospice Practice Wanted
To find out more information call 919-848-4202 or e-mail [email protected]
www.medicalpracticelistings.com
Comfortable seeing children. Needed immediately.
Call 919- 845-0054 or email: [email protected]
PEDIATRICIAN
FAYETTEVILLE, NCor family medicine doctor needed in
Call 919-848-4202 or email [email protected]
Woman's Practice Available for SaleAvailable for purchase is a beautiful boutique women’s Internal Medicine and Primary Care prac-tice located in the Raleigh area of North Carolina.
The physician owner has truly found a niche special-izing in women’s care. Enhanced with female-related outpatient procedures, the average patient per day is 40+. The owner of the practice is an Internal Medi-cine MD with a Nurse Practitioner working in the practice full time. Modern exam tables, instruments and medical furniture.
Gross Yearly Income: $585,000 | List Price: $365,000
Urgent care practice wanted in North Carolina.
Qualified physician is seeking to purchase an established urgent care within 100 miles of Raleigh, North Carolina. If you are considering retiring, relocations or closing your practice for personal reasons, contact us for a confidential discussion regarding your urgent care. You will receive cash at closing and not be required to carry a note.
Wanted:Urgent Care Practice
Call 919-848-4202 or e-mail [email protected]
Medical Practice ListingsBuying and selling made easy
Med MonthlyMed Monthly is the premier health care
magazine for medical professionals.
By placing an ad in Med Monthly you’ll reach: family medicine, internal
medicine, physician assistants and more!
Call us today to place your classified!
919.747.9031
Also available online 24/7medmonthly.com
Pediatrics practice wanted in NCConsidering your options regarding your pediatric prac-tice? We can help. Medical Practice Listings has a well qualified buyer for a pediatric practice anywhere in central North Carolina.
Contact us today to discuss your options confidentially.
Pediatrics Practice Wanted
Medical Practice ListingsCall 919-848-4202 or e-mail [email protected]
www.medicalpracticelistings.com
MedSpa Located in North Carolina
We have recently listed a MedSpa in NC
This established practice has staff MDs, PAs and nurses to assist patients. Some of the procedures performed include: Botox, Dysport, Restylane, Perian, Juvederm, Radiesse, IPL Photoreju Venation, fractional laser resurfacing as well as customized facials. There are too many procedures to mention in this very upscale practice. The qualified buyer will be impressed with the $900,000 gross revenue. This is a new listing, and we are in the valuation process.
Contact Medical Practice Listings today to discuss the practice details.
NC MedSpa For Sale
For more information call Medical Practice Listings at919-848-4202 or e-mail [email protected]
www.medicalpracticelistings.com
American Council on Exercise®
4 8 5 1 P A R A M O U N T D R I V E , S A N D I E G O , C A 9 2 1 2 3 U S A
( 8 0 0 ) 8 2 5 - 3 6 3 6 X 6 5 3 | W W W . A C E F I T N E S S . O R G
A Public Service Message brought to you by the American Council on Exercise,
a not-for-profit organization committed to the promotion of safe and effective exercise
A M E R I C A ’ S A U T H O R I T Y O N F I T N E S STM
ACE Certified: The Mark of QualityLook for the ACE symbol of excellence
in fitness training and education.For more information, visit our website:
www.ACEfitness.org
Kids spend several hours a day playing video games and
less than 15 minutes in P.E. Most can’t do two push-ups.
Many are obese, and nearly half exhibit risk factors of
heart disease. The American Council on Exercise and
major medical organizations consider this situation a
national health risk. Continuing budget cutbacks have
forced many schools to drop P.E.—in fact, 49 states no
longer even require it daily.
You can help. Dust off that bike. Get out the skates.
Swim with your kids. Play catch. Show them exercise is
fun and promotes a long, healthy life. And call ACE. Find
out more on how you can get these young engines fired
up. Then maybe the video games will get dusty.
Unfortunately, its motor is inside playing video games.
