Physician Solutions January 2016

PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS magazine

January 2016

eHealth and Your Patients...

eHealth Transforming Health Care for Your Patients pg. 20

Are You Plugged in or Behind the Times? pg. 28

Smart Mobile Technology for Your Practice and Your Patients pg. 24

the

and eHealth ctice Your Pra issue

Help, Which Medical App Should I Choose?

pg. 30

contents

PHYSICIAN’S CHECKLIST FOR REVENUE CYCLE MANAGEMENT AND ITS COMPONENTS

features

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20 EHEALTH - Transforming Health Care for Your Patients 24 SMART MOBILE TECHNOLOGY FOR YOUR PRACTICE AND YOUR PATIENTS 28 EHEALTH AND YOUR PATIENTS… Are You Plugged In or Behind the Times?

30 HELP! WHICH MEDICAL APP SHOULD I CHOOSE?

practice tips 6

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION...Using Informational Internet Videos to Promote Your Practice

8

PHYSICIAN’S CHECK-LIST FOR REVENUE CYCLE MANAGEMENT AND ITS COMPONENTS

HELP!

WHICH MEDICAL APP SHOULD I CHOOSE?

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12 FDA ISSUES GUIDANCE FOR MOBILE MEDICAL APPS

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Physician Solutions January 2016 Publisher Creative Director Contributors

Philip Driver Thomas Hibbard Naren Arulrajah Barbara Hales, MD Thomas Hibbard Carrie Noriega, MD Christopher Shaughnessy Julia Solooki, MBA Denise Price Thomas Vikas Vij

contributors Barbara Hales, M.D. is a skilled expert in promoting your health services. As seen on NBC, CBS,ABC and FOX network affiliates as well as Newsweek, Dr. Hales writes all the content you need to promote your medical services.

Her latest book is on the best seller list and she can do the same for you. Check out her site at www.TheWriteTreatment.com

Carrie Noriega, MD is a board certified obstetrician/ gynecologist who has worked in both private practice in the US and a socialized medical system. As an adventure racer and endurance mountain bike racer, she has developed a special interest in promoting health and wellness through science and medicine.

Julia Solooki, MBA

Physician Solutions is a national monthly magazine committed to providing insights about the health care profession focusing on practical advice for physicians and practices.

We are currently accepting articles to be considered for publication.

For more information on writing for Physician Solutions, please email us at physiciansolutions@gmail.com.

P.O. Box 99488 Raleigh, NC 27624 medmedia9@gmail.com

is a 10 year veteran to the Healthcare IT/Services sector and is the Director of Business Development and Marketing for ClinicSpectrum, Inc., www.clinicspectrum.com a healthcare services company providing outsourcing and back office solutions for medical billing companies, medical offices, hospital billing departments, and hospital medical records departments. Contact Julia at julia@clinicspectrum.com.

Denise Price Thomas retired in 2009 as a surgical practice administrator where she was employed for 32 years. She is certified in healthcare management through Pfeiffer College. Speaking invitations have taken her from NC to SC, Georgia, Florida, Chicago, Alaska and more. Website: www.denisepricethomas.com

Online 24/7 at medmonthly.com

PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE | 5

practice tips

Lights, Camera, Action...

Using Informational Internet Videos to Promote Your Practice

By Denise Price Thomas

“Good morning Mrs. Brooks, what kind of problem are you having today?”

“Well Doctor, I’ve had these same symptoms now for about a month so I searched the Internet and it shows that my problem may just be a prostate problem, I’ve printed the results out for you.”

True story. This “female” patient did NOT have a prostate problem, thank goodness! The Internet is and can be a very helpful instrument. Most of us turn to it for almost everything to learn more about cars, recipes, decorating, answers to homework, history, travel, ancestry, parenting and more, including illnesses.

When we want information we want it right now!

We want everything when it’s convenient for us, we 22|| JANUARY DECEMBER 2013 6 2016

no longer want to wait. So, let’s take advantage and make it work for our benefit. Most hospitals, physician & dental practices have their own websites, therefore their best information can easily be made available and be kept current. I recently ran across a wonderful video by Pacific Ocean Pediatrics where Dr. Hamilton shares “The Hold” video. Not only does Dr. Hamilton educate us about “The Hold,” but his compassion for babies is made clear through his gentle ways and calming touch. It’s obvious that Dr. Hamilton truly cares. He isn’t an actor, he is real. Every new parent would love to experience a pediatrician like him. Each time I’ve watched it, his compassion warms my heart.

You can’t help but notice his calming nature for both

baby and new parents. Please, check it out for yourself on Youtube at http://youtu.be/j2C8MkY7Co8 This video is very helpful for new parents and it’s available even in the middle of the night when that newborn is wide awake! I wish I had known about “The Hold” years ago.

