Mar 15, 2009
Welcome to the Harris County Physician Newsletter Online!
In this issue. . .
How Good Are Your Health Plan Contracts? Attend HCMS Business Expo
Free help getting paid: At three locationsPresident's Page Prescription for a healthy practice
Business of Medicine More TMA Learn @ Lunch seminars!
Business of Medicine Learn @ Lunch seminar: How do the “Red Flag Rules” apply to me?
Business of Medicine Still repaying student loans?
Want to know the latest? Receive HCMS Direct (e-mails)
APRIL CALENDAR
Live from Austin… It’s TexMed 2009!
‘HOT’ Member Benefit HCMS Business Expo
Role of apology in physician-patient relationships
Medicaid corner
DSHS lab change
Reserve your extra copies
3-15-09 Classifieds
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Pictured above are some of the 30 HCMS physicians who participated in the March 3rd TMA First Tuesdays at the Capitol to discuss medical bills with local legislators in Austin. See article on page 5 for more information.
How Good Are Your Health Plan Contracts? Attend HCMS Business Expo
Can you identify potential problems in contract language? Find out the answer to this question and more by attending the HCMS Business Expo on Saturday, April 18, and CME course, How Good Are Your Health Plan Contracts.
This is a great opportunity to learn, gain CME and Ethics CME credit, and enhance the operations of your practice. The Expo has three CME programs, plus information on products and services for your practice. It is all free to HCMS members, their families and staff. The Expo is at the Reliant Center from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Expo will include:
• Free admission;
• Free parking (RSVP to receive parking voucher);
• Free CME seminars (2 ethics CMEs and 1 CME);
• Vendors showcasing products and services benefiting physicians and their
practices;
• Door prizes, including iPods, hotel stays and much more; and
• Networking opportunities with your colleagues to learn from the experiences of
others about the various products on display.
To learn more about the Expo (i.e., location, parking, schedule, reservations, etc.), visit www.hcms.org. Although an RSVP is not required, attendees are encouraged to RSVP for express check-in and to receive a free parking voucher. To RSVP, call
713-526-7378.
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Free help getting paid: At three locations
Are you getting paid for the services you rendered? Schedule your free and private 30-minute reimbursement consultation with a Texas Medical Association (TMA) reimbursement expert at the Harris County Medical Society (HCMS) office, or in the northwest or southeast areas. The consultations are a benefit of membership.
Come prepared to discuss specific issues with a reimbursement expert. The free and private consultations will help find solutions to primary/secondary coverage issues, slow paying carriers, collection problems, late-filing appeals, Medicaid, Medicare, coding, Workers’ Compensation, and much more. The consultations also provide free reference materials to help keep your practice running smoothly.
Consultations will be:
Tuesday, May 19, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Northwest Medical Center – Medical Office Bldg.
800 Peakwood, Suite 1D
Houston, TX 77090
Wednesday, May 20, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Southeast Houston
250 Blossom, 3rd Floor
Webster, TX 77598
Thursday, May 21, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Harris County Medical Society offices
John P. McGovern Bldg.
1515 Hermann Drive
Houston, TX 77004
Friday, May 22, 9 a.m. to Noon
Harris County Medical Society offices
John P. McGovern Bldg.
1515 Hermann Drive
Houston, TX 77004
Call now to schedule your free appointment to learn how you can improve your practice.
For more information, contact Suzy Pero at 713-524-4267.
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President's Page
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President's Page
Dr. Lewis E. Foxhall
Prescription for a healthy practice
In these uncertain financial times, it takes much more than practicing good medicine to have a healthy practice—it takes business sense. Fortunately, we don’t have to go far to find assistance. The Harris County Medical Society (HCMS) provides a number of benefits and services for the physician’s practice, whether academic or community—many of them are free to our members.
HCMS offers “Business of Medicine” and practice management seminars for physicians as well as for medical students and residents. The HCMS Branch Societies hold CME seminars and provide networking opportunities for physicians throughout the Greater Houston area. Recent seminar topics have been: physician investing; group practices without walls; how to train, recruit, retain and terminate staff; economic survival; medical liability; and technology & patient communication. Also, there are Business of Medicine articles and information in each newsletter and on the HCMS Web site.
Having the right tools makes a big difference in how smoothly a practice runs. The HCMS Business Expo, held in the fall and spring, showcases products and services exclusively for the physician’s practice. Additionally, it features three CME seminars on practice management topics. HCMS physicians, staff and family can attend for free. This is a great event to talk with a number of vendors and find out what is right for your practice. The HCMS Spring Business Expo will be held on Saturday, April 18, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Reliant Center.
