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PRACTICE GUARDIAN NEWS...

�The Internet & Practice Management."

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Free - Subscribe today
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Submit your www.association site Information today!
Issue 10 - October 1, 1999
Now available
Main Page http://www.practiceguardian.com
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INDEX

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PRACTICE MANAGEMENT SITES
.........Health Info Corp
.........Health Leaders.Com

TOP CHOICE REVIEW...
NationalDialNet.Com
PRACTICE TIPS
......Improve Cash Flow By Developing the
Successful Financial Policy!
......Evaluating Your Accounts Receivable Performance!
ASSOCIATION UPDATE
....Integrated Healthcare Association (IHA) Update
RECOMMENDED NEWSLETTERS & PUBLICATIONS
NATIONAL HEALTHCARE ASSOCIATIONS (A TO Z)
EDITORIAL INFORMATION

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Practice Management Sites

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Health Info Corp
http://www.healthinfoseek.com.�

Health Info Corp is the leading provider of video-based medical information
for medical practitioners and the general public.� Health Info develops
proprietary video content by recording physician presentations at medical
society meetings, grand rounds lectures, and creating an array of
informational videotapes on medical diagnoses for the general public.

Health Info operates a comprehensive e-health portal at
www.healthinfoseek.com.�This online service provides resources for both
physicians and consumers and provides only the most credible content sources
available.�Our Internet presence at healthinfoseek.com consists of 18
program areas and is dedicated to providing the most comprehensive,
reliable, and credible medical information to physicians and consumers in
both text and video.�Healthinfoseek.com is an e-Commerce site that provides
their users with educational resources designed in easy to follow
videotapes, books, and in text formats provided at no charge.�At
Healthinfoseek.com, users can, in both text and video, take charge of their
health by educating themselves on an extensive listing of diseases, surgical
procedures, and medications, share similar life experiences with others
through our interactive Bulletin Boards, and ask their questions to
physicians and surgeons from the Yale University School of Medicine.� Our
strategic alliance with MediaSite provides the value added service of
searchable video that allows our visitors to search, preview, and purchase
the exact content they are seeking.

Health Info constantly seeks to improve its capabilities to educate
consumers and provide access to cutting edge CME credits. The Company's goal
is to satisfy the need for information not only for the medical community,
but for every individual confronted with a health care issue regardless of
their literacy level or language preference.

For more information contact
Kevin J. Aniskovich, President & Chief Operating Officer
Health Info Corp,
471 East Main Street,
Branford, Connecticut 06405
203-483-7791 x103

Email [email protected]
http://www.healthinfoseek.com</a>��

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Health Leaders.Com
http://www.healthleaders.com

Award winning daily healthcare newsletter from Passport Health
Communications. Features direct links to health technology, government,
legal issues, managed care and industry news, press releases and updates.

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TOP CHOICE REVIEW

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NationalDialNet.Com

http://www.needadoctor.com
http://www.needadentist.com
http://www.USDENTIST.com

Are you looking for quality information, a wealth of knowledge for the
practitioner or patient? NationalDialNet.com heathcare websites could be a
time saver on your next internet journey. Featuring needadentist.com,
needadoctor.com, and USdentist.com, these websites are easy to access and
practitioner friendly.

Needadentist.com offer a wide array of professionals products and services
including ask the experts, comprehensive continuing education opportunities,
and free classifieds. Educational and functional links to other healthcare
resources are also available at the site.

Finding a dds or md in an emergency situation can be life saving.
Needadentist.com offers easy and practitical solutions for the consumer and
practitioner. National state directories are available with up-to-date
listings and a unique option to add practice information to the existing
database.

Needadoctor.com caters to the medical professional and patient offering full
search capabilities for finding a physician, nationwide search by
speciality, and add my practice database. Visit the site for a listing of
healthcare vendors and sponsors.

USdentist.com features an interactive forum and message board. Post a
message or search the database for management or clinical discussion
subjects. Get involved or updated.

If you are looking to build a website or host your domain,
NationalDialNet.Com has the expertise, knowledge and established healthcare
(md or dds) communities to feature your practice on the
internet. Healthcare vendors and e-commerce programs are also available.

In all, travelling the healthcare internet can be quick, easy and successful
with NationalDialNet.com websites. For more information contact
[email protected] or visit the
sites at

http://www.needadoctor.com
http://www.needadentist.com
http://www. USdentist.com

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PRACTICE TIPS

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Improve Cash Flow By Developing the Successful Financial Policy!

