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Sixteen Ways to Save Money in Your Practice - 09/23/2021

Looking for ways to trim practice expenses? Here are some easy suggestions for saving a little here and a little there. It can add up.

Why You Should Conduct Background Checks - 09/17/2021

Starbucks does it. The company routinely conducts a background check when it makes a tentative job offer to any candidate for employment. Medical practices should do so, too.

Eight Reasons Your New Employee Didn’t Work Out - 09/17/2021

Hiring the right employee isn’t an easy job, nor a particularly fun one. You don’t want to do it all over again in a couple of months because your recent new hire didn’t work out. If that happened to you, here are some things you may have done wrong.

Interview Candidates the Smart Way - 09/08/2021

When interviewing candidates for your practice staff, it’s a good idea to work from prepared questions. Here’s why.

Try These Budget-Friendly Ways to Motivate Your Staff - 09/08/2021

Employees value many things as much as — maybe even more than — the amount of money you pay them. Respect, recognition, and pride in what they do are basic but powerful motivators. Here are some no-cost, low-cost ways to help your staff bloom.

Paying Employees for Lunch Break - 09/08/2021

Does your practice have clear policies regarding rest and meal breaks for hourly (nonexempt) employees?

Top Three Reasons Embezzlement Occurs - 09/08/2021

Medical practices suffer from one of the highest embezzlement rates of all service industries.Several factors can contribute to embezzlement. The top three are opportunity, pressure, and rationalization.

Four Bill-Collecting Tips for New (or Any) Practices - 05/14/2021

Starting a practice can be daunting, and one challenge often overlooked is making sure you get paid. Although only a small number of patients will not pay you, or will pay slowly, they can hurt your bottom line. Writing off thousands of dollars in charges should not be an option.

Relief Package Extends Employee Health Insurance Benefits: What You Should Know - 04/21/2021

If your practice has had to terminate or reduce staff hours – causing them to lose their health insurance benefits – the latest federal COVID-19 relief package includes an extension of COBRA benefits that allows employees to stay on a company-sponsored health plan through September.

Ask the Expert About: Human Resources Issues During the Pandemic - 04/01/2021

Don’t miss the next edition of the Texas Medical Association’s “Ask the Expert” virtual series – Human Resources and Employment Issues in the COVID Era – scheduled for 6 pm (CT) Thursday, April 8.

Your Latest COVID-19 Medical Personnel Questions Answered - 01/28/2021

TMA's updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document can help guide you through any concerns you might have about expanded medical leave, paid sick leave, or complying with other regulations regarding personnel.

Tips and Strategies for Managing Remote Staff - 07/31/2020

If your practice is considering letting staff work remotely – or if it already has employees who do – the Texas Medical Association has created a course that provides tips and strategies to successfully manage those employees.

Don’t Hold Patient Credit Balances Past 30 Days - 12/11/2019

Have lingering patient credit balances on your books? Here’s how the law says to handle them.

Don’t Try This at Work: Security Risk Analysis Is Not a Do-It-Yourself Project - 08/02/2019

Medicare’s Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) requires practices to conduct a security risk analysis at least once a year. HIPAA requires at least one analysis, and annual check-ups are considered a best practice. Many physicians find out through these reports that their practices have a lot of work to do to keep patient records safe.

HIPAA: Are You Prepared for a Lost Laptop or Smartphone? - 05/30/2019

Even if the only work-related activity is accessing your email, you may have PHI on your phone right now. Lost and stolen devices are the No. 1 reason for patient data breaches of more than 500 records.

HIPAA: Are You Prepared for a Business Associate Breach? - 05/30/2019

Business associate breaches can be the most costly type of breach and present some of the highest risk because you don't have insight or control over the business associate's security or policies.

Can You Recognize Embezzlement Red Flags? - 06/28/2018

It happens again and again: A physician is blind-sided by the discovery that a long-time, trusted employee has had his or her fingers in the practice till for several years. Often in retrospect, the signs were there, if only the physician had recognized them.

Did That Employee Quit, or Did You Fire Her? - 11/08/2017

The question of whether an employee quit or was fired is very important if the ex-employee files for unemployment benefits. It determines who has the burden of proof in the case. These tips from the Texas Workforce Commission can help you keep the onus of proof off you.

Your EHR Is Watching You - 10/31/2017

 Document, document, document. This is the mantra you follow carefully in creating your medical records. Bear in mind, though: Your electronic medical record is doing some documenting of its own.  

Cellphone Policy Minimizes Distractions - 10/19/2017

A few simple rules about using personal cellphones in a medical office can help each workday run efficiently and professionally.

Working Through the Generation Gap - 09/29/2017

The differences between the millennial generation and older generations isn’t black and white. The nuances are important to understand if you are looking to hire millennials for your office or to work with them on your health care team.

Who Will Run Your Practice If You Can’t? - 09/13/2017

You might have given thought to what would happen to your solo practice and your family in the event of your death, but what if you have a serious accident or illness and are unable to work for, say, several months?

Practice Staff: The More You Give, the More You Get - 05/26/2017

As a small practice, your competition for good employees is stiff, and your need for highly productive, stable staff is great. To succeed on both fronts comes down to an important factor: You have to offer a salary and benefits that are competitive in your market.

Tips for Selecting a Quality Employee - 05/24/2017

Hiring the right people for your medical practice office staff can be challenging, but careful preparation for the interviews and evaluation helps. Follow these tips for successful hiring.

What Makes a Good Boss? - 05/17/2017

Answer the questions in this infographic to see if you’re great, good — or need to work on your leadership and management skills — plus, pick up a few good tips.