If your practice is having any difficulty receiving payments for services, then you or your staff should take advantage of the free 30-minute private consultations HCMS is hosting with a Texas Medical Association (TMA) reimbursement expert on May 19-22. This year, the meetings will be held throughout the Greater Houston area. Call Suzy Pero at HCMS, 713-524-4267, to register.
Need to hire more staff members? HCMS helps with that, too, and at rates 50 percent lower than most private medical employment agencies. Medserv Employment Services Division, a service organization of HCMS, prescreens candidates for clinical and administrative positions, conducts skills assessments, interviews, criminal background checks, and much more, to help physicians in hiring the right candidates. (Go to www.hcms.org and click on “Medserv”.)
Have you moved or added a new physician to your practice? Need to let your colleagues know? HCMS has mailing and electronic labels (that can be separated by zip codes and/or specialty) available to HCMS physicians at reasonable prices. Also, member physicians can advertise at a reduced rate in the HCMS newsletter, which reaches more than 7,500 physicians in the Greater Houston area.
HCMS makes it easy to receive information. Physicians can choose the news they want e-mailed to them by signing up for HCMS Direct on the HCMS Web site home page. Also, HCMS has a Physician Alert System in place so area physicians can be notified of disaster/health related emergencies.
HCMS and its boards and councils meet regularly with health insurance companies, Medicare, Medicaid, and Texas Department of Insurance to help resolve issues. Those issues that can’t be resolved get transferred to our legislative advocacy efforts. HCMS advocacy efforts, have resulted in positive changes with the Texas Medical Board, health insurance companies, scope of practice, and medical liability rates, to name a few.
To remind physicians of the numerous benefits and services HCMS offers, ‘Hot’ Member Benefits is a new feature in the HCMS newsletter and on the Web site. For a full list of benefits, go to www.hcms.org and click on “Membership” and “Member Benefits”. If you are not taking advantage of the services and products that HCMS and TMA offer, it’s time to start. Staying current in your business skills is your best prescription for a healthy practice.
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Business of Medicine
More TMA Learn @ Lunch seminars!
Texas Medical Association’s (TMA’s) Learn @ Lunch audio seminar series has returned with a new series dealing with important human resources issues that you encounter in your practice on a regular basis.
Learn @ Lunch: The Human Resources Series audio seminars provide a no-hassle way to learn about human resources management from the convenience of your office. The audio seminars are scheduled from Noon to 1 p.m. When you register, you will receive a confirmation with dial-in instructions, one toll-free number and an Internet link to download the course materials. Make a copy of the course materials for each participant from your office. Following the presentation, you will receive instructions on how to ask questions. It’s important to discuss what you learned at the program with all members of your staff and work together to implement new ideas, policies and procedures.
The Noon-1 p.m. audio seminar dates and topics are:
April 21 – Human Resources Compliance
May 12 – Employee Recruitment
June 2 – Retention Strategies
July 7 – Release and Discipline
The cost is only $75 per session, or you may take advantage of the discounted fee of $225 for four sessions.. TMLT insured members receive 3 percent discount on their liability insurance for participating in any combination of three programs, with eligibility for up to two discounts. The TMA designates each educational activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit in ethics and/or professional responsibility education.
Make plans now to gather your office staff during your lunch break. Join the TMA for these informative seminars. For more information and to register, go to www.texmed.org/template.aspx?id=5846, or contact the TMA Knowledge Center at 800-880-7955.
Source: TMA
Presented by the HCMS Board on Socioeconomics
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Learn @ Lunch seminar: How do the “Red Flag Rules” apply to me?
The Federal Trade Commission says physicians who regularly bill their patients for services, including billing for co-pays and coinsurance, are creditors and must develop and implement written identity theft prevention programs for their practices by May 1, 2009. The programs must identify and respond to patterns, practices or specific activities – known as “red flags” – that could indicate identity theft.
To help you understand how these Red Flag Rules will affect your practice, the Texas Medical Association (TMA) has developed a one-hour audio seminar. During the TMA Learn @ Lunch Audio Seminar: Red Flag Rules, you will obtain practical tools such as action plans, policies and procedures, and implementation techniques to assist your office with compliance. You also will discover how to develop an action plan to mitigate identity theft, so you will be ready for the May 1 implementation of these federal regulations.
