A recent MGMA survey showed work-life balance as the number one issue facing group practice managers. This article explains techniques from the field of time management that will enable group practice managers to gain control of their schedules, reduce time pressures and stress and increase productivity. The article covers: goal ...

This article details the use of the variance analysis as management tool to evaluate the financial health of the practice. A common financial tool for administrators has been a simple calculation measuring the difference between actual financials vs. budget financials. Standard cost accounting provides a methodology known as variance analysis ...

Waning pertussis immunity and spread of pertussis by asymptomatic adults contributes to increased pertussis exposures of vulnerable children. The Santa Clara Valley Medical Center had 49 pertussis exposures between July 1, 1989, and June 30, 1997, which originated in pediatric units or clinics and had an impact on the Employee ...

Healthcare organizations can become more accessible to patients and managed care organizations and can expand their patient base by forming minority equity partnerships with physician practices. By investing in practices, healthcare organizations provide capital and guidance to help the practices grow. Such an arrangement fosters goodwill as the physicians retain ...

Many contemporary organizations, though doing well in productivity, are in chaos. Stress amongst managers and employees is still rampant and the assertion that 'people are our best assets' is confirmed more in words than in actions. What interventions are needed to best add value to the agenda of the organization ...

Historically, healthcare organizations have been reluctant to admit mistakes because of potential legal liability. Admitting mistakes and taking corrective and compensatory action may reduce the likelihood of a lawsuit and, if a lawsuit is lost, may reduce the punitive damage award. Financial consequences involve admitting mistakes and incurring the associated ...

Acquisitions have become increasingly necessary for managed care organizations to create product value and operating synergies. Physician practice management companies (PPMCs) that have successfully acquired and consolidated group practices and IPAs have a clear vision of their mission, focus on their target markets, and adhere to a disciplined methodology of ...

This activity is designed for healthcare organization managers and clinicians, particularly those involved in technology-related decisions, including coverage decisions, technology acquisition, practice guideline development, and evidence-based medicine. GOAL: To provide a basic understanding of the principles, methods, and systematic framework of healthcare technology assessment. OBJECTIVES: 1. Understand the role of ...

This is the third Issue Analysis of HFMA's Principles and Practices (P&P) Board. The P&P Board writes an Issue Analysis in response to the need for practical information on emerging issues in healthcare financial management. An Issue Analysis is factual but not authoritative. It is not sent out for public ...

In today's knowledge economy, creativity is more important than ever. But many companies unwittingly employ managerial practices that kill it. How? By crushing their employees' intrinsic motivation--the strong internal desire to do something based on interests and passions. Managers don't kill creativity on purpose. Yet in the pursuit of productivity, ...

Although physician practices acquired by integrated delivery systems (IDSs) have tended to show financial losses, these practices still offer IDSs considerable overall benefits, such as expanded market share and greater coordination of care. IDSs should not necessarily avoid acquiring practices. However, it is essential that IDSs take steps to improve ...

Using total quality management principles within a shared governance framework, this case study discusses how to design and implement a plan to achieve independent nursing practice when an employee has unique needs. This experience demonstrates the importance of looking at root causes, separating ability and compliance issues, using all available ...

The healthcare landscape is littered with failed attempts by hospitals and physicians to manage insurance risk. This year's survey of managed-care plans shows 12 of 30 provider-owned HMOs lost money in 1997. And Modern Healthcare's news pages have chronicled recent losses at more than 20 provider-owned plans. With provider-sponsored organizations ...

Providers that wish to form a provider-sponsored organization to contract directly with Medicare need to assess their operational capabilities to determine whether such a plan can be successful. Areas that need to be examined include administrative and financial expertise, contract management capabilities, clinical and administrative medical management, information management, and ...

Organizations are living entities, composed of people in relationships. The old management paradigm centered around the machine. Management's function was to control and manage the machine. Viewing organizations as living open systems demands different leadership-leaders who treat people and organizations as self-organizing and self-renewing, and who see the work as ...

Time management effectiveness is critical for professional survival. Time management skill enhancement is a powerful resource for the accomplishment of personal and professional goals. This article suggests potential areas and strategies for change. Strategic areas of work style, technology systems, and personal management will be the focus. How to better ...