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The road to successfully gaining control of your receivables can be
a long and tedious task for the inexperienced manager who fails to outline
all financial, billing, insurance and collection responsibilities to all
patients before credit is granted.

The financial policy is the pulse and heartbeat of the complete receivable
system. It offers a rare opportunity for the manager to create a set of
rules and guidelines for the patient to adhere to.

A significant amount of cash flow is lost when the manager is continually
forced to collect accounts in delinquency. Each new delinquent entering the
collection department subtracts one second of productivity and two seconds
of incentive from the staff. The manager must roll up the shirt sleeves and
fight back before the department loses control and admits defeat.

The financial policy can be the first practical step for the following
reasons.

1. Outlining all patient financial, billing, credit, insurance and
collection responsibilities can reduce the amount of overall
misunderstandings and can avoid future payment disagreements.

2. Reducing the sheer number of disgruntled patients will significantly
improve the overall performance of each collector. Eliminating stress from
the work place can pay dividends.

3. Eventually, the patient account costs more to collect than it�s original
balance. For example, deducting account depreciation, lost interest and the
internal costs of labor and paper,the $100 account after nine months turns
into the $9.90 delinquency!

4. The smart manager can only regain control if new delinquencies are
reduced. Any manager in the trenches can testify to time management
dilemmas. Control is a key to success.

Finally, The policy should not exceed one typed page. This is critical
since the policy must clear up misunderstandings without losing patient
interest. Everyone good paying or delinquent should receive a copy to
insure continuity.

For more tips from Michael J. Berry, Consultant visit

http://www.practiceguardian.com

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EVALUATING YOUR ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE PERFORMANCE!

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The collection percentage analysis is a sure method in determining
how effective your internal management procedures and process
is collecting.

This analysis will indicate how effective each management procedure at each
interval of the billing and collection process is controling and preventing
delinquencies.

First, divide all net charges into net payments received beginning
with the January 1999 totals then proceed with each following month. The
collection percentage analysis should be accomplished at the end of each
quarter, mid year and annually. This will offset Medicare and hospital
charges into your system and create a true
analysis of your receivables.

Once the percentage for each month is attained for each month
a bar graph should be utilized. Beginning with the top left side of
the graph insert the percentage of 150% and decrease each line by 5% until
it is completed at 50% as follows:

150
145 @
140
135
130 @
125 @
120 @
115
110 @
100
95 @
90_______________________________________________________________________92%
85
80 @
75 @
70 @
65 @
60
55 @
50 @

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
70 125 80 95 120 55 150 50 110 130 65 75

Now, place your monthly collection percentages on the bottom
of the graph including a straight line across at 92% to indicate
the national average. The average loss for medical accounts
receivables is between 8% to 20% fluctuating with the amount
of Medicaid and Medicare adjustments each practice accepts. Remember
speciality practices average higher annual loss figures.

Finally, connect the dots (percentages) to indicate your performance. Under
normal circumstances, the graph should range from 120% to a low of 85% with
few fluctuations. If your evaluation is comparable to an ekg reading you are
consistently losing cash flow and should overhaul your entire internal
process.

This is not a percise measurement of your receivables. It only
indicates a graph of your current accounts receivable preventive and active
procedures and process.

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ASSOCIATION UPDATE

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Integrated Healthcare Association (IHA) Update
http://www.iha.org

The Integrated Healthcare Association (IHA) has released a major report on
Preserving and Strengthening the Delegated Model in California. The recent
bankruptcies of FPA and MedPartners, and growing concern about provider
group insolvency, have raised serious questions about the predominant
California model of delivering managed care through delegated relationships
from health plans to provider groups, supported by capitated payments. In
its report, IHA argues that the basic model is sound and works well when
there is a proper balancing of risk and responsibility between a health plan
and a well-managed provider group, but that clearly improvements are needed.

IHA calls for actions that will restore a true sense of partnership to the
delegated model, clearly defining the mutual accountability between health
plans and provider organizations, and the establishment of publicly reported
financial standards, common audits, and comparative performance measures for
delegated entities.

The report may be ordered for $15.00 through the IHA web site
http://www.iha.org

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RECOMMENDED NEWSLETTERS & PUBLICATIONS

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�Northwest Physician Magazine�
Published Monthly
Questions Contact
Editor: Ms. Debbie Baldwin
1-800-697-6241
Yearly Subscription:
Focus Point- Practice Management
& Physician issues.

