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Practice Financials - 08/30/2023

Get the information you need to keep your practice financials in order.

PAs and APRNs: How Do These Midlevels Differ? - 08/30/2023

Physicians interested in hiring a midlevel practitioner for their practice sometimes wonder whether they should hire a physician assistant or an advanced practice registered nurse. Here’s the basic difference between the two.

Who Will Run Your Practice If You Can’t? - 08/23/2023

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?

Commentary: Online Testimony Remains a Success at TexMed - 05/26/2023

The COVID-19 pandemic shifted the majority of House of Delegates business to a virtual format, and TMA has since made permanent the process of taking initial testimony online. That process proved to be quite effective.

Strength in Numbers: Texas Physicians Shape Health Care Policy at AMA - 05/25/2023

The Texas Medical Association wields its influence in two ways: through the Texas Delegation to the American Medical Association and through membership on the AMA’s various councils and committees.

Virtual Election Voting Trial Approved by House of Delegates - 05/25/2023

Among several organizational decisions, the Texas Medical Association House of Delegates voted to pilot virtual voting in HOD elections at its annual policymaking meeting last week.

Resolved: To Get Involved in Organized Medicine - 04/28/2023

Every physician can look around and see some policy change or improvement that could make life better for patients and colleagues. The Texas Medical Association’s House of Delegates, the organization’s highest policymaking body, is often the best place to set that reform in motion.

Grassroots Governance: Councils, Committees Fuel TMA’s Physician-Driven Engine - 03/09/2023

With a finger on the pulse of health care, TMA’s nine councils and 12 standing committees work through grassroots advocacy and collaboration to initiate policies and programs that support Texas patients and physicians and provide solutions to the challenges they encounter.

Risk Management - 02/15/2023

Practice e-Tips on Risk Management

Making a SAFER EHR: This MIPS measure can help - 10/21/2022

Physicians have not always been big fans of the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), but one aspect of MIPS can help physicians protect electronic health records (EHRs) from errors, hacking, and similar problems.

Top Three Reasons Embezzlement Occurs - 10/11/2022

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.

Did That Employee Quit, or Did You Fire Her? - 10/11/2022

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.

Can I Refuse to Hire a Smoker to Work in My Practice? - 10/11/2022

The Texas Workforce Commission recommends addressing your concerns through policy.

How to Delete Data — for Real - 10/07/2022

Whenever your practice scraps, trades in, donates, or sells electronic equipment, make sure the storage media is wiped clean of all data. Often your safest bet to remove the storage capabilities and destroy the hard drives or memory cards.

Notice to Patients on the Departure of a Physician - 10/07/2022

When a physician departs a group, the practice should consider the issue of continuity of care for patients. The Texas Medical Board (TMB), in an attempt to address this, adopted regulations that must be followed whenever a physician leaves a group. This applies to physicians who are partners, members, or employees of the group.

CDC Updates COVID-19 Guidance for Health Care Professionals - 04/05/2022

Citing a potential surge in COVID-19 cases due to the omicron variant, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released emergency isolation and quarantine guidelines for health care professionals to assist with staffing shortages.

Four Bill-Collecting Tips for New (or Any) Practices - 02/01/2022

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.

Ask the Expert Tackles COVID Vaccine Mandate For Employees - 10/04/2021

The Texas Medical Association’s most recent Ask the Expert event, covering TMA’s new edition of Policies and Procedures: A Guide For Medical Practices, touched on one of the hottest medical-practice policy topics of the moment: Should practices require their employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine?

COVID-19: Practice Operations - 09/29/2021

View COVID-19 resources related to practice operations.

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?