Practice Management

The breadth of offerings at the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Resource Center and Technology Pavilion at the first joint meeting with the European Society of Ophthalmology (SOE) is extraordinary. Physicians can try the demo for the Basic and Clinical Science Course on CD-ROM, flip through the latest patient education products, get help with critical business issues such as coding, and learn the ins and outs of acquiring and installing an electronic medical records system.

The nation's medical liability crisis has yet to waver, according to the American Medical Association (AMA). With the addition of Massachusetts this summer, the AMA's official crisis chart is now composed of 20 states-up from 12 in 2002.

Ophthalmic heritage encompasses a wide variety of ways to remember the past. One may collect images of famous people, articles that they wrote, study the environment and the settings in which they practiced, collect books or artifacts from days gone by, or just read about history. Here are my ideas about developing a historical collection of antiques.

Financial control is vitally important to any well-run business. Financial control mechanisms ensure that the organization continues to progress toward achievement of its financial objectives. Effective financial control allows the organization to detect problems at the earliest possible stage.

Yonkers, NY-Wise Optical will distribute several Metzler International Inc. eyeglass and sunglass collections to the professional optical trade under a distribution agreement that covers the United States.

Systems provide improved tracking and management of daily business functions

AdvaMed works to clear policy hurdles, making it easier for device manufacturers to bring their products to the marketplace.

Three ophthalmology practices have been awarded the third WilliamE. Rose Jr. Pinnacle Award for managing outstanding offices.The awards were presented Saturday during the opening general sessionof the American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators (ASOA) Congress onOphthalmic Practice Management.

Protecting patients' privacy has always been a top priority for physicians and staff alike, but now it is mandatory. By April 14, 2005, practices must have taken the necessary steps to comply with Title II of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996, which pertains to privacy of health data.

The eyeTeknix (pronounced "eye techniques") Coding and Documentation Solution from mdTeknix is a quick, effective, and easy way to assure Medicare compliance.

Washington, DC-Reimbursement rates for some ophthalmic ultrasound procedures have gone up instead of down after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) adjusted its new fee schedule.

"(The merchant's) capital is continually going from him in some shape, and returning to him in another."

Switching to electronic medical records (EMRs) is the smart thing to do. An EMR puts information-legible information, databases of it-right at your fingertips.

If you want to offer your employees health insurance, a break on the cost of child care, or other benefits that you cannot afford to fund fully, consider installing a Section 125 Cafeteria plan. This setup allows your employees to pay for certain expenses with pre-tax salary dollars.

Your receptionist lets you know that a Dr. Smith is on the phone, and he's checking the references of Jane Miller, a former staffer. You and your employees are thrilled that Jane no longer works for you. She was chronically late, sloppy, rude to patients, and was about to be fired when she quit, ostensibly for family reasons, about a year ago. "What should I tell him? Do you want to talk to him?"

Marriage does receive favorable treatment under the tax code after death. Generally, an estate may claim an unlimited deduction for the value of all property that passes from a decedent to the surviving spouse upon death. So, a basic "I love you" will, where all property is left to the spouse outright upon death,allows the estate to pay no tax.

Dorado, Puerto Rico-Physicians need to take a proactive approach to patient chart documentation as audit activity continues under the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program, established under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996, said practice management expert Donna M. McCune, CCS-P, COE.

Dorado, Puerto Rico-Physician reimbursement, professional liability, and patient safety are at the top of the advocacy agenda for 2004 for the American Society of Cata-ract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), as well as other physician specialty groups that are all part of the Alliance of Specialty Medicine.

At this time many of you will be attending or about to attend the American Association of Dispensing Ophthalmologists (AADO) 10th Dispensing Ophthalmology Conference March 25 to 28 at International Vision Expo East, New York. Your participation in the largest optical and educational show can be even more beneficial if you take the time to prepare in advance.

"Self-sacrifice usually contains an unspoken demand for payment."

Less is considered more when it comes to eyeglass frames. From semi-rimless to rimless, the key is a minimalist approach. Rimless mountings are one of the fastest-growing eyewear styles in the marketplace.

This year, as with every year, fairreimbursement for all ophthalmologists tops the American Academy of Ophthalmology's (AAO) agenda in Washington, DC. The academy expectsto build on the success achieved withthe "Medicare Prescription Drug andModernization Act"-which replaced an expected 4.5% reduction with a 1.5% increase in Medicare fees in 2004 and 2005-by working to achieve a permanent fix to the reimbursement formula so future Medicare rates are reasonable and patient access to care is secure.

Washington, DC-The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) once again plans to expand its coverage for ocular photodynamic therapy (OPT) with verteporfin (Visudyne, Novartis Ophthalmics).

Mountain View, CA-Add Mississippi to the list of states whose Medicare administrators will pay for transpupillary thermother-apy (TTT) treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Mountain View, CA-The Medicare Part B Carrier for Pennsylvania has announced it will allow reimbursement to ophthalmologists performing transpupillary thermotherapy treatment (TTT) of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and certain intraocular tumors.

Dispensing ophthalmologists face many challenges in opening and maintaining profitable optical dispensaries. Considering the volume of cataract surgery many ophthalmology practices are performing for their aging patient base, setting up the dispensary for delivery of post-cataract eyewear can be a major challenge. It's not so much in the fitting and dispensing of the eyeglasses, but in completing the proper paperwork both within the dispensary and filing with Medicare for reimbursement of claims.

Washington, DC-The Medicare Payment Assessment Commission (MedPAC) will recommend that Congress revise the payment system for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) so it falls in line with payments for similar procedures performed at a hospital.

Toronto-QLT Inc. is temporarily lowering the price of verteporfin (Visudyne, Novartis and QLT Inc.) by $55 after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lowered the amount for which it would reimburse physicians.

Rochester, NY-Bausch & Lomb has completed the purchase of InSite Vision's ISV-403 compound for the treatment of ocular infections. Bausch & Lomb gave InSite Vision an undisclosed cash sum and reimbursement of certain product development expenses. In exchange, InSite Vision will give Bausch & Lomb a percentage of future product sales in all licensed countries.

Anaheim, CA-Evidence-based medicine is at least a partial solution to many of the dilemmas facing today's ophthalmologists.