Now it’s your turn to educate your patients. Tap into your imagination and you can create videos that are just as helpful for your patients and their family members. For instance, a surgical practice could offer videos with pre-op, what to expect from the surgery & post-op information, a gastroenterology practice would explain prep and procedures, an orthopaedic clinic with exercises, a dental practice showing before and after photos, etc. Interview patients, record real testimonials, share true stories (with proper permission of course).

Patients have so much information given to them at once, they cannot possibly remember it all. Keep it simple and allow your patients to refer to these videos at their convenience. This will help reduce telephone calls & questions as well. Just think how helpful this information would be when an elderly mother is trying to explain what the doctor said to her daughter who lives in another state. Show these videos in your office and on your website. It’s an inexpensive way to share your message in your words in a very positive manner. It’s as if the physician makes a house call.

Patients love to brag on their physician and pass along information to others, I certainly have.

So with just a little imagination and an upbeat, fun and positive committee you can begin to brainstorm.

Download an app and start practicing with lights, camera, action! Ask yourselves, “If I were a patient, what would I want to know? If I were a family member, what information would I need to better understand?” Keep it real. When creating your videos, feature your practice, your surroundings and your team.

Interview patients, keep it simple, keep it short and once again, please keep it real. Record, watch, record, watch, continue until you get it just liked you’d like.

Roll it out during staff meeting and get their feedback.

It’s amazing how well fresh eyes will pick up on something you may have left out. With a calm and quiet background, you may wish to consider adding music, when appropriate. Make sure to include your name, address, email and phone numbers clearly so patients will be able to reach you.

Recruit your committee, schedule a “Hollywood Day” and make it fun. Pop the popcorn and unleash your imagination with your staff, write the script and set the stage. When you’re ready to roll out the video, call it a Red Carpet Event with awards going to the actors, sit back and enjoy!

When I called Pacific Ocean Pediatrics to compliment them on the helpfulness of their video, I spoke with Emily. I shared with her that not only was the video very helpful, it also shows such compassion by the physician. I commented, “It is easy to see that Dr. Hamilton is very passionate about his profession. He obviously loves his patients, even giving a kiss to one of those precious babies.” I asked her to please share my comments with the physician and I could tell there were tears from the other side as Emily said, “I am happy to share your comments with Dr. Hamilton.

You are correct, he truly loves his patients and this is even more special to me because he’s my Daddy.” Now that comment brought tears on my end of the phone.

Remember: Keep It Real. 

“Training Wheels in Heels” Denise Price Thomas Trainer for Health Care Professionals Focusing on Exceptional Customer Service, Effective Communication & Exemplary Compassion 34+ year career in health care and certified in health care management Undercover Patient Providing Insight to Your Practice Through the “Eyes of a Patient” Conference Speaker Presenting also as “Gladys Friday”, Health Care Comedienne

Home Grown/Nationally Known www.denisepricethomas.com denisepricethomas@gmail.com 704-747-8699 PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

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practice tips

Physician’s Check-list for Revenue Cycle Management And Its Components

By Julia Solooki, MBA Clinicspectrum

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| JANUARY 2016

We can never stress enough, the importance of a healthy revenue cycle. It is a necessity for a good practice.

However, with hospitals and healthcare practices are receiving so many patients, there is a need for a system to be established. This system ensures that all details of the patient are recorded, regardless of how irrelevant that information seems. Moreover, this system is like a protocol for staff. This protocol will not only ensure that you do not miss out on details, but also that all processes involved are thoroughly completed. Only then can you expect a practice that will make progress.

Yes, this might perhaps be difficult, but once in place, this system will guarantee benefits. Following are some points that would help establish a stable yet lucrative practice.

1. Get the patient details right.

This step, though seems fairly common knowledge, tends to be ignored the most. Misspelled words, confusing addresses, all would have direct impact on patient records and ultimately payment collection.

2. Noting the primary reason for visit.

This should be of course noted down. However, there are some patients who would come in for one ailment and end up discussing many others. But the reason why the patient chose to see the physician is important to note down.

3. Understanding and explaining insurance information.

This information is just as crucial as the reason for visit. Following questions should be answered: A. What kind of insurance plan does the patient have?

B. Is the reason for visit covered in the plan?

C. Are there any out-of-pocket expenses that the patient would need to pay, according to the plan? If so, discuss the payment methods and terms with the patient.

It is advisable that the patient understands their insurance plan fully, and moreover, the patient should know about the co-pay, coinsurance, or deductibles involved in the plan. If the patient is made aware of these things at the time of the first visit, the rest of the process can be smooth.

4. Timely payments.

This ensures a healthy revenue cycle. It should be ensured that all payments should be on time. Payments are your main cash inflow. Any delay in that will have a direct impact on the revenue cycle. Moreover, the resources lost in following up and debt collection adds to the overall cost. The best way to manage timely payments would be to educate the patient at the time of admittance about their policies and then setting up a collections department that oversees such activities.