�The Health Care Collector�
Published Monthly by:
Aspen Publishers
Questions contact:
JoAnn Petaschnick , Editor
414-462-0278
FAX 414-462-7547
200 Orchard Ridge Dr.
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Yearly Subscription: $197
Focus Point: Collections

�The Credit Connection�
Published Quarterly by:
Wisconsin Clinic Credit Managers
Association (WCCMA)
Questions Contact:
Support Services - Deen Clinic
Ms. Teresa Addison, Editor
608-250-1121
1808 W. Beltline Highway
Madison, Wisconsin 53725
Yearly Subscription: $35
Focus Point: Medical Collections, Accounts
Receivables, Federal & State Regulations.

�American Medical News�
Published weekly by:
American Medical Association (A.M.A.)
Questions contact:
A.M.News Staff
312-464-4429
515 North State Street
Chicago, Illinois 60610
Yearly Subscription:
(Free with AMA Membership)
Focus Point: All Medical/Socioecomonic
Issues.

�Physican�s Marketing & Management�
Published monthly by:
American Health Consultants Inc.
Questions contact:
Managing Editor, 404-282-7436
3525 Piedmont Road N.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30305
Yearly Subscription
Focus Point: Medical Management

�In Confidence�
Published Bimonthly by:
American Health Information
Management Association (AHIMA)
Questions contact:
Ms. Jennifer Carpenter. RRA
Professional Practice
312-787-2672
919 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1400
Chicago, Illinois 60611-1683
Yearly Subscription: $90
($75 with membership)
Focus Point: Health Information,
Patient Privacy & Information
System Security
Web Site: http://www.ahima.org

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NATIONAL HEALTHCARE ASSOCIATIONS (A TOZ)

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Academy of Operative Dentistry
Contact: Dr. John Reinhardt
Website : http://www.uiowa.edu/~aodweb.

American Academy of Family Physicians
8880 Ward Parkway
Kansas City, Missouri 64114
(816) 333-9700
Web Site: http://www.aafp.org

American Academy of Pediatrics
P.O. Box 927
Elk Grove Village, Illinois 60009
(847) 228-5005
Web Site: http://www.aap.org

American College of Cardiology
For More Information Call:
800-253-4636 ext.697, or 301-897-5400, ext.697)
http://www.acc.org

American Dental Association
211 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60611
(312) 440-2500
Web Site: http://www.ada.org

American Medical Association (A.M.A.)
515 North State Street
Chicago, Illinois 06010
(312) 464-5000
Web Site: http://www.ama-assn.org

Association of Managed Care Dentists
For More Information Call:
310-4553-3439
http://www.dentalgroup.com/amcd.

Association of Military Surgeons of the United States (AMSUS)
Ms. Marisa Brazil,
AMSUS, Membership Coordinator
(301) 897-8800 ext. 20.
[email protected]
http://www.amsus.org

Healthcare Financial Management Association (HCFMA)
Contact Terry Arya, HFMA Membership
(800)252-HFMA (4362), ext. 362
e-mail [email protected].�
http://www.hfma.org

Integrated Healthcare Association (IHA)
Mr. Beau Carter, IHA Executive Director,
45 Quail Court, Suite 302,
Walnut Creek, CA 94596,
(925) 746-5100
Focus Point: Managed Care
Email: [email protected].
Web Site: http://www.iha.org

Medical Group Management Association
For More Information Contact:
Mr. Garth Jordan,
Director of Marketing
106 Inverness Terrace East
Englewood, CO 80112-5306
(303) 799-1111
FAX (303) 643-4427
Web Site: http://www.mgma.com

The American College of Physician Executives
For More Information Contact:
Mr. Wesley Curry,
[email protected]
813-287-2000,
http://www.acpe.org

The American College of Chest Physicians
Member Services
3300 Dundee Road
Northbrook, Illinois 60062
Phone: 800-343-2227 or 847-498-1400
Fax: 847-498-5460
E-mail: [email protected]
http://www.chestnet.org

The American Gastroenterlogical Association
For More Information Contact:
http://www.gastro.org

The American Thoracic Society
Ms. Lori Atkins
Manager, ATS Communication Services
American Thoracic Society,
Medical Section of the American Lung Association
1740 Broadway
New York, NY 10019-4374
Phone 212/315-6442
Fax 212/315-6455
[email protected]
http://www.thoracic.org

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PRACTICE GUARDIAN NEWS

Practice Guardian News is published monthly. Send all inquiries to attention
editor at (219) 583-4234. E-Mail [email protected] The subjects and
written examples in this newsletter are for general use only. The publisher
and author do not accept any responsibility or liability in regards to
misuse or misinterpretation. A qualified attorney should be consulted in all
matters concerning practice management.

Copyright 1999, MJB, Consultant.

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