Under pressure from senior management to do more with less, middle managers are faced with the difficult task of reducing costs while improving processes and enhancing service. Meanwhile, as organizations flatten their hierarchies, many middle managers are assuming more responsibilities and supervising larger staffs with increasingly diverse needs and abilities. ...

This article examines the involvement of Utah acute care hospital nurse executives (NEs) in financial management roles. The authors surveyed NEs and their career supporters and hinderers. Findings suggest that NFs: 1. lack financial management skills, support, involvement, and satisfaction; 2. recognize financial management's importance and desire to improve performance; ...

Downsizing, the deletion of jobs and the involuntary termination of the employees occupying those positions, has become a common and accepted corporate management tool. Although it may save money and improve a company's financial balance, it can bring with it various undesirable outcomes, including loss of loyalty and trust of ...

The advent of integrated delivery systems (IDSs) in the healthcare industry has changed much about the work involved in running many healthcare organizations. As a result of these changes, senior healthcare managers in IDSs need different skills and knowledge (competencies) than managers of other healthcare systems. The work of managers ...

Employee involvement is subject to a great deal of verbal tribute; there is hardly a manager at work today who will not praise the value of employee input. However, many employee involvement efforts leave employees feeling more manipulated than motivated. This occurs because supervisors and managers, while expecting employees to ...

What effect do schedules have on employees and department activities? Negative effects such as backlogs, poor employee morale, and absenteeism may be due to scheduling practices currently in place. The value of effective employee scheduling practices may be seen in areas of improved productivity. The process of developing schedules should ...

The cost of new medical imaging equipment for a radiology practice is a major capital purchase. Due to rapid advances in technology and imaging techniques, the management decision to purchase new capital equipment can present itself every few years. The present report explains various financial management techniques that are generally ...

To connect practices, outcomes, quality, value, and costs, healthcare organizations must start using a balanced scorecard. A balanced scorecard is a set of measures that reveals the interdependency of the organization, its employees, and its patients. It thus serves as a balanced perspective on the organization for senior management to ...

In today's rapidly changing world individuals are being faced by many new issues that are challenging their ability to survive financially. It is therefore important that we recognize the need to manage our financial lives. To do that requires a commitment of time to identify assets held and determine how ...

The face of the healthcare industry has changed dramatically over the last few years. This study examines the literature related to Total Quality Management (TQM) and Benchmarking (BM) applications in healthcare. Recommendations for healthcare managers and administrators, as they chart operational and strategic directions for their organization, are provided. In ...

To maintain control over healthcare delivery and financial decisions, as well as increase access to capital markets, some group practices are forming their own physician practice management companies. These companies should be organized to balance the expectations of physicians with the values of capital markets. This organization should include retained ...

As PHOs and other similar organizations grow and meet their initial goals, they often find themselves needing large amounts of capital in order to take the organization to the next level. Some of these systems are looking to get this capital by partnering with publicly traded physician practice management companies ...

In today's integrated healthcare environment, one component of financial management remains antiquated in many facilities--the budgeting process for capital equipment. Many institutions budget for capital equipment based upon individual departmental wish lists and hopeful dreams. These highly inefficient practices are being replaced with automated systems that create departmental data exchanges, ...

The intermediate tax sanctions create significant concerns for tax-exempt healthcare organizations that seek to integrate practicing physicians through practice acquisition or employment. The sanctions will force not-for-profit healthcare organizations to examine both the strategic and business implications of the dollars they have committed to practice acquisition and physician employment. The ...

This article is the first of two regarding capitation contract management. In this installment, we examine the factors that affect financial performance under a capitation agreement and how technology can play an important role in improving profitability. In part two, we will explore the range of new information-gathering needs a ...

The historical relationship between employer and employee has changed dramatically in the past few years. Incentives that were once available to motivate staff are no longer a part of the managers' reward "power." Employees recognize that their manager has little control over many things that impact them, and what they ...

All healthcare organizations maintain supplies in their facilities that have not been booked as assets on their general ledgers. This unofficial inventory is often overlooked because it is not as significant a cost-driver as salaries and capital equipment. But unofficial inventory can affect an organization's bottom line when it is ...