5. Denial rates.

No one wants high denial rates. Denials occur for a variety of reasons. However, most common ones are due to improper coding of the procedures involved, and performing care outside the patient’s network. Only about 30% of practices check patient eligibility before admittance. There are many such procedures that the health insurers deem unnecessary. A little more care while coding and checking insurance plans thoroughly would easily reduce denial rates. Automation is another way to keep denial rates at a minimum. continued on page 10

PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

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continued from page 9

6. Avoid writing off.

What many practices do is write off small debts to make their A/R look better. This might look good on paper, but this is being done at the cost of your income. Writing off debts means you are letting go of the money which is yours. The service has been provided, and the resources spent, but there is no reimbursement for the same. This practice is a sign of an unhealthy revenue cycle.

7. Receiving proper reimbursements.

Insurance companies want to pay as little as they can. This means, for you to get what you’re owed, you will have to establish a proper system. As discussed before, incorrect coding results in a lot of improper reimbursements.

8. Co-payment.

Insurances have co-payment terms. These should be properly understood and then explained to the pa-

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tient. The amount of money that the patient will owe should be clarified beforehand. Moreover, once the service is provided, the payment should be promptly collected.

9. Pre-authorizing treatments.

There are certain cases when a treatment has to be administered even when the insurance company does not cover it. Also, some insurance plans are too ambiguous and require further clarifications. In either case, pre-authorizing treatments would help you reduce your denial rates and increase reimbursements, at the same time, helping the patient.

The above mentioned points are more like guidance than a protocol. Every practice is different and needs to be handled differently. At the end of the day, your practice should not suffer due to circumstances which could be easily avoided by paying a bit more attention. 

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practice tips

FDA Issues Guidance for Mobile Medical Apps

By Christopher J. Shaughnessy Associate McBrayer, McGinnis, Leslie & Kirkland, PLLC Just so you know, that iPhone or iPad you have with you may be an FDA-regulated medical device.

More precisely, the apps on the device may meet the definition of a medical device under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (“FD&C Act”). In February of this year, the FDA released a revised set of guidance concerning how it will apply regulatory oversight to mobile apps, addressing the growing number and potential uses of these apps as they proliferate alongside rapidly changing mobile technology.

In this new guidance, the FDA set forth three classifications of mobile apps: those that do not meet the definition of a medical device under the FD&C Act, those that may meet the definition but pose a low risk to the public, and those that do meet the definition of a medical device, the functionality of which could risk patient safety in a malfunction. The determining factor in whether an app meets the definition of a medical device for 12

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purposes of the FD&C Act is the intended use of the app, which the FDA will determine through labeling, advertising, and statements by the manufacturer. If a mobile app is intended to perform a medical device function, such as diagnosing or curing disease, it is considered a medical device.

While the FDA could regulate all devices it deems meet the definition for “medical device,” it will draw the regulatory line only when there is potential risk to a patient if an app doesn’t perform as specified. These apps include those that connect to other devices to control them or actively monitor patient data, apps that transform a mobile platform into a medical device by using sensors, attachments or display screens, and apps that perform patient-specific analysis, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations.

Apps that function as medical devices but that pose a low risk of harm will escape FDA scrutiny, although the FDA urged manufacturers of all mobile medical apps

to abide by Quality System regulations. The list of low-risk app types that the FDA is currently choosing to provide little, if any, oversight over has grown significantly since the last guidance just two years ago.

The guidance is intended to help mobile medical app creators determine if their app falls under FDA regulations, triggering certain controls according to device class (I, II or III). If a mobile app is seen as a medical device, it must conform to applicable regulations concerning device classification and follow regulatory controls, which may include registration, labeling, and premarket notification or approval, among others.  Source: http://www.natlawreview. com/article/fda-issues-guidancemobile-medical-apps For the full report from the FDA visit http://www.fda.gov/downloads/ MedicalDevices/DeviceRegulationandGuidance/GuidanceDocuments/ UCM263366.pdf

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U.S. OPTICAL BOARDS Alaska P.O. Box 110806 Juneau, AK 99811 (907)465-5470 http://www.commerce.state.ak.us/dnn/ cbpl/ProfessionalLicensing/DispensingOpticians.aspx Arizona 1400 W. Washington, Rm. 230 Phoenix, AZ 85007 (602)542-3095 http://www.do.az.gov Arkansas P.O. Box 627 Helena, AR 72342 (870)572-2847 California 2005 Evergreen St., Ste. 1200 Sacramento, CA 95815 (916)263-2382 http://www.optometry.ca.gov/ Colorado 1560 Broadway St. #1310 Denver, CO 80202 (303)894-7750 http://www.dora.state.co.us/optometry/ Connecticut 410 Capitol Ave., MS #12APP P.O. Box 340308 Hartford, CT 06134 (860)509-7603 ext. 4 http://www.ct.gov/dph/cwp/view. asp?a=3121&q=427586 Florida 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin C08 Tallahassee, FL 32399 (850)245-4474 http://www.pof.org/opticianry-board/ Georgia 237 Coliseum Dr. Macon, GA 31217 (478)207-1671 http://sos.ga.gov/index.php/licensing/ plb/20 Hawaii P.O. Box 3469 Honolulu, HI 96801 (808)586-2704 http://hawaii.gov/dcca/pvl/programs/ dispensingoptician/