Primary Care Practice for SaleHickory, North Carolina
The owning physician is retiring, creating an excellent opportunity for a progressive buyer.
There are two full-time physician assistants that see the majority of the patients which averages
between 45 to 65 per day.
There is lots of room to grow this already solid practice that has a yearly gross of $1,500,00.
You will be impressed with this modern and highly visible
practice.
Call for pricing and details.
Call Medical Practice Listings at (919) 848-4202 for details and to view our other listings vist www.medicalpracticelistings.com
Established primary care practice in the beautiful foothills of North Carolina
Ophthalmic and Neuro-Ophthalmic PracticeRaleigh North Carolina
This is a great opportunity to purchase an established ophthalmic practice in the heart of Raleigh. Locate on a major road with established clients and plenty of room for growth; you will appreciate the upside this practice offers. This practice performs comprehensive ophthalmic and neuro-ophthalmic exams with diagnosis and treatment of eye disease of all ages.
Surgical procedures include no stitch cataract surgery, la-ser treatment for glaucoma and diabetic eye disease. This practice offers state-of-the-art equipment and offer you the finest quality optical products with contact lens fitting and follow-up care & frames for all ages.
List Price: $75,000 | Gross Yearly Income: $310,000
Contact Cara or Philip 919-848-4202 for more information or visit MedicalPracticeListings.com
Comprehensive Neuro-Ophthalmic Practice
By placing a professional ad in Med Monthly, you're spending smart money and directing your marketing efforts toward qualified clients. Contact one of our advertising agents and find out how inexpensive yet powerful your ad in Med Monthly can be.
medmonthly.com | 919.747.9031
ADVERTISE YOUR PRACTICE BUILDING IN MED MONTHLY
Wilmington, NC
Established primary care on the coast of North Carolina’s beautiful beaches. Fully staffed with MD’s and PA’s to treat both appointment and walk-in patients. Excellent exam room layout, equipment and visibility.
Contact Medical Practice Listings for more information.
Primary Care Practice For Sale
Medical Practice Listings919.848.4202 | [email protected]
www.medicalpracticelistings.com
Internal Medicine Practice for Sale
Call 919-848-4202 or email [email protected]
Located in the heart of the medical community in Cary, North Carolina, this Internal Medicine practice is accepting most private and government insurance payments.
The average patients per day is 20-25+, and the gross yearly income is $555,000.
Listing Price: $430,000
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH CARE PRACTICE FOR SALEGreensboro, North Carolina
Well-established practice serving the Greensboro and High Point areas for over 15 years. Five exam rooms that are fully equipped, plus digital X-Ray. Extensive corporate accounts as well as walk-in traffic. Lab equip-ment includes CBC. The owning MD is retiring, creat-ing an excellent opportunity for a MD to take over an existing patient base and treat 25 plus patients per day from day one. The practice space is 2,375 sq. feet. This is an exceptionally opportunity. Leased equipment in-cludes: X-Ray $835 per month, copier $127 per month, and CBC $200 per month. Call Medical Practice Listings at (919) 848-4202 for more information.
PRACTICE FOR SALE
Asking price: $385,000
To view more listings visit us online at medicalpracticelistings.com
In mid December, a pediatrician or family medicine doctor comfortable with seeing children is needed full time in Roanoke Rapids (1 hour north of Raleigh, NC) until a permanent doctor can be found. Credentialing at the hospital is necessary.
Call 919- 845-0054 or email: [email protected]
PEDIATRICIANOR FAMILY MEDICINEDOCTOR NEEDED IN
ROANOKE RAPIDS, NC
Modern, well-appointed med spa is available in a picturesque part of the state. This practice is positioned in a highly traveled area with positive demographics adding to the business appeal and revenue stream. A sampling of the services and procedures offered are: BOTOX, facial therapy and treatments, laser hair removal, eye lash extensions and body waxing as well as a menu of anti-aging options.