The TMA Learn @ Lunch Audio Seminar: Red Flag Rules:
• Thursday, April 16, 2009
• From Noon to 1 p.m.
• Cost is only $50 for you and your entire staff.
For more information or to register for this important audio seminar, go to www.texmed.org/Template.aspx?id=7498, or contact the TMA Knowledge Center at 800-800-7955.
Source: TMA
Presented by the HCMS Board on Socioeconomics
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Still repaying student loans?
So you’re a new physician fresh out of residency, ensconced in your first practice. Great! The only real downside is what to do about those huge, outstanding loan balances.
Or, you’ve been trucking along practicing medicine for a number of years, enjoying interactions with your patients and the clinical challenges they present. Also great! Except for that pesky loan from medical school, gulping too much of your take-home pay.
Student loans from medical school are a big chunk of change. But for either of these two scenarios, there are solutions to managing your medical school debt — some simple, some complex. Start by shoring up your knowledge of loan mechanics at www.ed.gov/students/college/repay/edpicks.jhtml, and then check out these possible avenues of settling your loan expeditiously.
1. Renegotiate the terms if they feel too onerous. Approach the lender (after reviewing information from the above Web site) with relevant facts and figures regarding your work/life situation. Lenders want their money and many are willing to give a little on the terms to get repaid.
2. Get your employer to help you with repayment, especially a potential employer. This can be a valuable negotiation tool. Employers sometimes agree to repay all or part of your loan in exchange for a commitment to stay in the community a certain amount of time. Note that arrangements such as these are not government-sponsored but are community-sponsored. Occasionally, you can find a practice that is willing to repay your loan in lieu of certain salary or bonus concessions. The key is to determine the best way to make the repayment plan work, so you and your family can successfully manage your finances.
3. Consolidate multiple loans. You cannot consolidate all but you can consolidate like loans, e.g., all federal loans. Current interest rates are very competitive and now would be a great time to lock in a low rate. You don’t necessarily have to accept longer payback periods, but that is an option.
4. You can choose a graduated repayment schedule, paying less per month while you‘re earning less and increasing it over time. You will still have the loan repaid in 120 payments (10 years), but it won’t feel so crushing while you’re just starting out. Since most physician loans are more than $40,000, you can extend payments to 25 years if that makes sense for your situation.
5. Defer or seek forbearance if you must. That is, if the total amount of your loans is too large due to other expenses. A deferral is available for a period of time based upon a specific need such as return to school, economic hardship or unemployment. Forbearance puts payments on hold for up to three years, but interest continues to accrue.
6. Take advantage of other special loan-help programs. The NIH offers a loan forgiveness program for clinical researchers who conduct research for at least 20 hours per week over a two-year contract period. This program can result in a loan repayment of up to $35,000 per year, plus additional payments to cover federal income taxes. For more information, go to www.lrp.nih.gov/about/lrp-clinical.htm.
7. Join a federal program such as the National Health Service Corps or AmeriCorps and receive loan forgiveness. Yes, the pay is much less, but you will gain more in paybacks, as well as a secure job, while providing service to those in need.
Thankfully, the loan was there for you when you needed the funds. It got you through the very expensive, extensive education of medical school. So take the time to look over your debt and review some possible strategies that will work for you.
Source: Physicians Practice
Presented by the HCMS Board on Socioeconomics
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Want to know the latest?
Receive HCMS Direct (e-mails)
HCMS Direct is an e-mail service provided by The Harris County Medical Society to its members. HCMS Direct’s purpose is part of the HCMS Strategic Plan to: “Facilitate members’ access to information with prompt accurate answers on current issues affecting their medical practices and HCMS activities.”
Through HCMS Direct, you can select the information you wish to receive. The choices are:
• Practice Management & Insurance
• Continuing Medical Education Opportunities
• Legislative Issues
• Public Health Issues
• Newsletters
• HCMS Products & Services
To sign up, go to www.hcms.org and click on HCMS Direct on the front page. The process is simple…provide your Texas medical license number and check the boxes for the subjects of interest.