Idaho 450 W. State St., 10th Floor Boise , ID 83720 (208)334-5500 http://www.ironforidaho.net/

Oregon 3218 Pringle Rd. SE Ste. 270 Salem, OR 97302 (503)373-7721 http://www.oregonobo.org/optque.htm

Kentucky P.O. Box 1360 Frankfurt, KY 40602 (502)564-3296 http://www.opticiantraining.org/optician-training-kentucky/

Rhode Island 3 Capitol Hill, Rm 104 Providence, RI 02908 (401)222-7883 http://sos.ri.gov/govdirectory/index.php? page=DetailDeptAgency&eid=260

Massachusetts 239 Causeway St. Boston, MA 02114 (617)727-5339 http://1.usa.gov/zbJVt7

South Carolina P.O. Box 11329 Columbia, SC 29211 (803)896-4665 www.llr.state.sc.us

Nevada P.O. Box 70503 Reno, NV 89570 (775)853-1421 http://nvbdo.state.nv.us/

Tennessee Heritage Place Metro Center 227 French Landing, Ste. 300 Nashville, TN 37243 (615)253-6061 http://tn.gov/health

New Hampshire 129 Pleasant St. Concord, NH 03301 (603)271-5590 www.state.nh.us New Jersey P.O. Box 45011 Newark, NJ 07101 (973)504-6435 http://www.njsop.org/aws/NJSOP/pt/sp/ home_page New York 89 Washington Ave., 2nd Floor W. Albany, NY 12234 (518)402-5944 http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/od/ North Carolina P.O. Box 25336 Raleigh, NC 27611 (919)733-9321 http://www.ncoptometry.org/ Ohio 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43266 (614)466-9707 http://optical.ohio.gov/

Texas P.O. Box 149347 Austin, TX 78714 (512)834-6661 http://www.tob.state.tx.us/ Vermont National Life Bldg N FL. 2 Montpelier, VT 05620 (802)828-2191 http://vtprofessionals.org/opr1/ opticians/ Virginia 3600 W. Broad St. Richmond, VA 23230 (804)367-8500 http://www.dpor.virginia.gov/Boards/ HAS-Opticians/ Washington 300 SE Quince P.O. Box 47870 Olympia, WA 98504 (360)236-4947 http://www.doh.wa.gov/LicensesPermitsandCertificates/MedicalCommission. aspx

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U.S. DENTAL BOARDS Alabama Alabama Board of Dental Examiners 5346 Stadium Trace Pkwy., Ste. 112 Hoover, AL 35244 (205) 985-7267 http://www.dentalboard.org/ Alaska P.O. Box 110806 Juneau, AK 99811-0806 (907)465-2542 https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/ cbpl/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardofDentalExaminers.aspx Arizona 4205 N. 7th Ave. Suite 300 Phoenix, AZ 85103 (602)242-1492 http://azdentalboard.us/ Arkansas 101 E. Capitol Ave., Suite 111 Little Rock, AR 72201 (501)682-2085 http://www.asbde.org/ California 2005 Evergreen Street, Suite 1550Â Sacramento, CA 95815 877-729-7789 http://www.dbc.ca.gov/ Colorado 1560 Broadway, Suite 1350 Denver, CO 80202 (303)894-7800 http://www.dora.state.co.us/dental/ Connecticut 410 Capitol Ave. Hartford, CT 06134 (860)509-8000 http://www.ct.gov/dph/cwp/view. asp?a=3143&q=388884 Delaware Cannon Building, Suite 203 861 Solver Lake Blvd.

Dover, DE 19904 (302)744-4500 http://1.usa.gov/t0mbWZ Florida 4052 Bald Cypress Way Bin C-08 Tallahassee, FL 32399 (850)245-4474 http://floridasdentistry.gov/ 16

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Georgia 237 Coliseum Drive Macon, GA 31217 (478)207-2440 https://gbd.georgia.gov/ Hawaii DCCA-PVL Att: Dental P.O. Box 3469 Honolulu, HI 96801 (808)586-3000 http://cca.hawaii.gov/pvl/boards/dentist/ Idaho P.O. Box 83720 Boise, ID 83720 (208)334-2369 http://isbd.idaho.gov/ Illinois 320 W. Washington St. Springfield, IL 62786 (217)785-0820 http://www.isds.org/LawsLegislation/ boardOfDentistry.asp Indiana 402 W. Washington St., Room W072 Indianapolis, IN 46204 (317)232-2980 http://www.in.gov/pla/dental.htm Iowa 400 SW 8th St. Suite D Des Moines, IA 50309 (515)281-5157 http://www.state.ia.us/dentalboard/ Kansas 900 SW Jackson Room 564-S Topeka, KS 66612 (785)296-6400 http://www.dental.ks.gov/ Kentucky 312 Whittington Parkway, Suite 101 Louisville, KY 40222 (502)429-7280 http://dentistry.ky.gov/ Louisiana 365 Canal St., Suite 2680 New Orleans, LA 70130 (504)568-8574 http://www.lsbd.org/