For years, small companies have experimented with forms of open-book management. Open-book systems have smoothed change efforts by giving workers the why instead of just the how of initiatives; they have enabled employees to think like owners. Now divisions of large organizations such as R.R. Donnelley & Sons and Amoco ...

Call them what you will--appraisals, evaluations or reviews--performance appraisals seem to be the one organizational ritual that is universally hated. The shortcomings of this ritual, the annual documenting of bouquets and brickbats, are obvious to those who give them and those who receive them. Why do companies continue to do ...

Physician group practices can limit their vulnerability to employee theft by taking steps to detect theft when it occurs and to deter future occurrences. Steps for detecting theft include being wary of an employee's refusal to take earned time off, conducting periodic credit checks on employees, rotating employees' duties, and ...

Evaluating the financial terms of capitation contracts and negotiating their nonfinancial provisions are becoming increasingly important responsibilities for healthcare financial managers. To evaluate the financial terms of a contract, financial managers must understand both incremental and replacement pricing strategies. They also must understand when strategic positioning objectives make a capitated ...

Measuring outcomes has become an essential part of quality improvement efforts. An outcomes management program can contribute to quality activities through the identification and quantification of outcomes and variances that can serve as performance measures. The COMIT model is highlighted as a process that can be used by multidisciplinary teams ...

Many healthcare organizations that acquire physician practices do not realize a return on their investments. Instead, acquisitions often create excess capacity, drive up costs, and reduce an organization's ability to attract managed care contracts. Healthcare systems that acquire physician practices can help ensure that the acquisitions will be profitable by ...

Healthcare organizations are aggressively acquiring physician group practices to create primary care networks and broaden their managed care market penetration. However, few are realizing a positive return on investment after acquisition. The odds that acquired practices will be profitable can be improved if healthcare organizations plan carefully by establishing separate ...

Capitation poses several risks for physicians. First, they assume the role of insurer. This liability may be mitigated by reinsurance but at a financial cost. They also incur greater malpractice liability as they strive to restrain expenses and maintain their income within the newly introduced precepts of disease management. Such ...

In view of increasing financial pressures, resource utilization management and review have become a primary focus for many healthcare organizations. Utilization strategies have been supported and enhanced by information technologies in many organizations. This paper describes the development and implementation of an on-line application for resource utilization review. Developed for ...

Healthcare fraud is an increasingly serious problem in the industry. The problem is complicated by disagreement over its basic causes and how it can be managed. Attempts to manage healthcare fraud introduce privacy issues as well as the proper role of the government. Even law enforcement officials appear to be ...

Cost accounting is the basic "tool" for identifying the expenses associated with laboratory operations. A budget is a planning tool that allows the director and manager to visualize the evolution of expenses, assets, liabilities, and revenues over a period of time. It is a quantitative annual plan of activities and ...

Humor is an effective tool to prevent and resolve burnout, a common problem associated with the practice of case management. Easily accessed by almost everyone, humor has many physiological and psychological benefits. The conscious use of humor in an organization requires a commitment at all levels in order for the ...

Most healthcare organizations in the United States are in the process of some type of organizational change or transition. Professional nurses and other healthcare providers practicing in U.S. healthcare delivery organizations are very aware of the dramatic effects of restructuring processes. A phenomenal amount of change and concern is occurring ...

Succession planning is the process of identifying people who could presently move into key positions or could do so after specifically targeted development occurs. The process identifies the better people in the organization and takes a consistent approach to assembling, analyzing, and retaining information about potential leaders and planning for ...

Under SFAS No. 124 "Accounting for Certain Investments Held by Not-for-Profit Organizations," issued in November 1995, not-for-profit healthcare organizations must report investments in equity securities that have readily determinable market values and all debt securities at fair value. SFAS No. 124 significantly modifies the way healthcare organizations' account for such ...

Establishing a network or expanding a practice to take advantage of the managed care market requires finding ready sources of capital. Once you have found your capital, however, what do you do with it? A sound investment strategy is necessary to ensure that the organization meets its financial goals. In ...

Managers can do many things to improve organizational performance, but the accomplishments of the most skillful employees often are most important. This article makes the point that managers should be aware of employee expertise and its relationship to organizational performance. The article also describes the components of an organizational culture ...