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THURSDAY 2
6:30 p.m., Houston Infectious Diseases Society, Catalan
TUESDAY 7
5:30 p.m., Gulf Coast Medical Group Management Association, www.gulfcoastmgma.org
WEDNESDAY 8
6:30 p.m., Harris County Academy of Family Physicians, Damian’s
MONDAY 13
6:30 p.m., Houston Dermatological Society, Trevisio
TUESDAY 14
9 a.m., HCMS Retired Physicians Organization (RPO) Spring Trip
6:30 p.m., Houston Pediatric Society, TBA
WEDNESDAY 15
6:30 p.m., Houston Psychiatric Society, The Tasting Room
6:30 p.m., Houston Surgical Society, Trevisio
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6:30 p.m., Gulf Coast Hematology Society, Trevisio
THURSDAY 16
6:30 p.m., Texas Gulf Coast Gastroenterological Society, Mortons
TUESDAY 21
6 p.m., HCMS Annual Disaster Planning Meeting for Hospital Chiefs of Staff, Specialty Society Presidents, EMS Committee, and the Houston Society of Emergency Medicine, Trevisio
THURSDAY 23
6:30 p.m., Houston Society of Plastic Surgeons, Catalan
SATURDAY 25
7 a.m., Houston Society of Clinical Pathologists Spring Seminar, Omni Hotel
TUESDAY 28
6 p.m., Southeast Branch Meeting, Bay Oaks Country Club
6 p.m., North Branch Meeting, Northgate Country Club
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Pictured above, former HCMS President Dr. Donald Butts shows his grandchildren an X-Ray during Feb. 21 HCMS Member Day at the John P. McGovern Museum of Health & Medical Science (The Health Museum), which allowed them free admission to the museum and it’s exhibits. Physicians also could attend an ethics CME seminar sponsored by TMLT.
Live from Austin … It’s TexMed 2009!
The Austin Convention Center and the Hilton Austin Hotel will resonate with excitement, education, and entertainment for Texas Medical Association’s biggest and best conference of the year, TexMed 2009. HCMS is very proud to have one of its former presidents, Dr. William Fleming III, installed as the new TMA president on Saturday,
May 2.
On May 1-2, physicians from all over Texas will have their choice of 100 hours of free CME. Physicians can investigate the communications lab, a legislative track, a practice management track, and a session on quality and patient safety. On Friday afternoon, hear Rob Tenery, MD, trace the evolution of health care in this country, and attend a book-signing afterward featuring Dr. Mayo’s Boy: A Century of American Medicine. Then learn Why Zebras Don’t Have Ulcers from Robert Sapolsky, PhD, at Friday’s General Session, sponsored by the Texas Medical Liability Trust.
Take the ultimate road trip Friday evening at TMA Foundation’s Benefit: Cruisin’ Along
Route 66. Attend the TMA/TMA Alliance 2009-10 Presidents’ Installation Luncheon on Saturday. And explore the jam-packed Expo Hall, humming with 120+ exhibits and dozens of fascinating prizes, including a Wii, iPod shuffle, digital camera, gift cards, and more!
Bring your white coat to Austin to make your presence known and your voice heard. Show up on Thursday morning, April 30, for TexMed 2009’s Lobby Day at the Capitol for a visit to your legislator’s office and to be recognized on the House and Senate floor. Then you’ll join your legislator for lunch on the capitol lawn, where you can discuss critical issues.
TexMed is a free benefit to all TMA members. Register immediately on the TexMed 2009 Web site at www.texmed09.texmed.org or call the TMA Knowledge Center at 800-880-7955.
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In their March 3 First Tuesday visit with Rep. Bill Callegari’s office, Drs. Arlo Weltge (left), Alan Glombicki (middle) and Craig Johnson (right) discussed issues including insurance transparency, GME funding, and status of EMS in the Greater Houston area since Hurricane Ike.
Live from Austin… It’s TexMed 2009!
The Austin Convention Center and the Hilton Austin Hotel will resonate with excitement, education, and entertainment for Texas Medical Association’s biggest and best conference of the year, TexMed 2009. HCMS is very proud to have one of its former presidents, Dr. William Fleming III, installed as the new TMA president on Saturday,
May 2.
On May 1-2, physicians from all over Texas will have their choice of 100 hours of free CME. Physicians can investigate the communications lab, a legislative track, a practice management track, and a session on quality and patient safety. On Friday afternoon, hear Rob Tenery, MD, trace the evolution of health care in this country, and attend a book-signing afterward featuring Dr. Mayo’s Boy: A Century of American Medicine. Then learn Why Zebras Don’t Have Ulcers from Robert Sapolsky, PhD, at Friday’s General Session, sponsored by the Texas Medical Liability Trust.