Maine 143 State House Station 161 Capitol St. Augusta, ME 04333 (207)287-3333 http://www.mainedental.org/ Maryland 55 Wade Ave. Catonsville, Maryland 21228 (410)402-8500 http://dhmh.state.md.us/dental/ Massachusetts 1000 Washington St., Suite 710 Boston, MA 02118 (617)727-1944 http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/departments/dph/programs/hcq/dhpl/ dentist/about/ Michigan P.O. Box 30664 Lansing, MI 48909 (517)241-2650 http://www.michigan.gov/lara/0,4601,7154-72600_72603_27529_27533---,00. html Minnesota 2829 University Ave., SE. Suite 450 Minneapolis, MN 55414 (612)617-2250 http://www.dentalboard.state.mn.us/ Mississippi 600 E. Amite St., Suite 100 Jackson, MS 39201 (601)944-9622 http://bit.ly/uuXKxl Missouri 3605 Missouri Blvd.

P.O. Box 1367 Jefferson City, MO 65102 (573)751-0040 http://pr.mo.gov/dental.asp Montana P.O. Box 200113 Helena, MT 59620 (406)444-2511 http://bsd.dli.mt.gov/license/bsd_ boards/den_board/board_page.asp

Nebraska 301 Centennial Mall South Lincoln, NE 68509 (402)471-3121 http://dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/Pages/ crl_medical_dent_hygiene_board.aspx

Ohio Riffe Center 77 S. High St.,17th Floor Columbus, OH 43215 (614)466-2580 http://www.dental.ohio.gov/

Nevada 6010 S. Rainbow Blvd. Suite A-1 Las Vegas, NV 89118 (702)486-7044 http://www.nvdentalboard.nv.gov/

Oklahoma 201 N.E. 38th Terr., #2 Oklahoma City, OK 73105 (405)524-9037 http://www.ok.gov/dentistry/

New Hampshire 2 Industrial Park Dr. Concord, NH 03301 (603)271-4561 http://www.nh.gov/dental/

Oregon 1600 SW 4th Ave. Suite 770 Portland, OR 97201 (971)673-3200 http://www.oregon.gov/Dentistry/

New Jersey P.O Box 45005 Newark, NJ 07101 (973)504-6405 http://njpublicsafety.com/ca/dentistry/

Pennsylvania P.O. Box 2649 Harrisburg, PA 17105 (717)783-7162 http://www.dos.pa.gov/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardsCommissions/Dentistry/ Pages/default.aspx#.VbkfjPlPVYU

New Mexico Toney Anaya Building 2550 Cerrillos Rd. Santa Fe, NM 87505 (505)476-4680 http://www.rld.state.nm.us/boards/Dental_Health_Care.aspx New York 89 Washington Ave. Albany, NY 12234 (518)474-3817 http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/dent/ North Carolina 507 Airport Blvd., Suite 105 Morrisville, NC 27560 (919)678-8223 http://www.ncdentalboard.org/ North Dakota P.O. Box 7246 Bismark, ND 58507 (701)258-8600 http://www.nddentalboard.org/

Rhode Island Dept. of Health Three Capitol Hill, Room 104 Providence, RI 02908 (401)222-2828 http://1.usa.gov/u66MaB South Carolina P.O. Box 11329 Columbia, SC 29211 (803)896-4599 http://www.llr.state.sc.us/POL/Dentistry/ South Dakota P.O. Box 1079 105. S. Euclid Ave. Suite C Pierre, SC 57501 (605)224-1282 https://www.sdboardofdentistry.com/ Tennessee 227 French Landing, Suite 300 Nashville, TN 37243 (615)532-3202 http://tn.gov/health

Texas 333 Guadeloupe St. Suite 3-800 Austin, TX 78701 (512)463-6400 http://www.tsbde.state.tx.us/ Utah 160 E. 300 South Salt Lake City, UT 84111 (801)530-6628 http://1.usa.gov/xMVXWm Vermont National Life Building North FL2 Montpelier, VT 05620 (802)828-1505 http://governor.vermont.gov/boards_ and_commissions/dental_examiners Virginia Perimeter Center 9960 Maryland Dr., Suite 300 Henrico, VA 23233 (804)367-4538 http://www.dhp.virginia.gov/dentistry Washington 310 Israel Rd. SE P.O. Box 47865 Olympia, WA 98504 (360)236-4700 http://www.doh.wa.gov/LicensesPermitsandCertificates/ProfessionsNewReneworUpdate/Dentist.aspx West Virginia 1319 Robert C. Byrd Dr. P.O. Box 1447 Crab Orchard, WV 25827 1-877-914-8266 http://www.wvdentalboard.org/ Wisconsin P.O. Box 8935 Madison, WI 53708 1(877)617-1565 http://dsps.wi.gov/Default. aspx?Page=90c5523f-bab0-4a45-ab943d9f699d4eb5 Wyoming 1800 Carey Ave., 4th Floor Cheyenne, WY 82002 (307)777-6529 http://plboards.state.wy.us/dental/index.asp