If you are currently a med spa owner and looking to expand or considering this high profile med business, this is the perfect opportunity.
Highly profitable and organized, you will find this spa poised for success. The qualified buyer can obtain detailed information by contacting Medical Practice Listings at 919-848-4202.
MODERN MED SPA AVAILABLELocated in beautiful coastal North Carolina
MedicalPracticeListings.com | [email protected] | 919.848.4202
Please direct all correspondence to [email protected] serious, qualified inquirers.
lOne of the oldest Locums companieslLarge client listlDozens of MDs under contractlExecutive office settinglModern computers and equipmentlRevenue over a million per yearlRetiring owner
MD STAFFING AGENCY FOR SALEIN NORTH CAROLINA
The perfect opportunity for anyone who wants to purchase an established business.
76 | APRIL 2013
52
DEALING WITH RISING OPERATING COSTSThe largest expense after real estate, equipment, and insurance is person-nel, an area that managers constantly struggle with. Practices have to be able
to provide good patient care without being overstaffed. Trying to hire dynamic employees who can do a little bit of everything seems to be the solution for many practices.
MANAGING FINANCES WITH THE UNCERTAINTY OF MEDICARE REIMBURSEMENT RATESThe threat of a significant cut in Medicare reimbursement continues to plague physician practices and
severely hinders their ability to properly plan and assess their financial situations.
PREPARING FOR THE TRANSITION TO ICD-10Planning and implementing ICD-10-CM must include communication and
significant collaboration on information technology, finance, education, and problem solving. The work necessary to implement ICD-10-CM and the resources required will depend on the size of the practice.
1
3
PREPARING FOR REIM-BURSEMENT MODELS THAT PUT GREATER FINANCIAL RISK ON PRACTICESPhysicians may soon be at financial risk as payers test and adopt new payment methods. These new payment
methods require doctors to think in new ways and will challenge the information systems of even the most sophisticated fee-for-service practice.
7COLLECTING PAYMENT FROM HIGH-DE-DUCTIBLE HEALTH PLANS AND/OR HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT PATIENTSHealth plan deductibles are rising, and patient self-pay of deductibles is typically difficult for doctors to collect, meaning that increasingly more doctors may lose money on patient deductibles.
PARTICIPATING IN CMS’ ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD MEANINGFUL USE INCENTIVE PROGRAMFrank Rosello, CEO at Environmental Intelligence LLC, has a very informative article on the current progress of the meaningful use Stage 2 being reviewed by CMS in the January issue of Med Monthly.
6MAINTAINING PHYSICIAN COMPENSATION LEVELSThere is rarely just one strategy to increase physician compensation. Most groups will use a combination of revenue enhancement and expense management
options on an ongoing basis, tweaking and re-evaluating their strategy from year to year.
4the top Biggest Challenges Facing
Medical Practices Today
RECRUITING PHYSICIANSPractices should imple-ment a staff development plan to help them antici-pate when physician job openings will occur and to
help them schedule recruitment efforts ac-cordingly. Intense competition means that starting the physician search without an adequate lead time could result in a long and detrimental physician vacancy gap.
MEDMONTHLY.COM | 77
8 MANAGING GROUP PRACTICE FINANCESThe healthcare envi-ronment is increasingly complex to navigate. It’s now more impor-tant than ever for professional practice administrators, espe-
cially those who are board certified in medical practice management, to assist their practices in adapting to the arduous processes and regula-tions that govern our industry.
9
Biggest Challenges Facing Medical Practices Today
Scan this QR code with your smartphone to learn more.
It’s Time to Get Online!Showcase your practice and
develop the right image.
Our website package is custom designed and affordable.
Increase your patient volume and profitability with a website from MedMedia9.Visit us today at medmedia9.com to find out how we can make your practice grow. Click on the “Web Design” tab for more details and view the sample website. Call MedMedia9 today at 919-747-9031.
MedMedia9medmedia9.com