Take the ultimate road trip Friday evening at TMA Foundation’s Benefit: Cruisin’ Along
Route 66. Attend the TMA/TMA Alliance 2009-10 Presidents’ Installation Luncheon on Saturday. And explore the jam-packed Expo Hall, humming with 120+ exhibits and dozens of fascinating prizes, including a Wii, iPod shuffle, digital camera, gift cards, and more!
Bring your white coat to Austin to make your presence known and your voice heard. Show up on Thursday morning, April 30, for TexMed 2009’s Lobby Day at the Capitol for a visit to your legislator’s office and to be recognized on the House and Senate floor. Then you’ll join your legislator for lunch on the capitol lawn, where you can discuss critical issues.
TexMed is a free benefit to all TMA members. Register immediately on the TexMed 2009 Web site at www.texmed09.texmed.org or call the TMA Knowledge Center at 800-880-7955.
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‘HOT’ Member Benefit
HCMS Business Expo
HCMS Business Expo provides business solutions for physicians. It has products and services for the physician’s practice, three ethics CMEs on practice management topics, networking opportunities, and door prizes All Free for HCMS physicians, their families and staff members. HCMS hosts the Business Expo on Saturday, April 18, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Reliant Center.
For more information, go to www.hcms.org or to RSVP to receive free parking, Call 713-526-7378.
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Role of apology in physician-patient relationships
Physicians are often cautious about offering expressions of empathy or sympathy to patients who have suffered adverse outcomes. These outcomes may be the result of known complications, clear errors or other circumstances. However, caution in this area of communication may result in lawsuits filed against the physician.
Research suggests that apology plays an important role in the physician-patient relationships. It is understandably difficult to determine appropriate communication techniques to convey concern for the patient without inadvertently implying personal fault or guilt by the physician. Therefore, Texas Medical Liability Trust (TMLT) developed a pamphlet that discusses the role of apology and provides guidelines related to various situations in which physicians may be involved.
To access this valuable resource, go to www.hcms.org, click on “Ethics” then “Physician Information,” and then “Specific Issues” and go to the Physician-Patient Relationship category.
If there is a specific ethical issue that you would like addressed in the newsletter, please FAX your request to Peer Review at 713-526-1434.
Source: Texas Medical Liability Trust
Presented by the HCMS Board of Ethics
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Medicaid corner
DSHS lab change
Effective March 12, 2009, the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) laboratory will only accept serum specimens shipped cold and received within five days of specimen collection for syphilis (RPR and TPPA), HIV, and Hepatitis C testing. Serum specimens may be collected in one of two ways:
1. The specimen may be collected in a red-top blood collection tube and centrifuged within two hours of collection. The serum must then be poured into a transport tube and shipped overnight cold, on cold packs; or
2. The specimen may be collected in a serum separator tube (SST), centrifuged within two hours of collection, and the SST shipped overnight cold, on cold packs. Please note, if you use an SST, the fill volume on the amount of blood in the tube is critical. Tubes that are not within +/-10 percent of the indicated appropriate fill volume on the tube will be rejected and not tested.
The State does recognize that this may be a significant change for physician offices or
clinics, so the DSHS laboratory can assist during the transition.
1. If you are able to collect, centrifuge and ship the specimens using the methods specified above, the DSHS laboratory can provide the following supplies:
• tubes for specimen collection (either the red-top blood collection tubes or
SST, based on your preference);
• transport tubes in which to pour the specimen if you opt to use the red-top
blood collection tubes;
• containers and cold packs for shipping these specimens; and
• air bills to cover overnight shipment costs.
2. If you currently have no means to centrifuge specimens within two hours of collection, contact Susan Hoffpauir at 888-963-7111, ext. 6030, or e-mail labinfo@dshs.state.tx.us.
The DSHS laboratory will be providing additional details over the coming weeks, including instructions on how to request necessary supplies. Those who do not have experience with centrifuging blood specimens will receive safety instructions and training materials.
Updated information will be available on the DSHS web site at www.dshs.state.tx.us/ lab/serumSpecimenCriteria.shtm. Please check this Web site regularly for the most current information.
Source: Texas Department of State Health Services
Presented by the HCMS Medicaid Forum
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Reserve your extra copies
The new 2009 HCMS/HAM Pictorial Roster has arrived. HCMS members will receive one copy as a member benefit. Extra copies are available for order now.
Not only do physicians need this valuable reference publication, but office staff and other medical professionals need this information as well.
To place an order, please call Nancy Boone at 713-524-4267, ext. 221, or e-mail nancy_boone@hcms.org.
Reserve your extra copies now!
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