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U.S. MEDICAL BOARDS Alabama P.O. Box 946 Montgomery, AL 36101 (334)242-4116 http://www.albme.org/ Alaska 550 West 7th Ave., Suite 1500 Anchorage, AK 99501 (907)269-8163 http://www.medlicense.com/alaskamedical-license.html Arizona 9545 E. Doubletree Ranch Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85258 (480)551-2700 http://www.azmd.gov Arkansas 1401 West Capitol Ave., Suite 340 Little Rock, AR 72201 (501)296-1802 http://www.armedicalboard.org/ California 2005 Evergreen St., Suite 1200 Sacramento, CA 95815 (916)263-2382 http://www.mbc.ca.gov/ Colorado 1560 Broadway, Suite 1350 Denver, CO 80202 (303)894-7690 http://www.dora.state.co.us/medical/ Connecticut 401 Capitol Ave. Hartford, CT 06134 (860)509-8000 http://www.ct.gov/dph/cwp/view. asp?a=3143&q=388902 Delaware Division of Professional Regulation Cannon Building 861 Silver Lake Blvd., Suite 203 Dover, DE 19904 (302)744-4500 http://dpr.delaware.gov/ District of Columbia 899 North Capitol St., NE Washington, DC 20002 (202)442-5955 http://doh.dc.gov/bomed 18 | JANUARY 2016

Florida 2585 Merchants Row Blvd.

Tallahassee, FL 32399 (850)245-4444 http://www.stateofflorida.com/Portal/ DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=115

Louisiana LSBME P.O. Box 30250 New Orleans, LA 70190 (504)568-6820 http://www.lsbme.la.gov/

Georgia 2 Peachtree Street NW, 36th Floor Atlanta, GA 30303 (404)656-3913 http://bit.ly/vPJQyG

Maine 161 Capitol Street 137 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 (207)287-3601 http://bit.ly/hnrzp

Hawaii DCCA-PVL P.O. Box 3469 Honolulu, HI 96801 (808)587-3295 http://hawaii.gov/dcca/pvl/boards/medical/

Maryland 4201 Patterson Ave. Baltimore, MD 21215 (410)764-4777 http://www.mbp.state.md.us/

Idaho Idaho Board of Medicine P.O. Box 83720 Boise, Idaho 83720 (208)327-7000 http://bit.ly/orPmFU

Massachusetts 200 Harvard Mill Sq., Suite 330 Wakefield, MA 01880 (781)876-8200 http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/departments/borim/

Illinois 320 West Washington St. Springfield, IL 62786 (217)785 -0820 http://www.idfpr.com/profs/info/Physicians.asp

Michigan Bureau of Health Professions P.O. Box 30670 Lansing, MI 48909 (517)335-0918 http://michigan.gov/lara/0,4601,7-15472600_72603_27529_27541-58914--,00. html

Indiana 402 W. Washington St. #W072 Indianapolis, IN 46204 (317)233-0800 http://www.in.gov/pla/ Iowa 400 SW 8th St., Suite C Des Moines, IA 50309 (515)281-6641 http://medicalboard.iowa.gov/ Kansas 800 SW Jackson, Lower Level, Suite A Topeka, KS 66612 (785)296-7413 http://www.ksbha.org/ Kentucky 310 Whittington Pkwy., Suite 1B Louisville, KY 40222 (502)429-7150 http://kbml.ky.gov/Pages/default.aspx

Minnesota University Park Plaza 2829 University Ave. SE, Suite 500 Minneapolis, MN 55414 (612)617-2130 http://bit.ly/pAFXGq Mississippi 1867 Crane Ridge Drive, Suite 200-B Jackson, MS 39216 (601)987-3079 http://www.msbml.state.ms.us/ Missouri Missouri Division of Professional Registration 3605 Missouri Blvd.

