Practice Management

The Wilmer Eye Institute hosted its 27th annual Current Concepts in Ophthalmology course here March 15 to 19. The event, presented in association with Ophthalmology Times, was designed to focus on clinical use and medical issues important to the constantly evolving practice of ophthalmology.

The adoption of electronic medical records in the United States has been slow, but interest seems to be picking up despite a number of obstacles.

In his work, Mr. De Gennaro is often asked to review optical dispensary financial statements, which reveal much about how efficiently a dispensary runs as a business.

When Joseph J. Sokol, MD, decided to break out on his own about a year ago, one of his first major decisions was choosing an electronic medical record company.

It's the time of year when optical chain executives take time to review their company's performance and revise the strategic plan.

Marketing the right accessories and getting a little creative with displays is a sure way to boost profit in your office.

The retail optical industry is down 2.5% in 2009, according to industry published data.

If you don't know the question you want to ask, you can't ask the question to get the information you need to stay out of trouble.

To a busy ophthalmologist, time is a valuable commodity, and with proposed Mediare cuts looming, it is a daily focus and concern.

Making phone calls to remind patients about upcoming appointments may become a thing of the past.

There has been a new development in the way Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Category III codes, also known as T-codes, are viewed, reimbursed, and treated in the means of medical billing and coding.

Ophthalmic surgical instrument manufacturers and distributors work in a constantly evolving and increasingly global marketplace, and in late 2009, are meeting challenges posed by new procedures and changing government regulations.

Although heuristic factors will always be a part of the art of ophthalmomology, we are now in an era in which payments for medical treatments are going to be increasingly scrutinized for therapeutic effectiveness.

New state-of-the-art wide-angle fundus imaging system offers vitreoretinal surgeons advantages of optical quality and improved workflow efficiency.

In today's economy, it is vital to understand the capabilities of your personal computer hardware so that you can make the most of your practice's technology capabilities without breaking the bank.

There is a lot of talk about the sunglasses segment of the ophthalmic marketplace, enough to warrant your consideration as a dispensing ophthalmologist.

The introduction of premium IOLs has brought new challenges for catarct surgeons.

Today's wholesale optical lab is one of the longest-running constants in the history of American manufacturing.

A new generation of patient education and practice enhancement software for eye-care professionals has been designed to enhance delivery of eye-care information and patient counseling throughout the practice.

The responsibility of creating a fee schedule rests with the physician, and with this responsibility comes opportunity.

Anything you do positively to improve reimbursements is worthwhile, because a series of small gains can quickly add up.

Getting in and out of a mutual fund at the wrong time is generally accounted for by the psychology behind an investor's behavior.

The recession has affected medical practices, causing many to look at how money is spent. This five-partner practice cuts expenses creatively by not overlooking small details and has been able to prevent employee layoffs.

Many, if not most, ophthalmologists have at least entertained the idea of obtaining a master of business administration degree. This three-part series is designed to provide guidance through the process. The first steps involve the realization of goals, the return on investment, and the application process.

Now is the time to focus on the lessons that can be learned in the current economic situation. Take a close look at your staffing levels, practices within your office, and the effect of days spent out of clinic by physicians, among other things, to try to identify ways to weather bad economic times better in the future.

Health insurance payers are rating their providers by the efficiency of the care delivered, and are beginning to steer patients to the most cost-effective care providers. However, cost-effectiveness does not always equate to high quality, and there are a number of potential problems inherent in the insurance companies' methodologies that make this a disturbing trend for physicians.

The upheaval in our current economy is changing the ground rules for skillful handling of personal finances. Some of the time-honored methods for building and maintaining a secure financial future for you and your family need to be modified while today's unpredictable financial crisis runs its course. Here are seven tips from the experts that will help you to come out on top once the financial storm has abated.

San Francisco-A practice-to-patient communication service from Smile Reminder helps vision-care providers communicate directly with patients by automatically sending text or e-mail messages.

San Francisco-Bausch & Lomb Storz Ophthalmic Instruments recently launched two new continuing education programs available at www.StorzOphthalmicCE.com. Participants will receive contact hours approved by the Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution Inc., the International Association for Healthcare Central Service Material Management, and the Texas Nurses Association.

San Francisco-If you had a very ill patient, you would examine his or her vital signs frequently. The same holds true when the "patient" is the U.S. economy, said John B. Pinto, of the ophthalmic practice management consulting firm J. Pinto & Associates.