P.O. Box 1335 Jefferson City, MO 65102 (573)751-0293 http://pr.mo.gov/healingarts.asp

Montana 301 S. Park Ave. #430 Helena, MT 59601 (406)841-2300 http://bsd.dli.mt.gov/license/bsd_ boards/med_board/board_page.asp Nebraska Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services P.O. Box 95026 Lincoln, NE 68509 (402)471-3121 https://www.nebraska.gov/LISSearch/ search.cgi Nevada Board of Medical Examiners P.O. Box 7238 Reno, NV 89510 (775)688-2559 http://www.medboard.nv.gov/ New Hampshire New Hampshire State Board of Medicine 2 Industrial Park Dr. #8 Concord, NH 03301 (603)271-1203 http://www.nh.gov/medicine/ New Jersey P. O. Box 360 Trenton, NJ 08625 (609)292-7837 http://www.medlicense.com/new-jerseymedical-license.html New Mexico 2055 S. Pacheco St. Building 400 Santa Fe, NM 87505 (505)476-7220 http://www.nmmb.state.nm.us/ New York Office of the Professions State Education Building, 2nd Floor Albany, NY 12234 (518)474-3817 http://www.op.nysed.gov/ North Carolina P.O. Box 20007 Raleigh, NC 27619 (919)326-1100 http://www.ncmedboard.org/

North Dakota 418 E. Broadway Ave., Suite 12 Bismarck, ND 58501 (701)328-6500 http://www.ndbomex.com/

Texas P.O. Box 2018 Austin, TX 78768 (512)305-7010 http://www.tmb.state.tx.us/

Ohio 30 E. Broad St., 3rd Floor Columbus, OH 43215 (614)466-3934 http://med.ohio.gov/

Utah P.O. Box 146741 Salt Lake City, UT 84114 (801)530-6628 http://www.dopl.utah.gov/licensing/physician_surgeon.html

Oklahoma P.O. Box 18256 Oklahoma City, OK 73154 (405)962-1400 http://www.okmedicalboard.org/ Oregon 1500 SW 1st Ave., Suite 620 Portland, OR 97201 (971)673-2700 http://www.oregon.gov/OMB/ Pennsylvania P.O. Box 2649 Harrisburg, PA 17105 (717)787-8503 http://www.dos.pa.gov/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardsCommissions/Medicine/ Pages/default.aspx#.Vbkgf_lPVYU Rhode Island 3 Capitol Hill Providence, RI 02908 (401)222-5960 http://1.usa.gov/xgocXV South Carolina P.O. Box 11289 Columbia, SC 29211 (803)896-4500 http://www.llr.state.sc.us/pol/medical/ South Dakota 101 N. Main Ave. Suite 301 Sioux Falls, SD 57104 (605)367-7781 http://www.sdbmoe.gov/ Tennessee 425 5th Ave. North Cordell Hull Bldg. 3rd Floor Nashville, TN 37243 (615)741-3111 http://tn.gov/health

Vermont P.O. Box 70 Burlington, VT 05402 (802)657-4220 http://1.usa.gov/wMdnxh Virginia Virginia Dept. of Health Professions Perimeter Center 9960 Maryland Dr., Suite 300 Henrico, VA 23233 (804)367-4400 http://1.usa.gov/xjfJXK Washington Public Health Systems Development Washington State Department of Health 101 Israel Rd. SE, MS 47890 Tumwater, WA 98501 (360)236-4085 http://www.medlicense.com/washingtonmedicallicense.html West Virginia 101 Dee Dr., Suite 103 Charleston, WV 25311 (304)558-2921 http://www.wvbom.wv.gov/ Wisconsin P.O. Box 8935 Madison, WI 53708 (877)617-1565 http://dsps.wi.gov/Boards-Councils/ Board-Pages/Medical-Examining-BoardMain-Page/ Wyoming 320 W. 25th St., Suite 200 Cheyenne, WY 82002 (307)778-7053 http://wyomedboard.state.wy.us/

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features

eHealth -

Transforming Health Care for Your Patients

By Naren Arulrajah with Vikas Vij Ekwa Marketing

20

| JANUARY 2016

Introduction Communication and information technology have effectively closed the time and space gap in all areas of our lives. This includes healthcare. The eHealth technology explosion has in fact effectively improved healthcare for both patients and their caregivers. Not only has the healthcare delivery system improved, but it has also lead to increased transparency and accountability. eHealth makes it easy for healthcare professionals to; • Remotely monitor their patients.

• Gain quick access to patient health history.

• Pass on important and vital information to patients about their health.

• Share patient information with all the participants in a patient’s care team.

• Improve the process of building and managing patient records.

Health information is a precious commodity. Patients want greater control over their healthcare. In addition to accessing health related information via the Internet and digital TV/WebTV as well as over their smart phones, digital patients are increasingly using healthcare apps and healthcare wearables as a way of improving their health.

The Role of eHealth in Today’s Digital Health Space The electronic framework is no longer a luxury for healthcare professionals and practices. Programs such as Accountable Care have made it necessary for faster adoption of health based hardware, software, and workflow processes that support these kinds of initiatives. In addition to ensuring better coordinated care, eHealth tech-

continued on page 22 PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

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nology aims at improving health delivery for the general population while effectively lowering instances of health disparities which can impact overall health delivery success. Furthermore, eHealth adoption is increasingly becoming an important aspect of cost-saving for healthcare practices and healthbased organizations.

Transforming Oral Healthcare via eHealth eHealth can effectively improve quality of oral health care for patients. Not only does care delivery get a boost, but eHealth can also drive positive patient experiences which collectively lead to better oral health outcomes.

Benefits to Healthcare Providers; • Faster access to patient records from different sources leading to coordinated and improved care delivery.

• Quick and timely access to crucial clinical alerts, remind-

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ers, and or any other necessary eHealth Implementation; health information.

• Prepare a list of patients who • eHealth framework comes with will benefit the most from havperformance-improving tools as ing eHealth records. well as real-time quality report• Make sure you educate your paing. tients about the eHealth record • Access to patient documentasystem. tion leading to greater accuracy • Have in place systems that allow in coding and billing. you to gain informed consent • Easy information sharing from those patients. among all participants in a • Implement processes for keeppatient’s care giver team ensures ing patients informed about improved co-ordination and any changes to their medication collaboration which can result lists. in better health outcomes.

• Talk to you patients about ways in which they would like to use eHealth and Your Patients the eHealth record.

Information sharing between pa• Work on systems and processes tients and healthcare professionals that encourage patient informacan help build a more collaborative tion and record sharing with partnership which in turn can enother healthcare providers who hance patient health as both parties are a part of the patient’s healthare in a stronger position to make care team. informed decisions. However, col• Identify ways in which you can laboration can only happen when use the eHealth record system your patients are actively engaged to drive oral health literacy in the process of improving their among your patients. health. eHealth Success – Why you Need to Encourage Patient Engagement Your practice staff as well as other participants in the patient’s healthcare team can play a crucial role in educating patients about the importance and usefulness of eHealth. A big benefit of eHealth is that patient satisfaction can get a big boost as eHealth tools can provide a secure communication channel between patients and their healthcare professionals.

Using eHealth patients can; • Easily access information about their health and health care.

• Collaborate with healthcare professionals and make informed decisions about their health choices.

• Take necessary action to better manage their health. eHealth Tools for Patients; • Patient portals.

• Clinical summaries.

• Patient education resources which include - mobile applications, health trackers/scales, internet-based resources, selfhealth management tools, and decision aids.

• Secure electronic messaging.

Educate your patients about each of these tools and how they can use them to manage and improve their health.

Studies have shown that patients who are interested in learning about and managing their own healthcare are more willing to participate in programs that

encourage preventive care. They are also far more invested in selfmanaging their health conditions.

Furthermore, patients with chronic conditions can benefit from easy and quick access to electronic health information as a way of better managing their condition and understanding the implications of informed choices regarding their health.

Conclusion Digital health is on the rise. Most patients today seek greater control over their health and want to have an interactive partnership with their healthcare professionals and teams. This is where eHealth can make its impact as it helps in fostering stronger and more effective

communication among patients and healthcare professionals.  About the Author: Naren Arulrajah is President and CEO of Ekwa Marketing, a complete Internet marketing company which focuses on SEO, social media, marketing education and the online reputations of Dentists and Physicians.

With a team of 130+ full time marketers, www.ekwa.com helps doctors who know where they want to go, get there by dominating their market and growing their business significantly year after year. If you have questions about marketing your practice online, call Naren direct at 877-249-9666.

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features

Smart Mobile Technology for

Your Practice and Your Patients

By Thomas Hibbard Creative Director, Med Monthly 24

| JANUARY 2016

W

hether they have chronic ailments like diabetes or heart disease, or just want to watch their weight, Americans are increasingly tracking their health using smartphone applications and other devices that collect personal data automatically, according to health industry researchers. 21 percent of people who track their health use some form of technology.

More than 500 companies were making or developing self-management tools by last fall, up 35 percent from January 2012. Nearly 13,000 health and fitness apps are now available for little or no expense.

Technology for Doctors Many physicians are already connected by mobile smartphones and tablets with accessibility to lab results, prescription information, digital medical textbooks, internet access to the Center for Disease Control, text messaging to other doctors and patients, and real time communication via Skype, instant messaging, GoToMeeting, and other wireless services.

For some practices, FaceTime—a video calling software feature for iPhone 4 and the fourth generation iPod Touch—is replacing face-to-face office visits for minor complaints like cold and flu, headaches, and muscle strains. Follow up visits and lab test result reviews are often easier for the patient and doctor when done long distance.

A lot of patient support used to happen in a doctor’s waiting room. Patients shared views and exchanged information that helped them, and gave warnings for drugs or treatments that harmed them. They were also provided support and sympathy, something that doctors can be in short supply of in a fast paced medical practice.

The waiting room chat is being replaced by websites like CureTogether, http://www.crunchbase. com/company/curetogether, and PatientsLikeMe, http://www.patientslikeme.com/. These sites provide information on what’s working for patients. They provide ratings and real information on different diseases and treatments with no marketing hype or ads.

Doctors are beginning to adopt the iPhone and iPad into their workflow at their practices and the hospital, with many apps enabling doctors to be more efficient.

WebMD is a great reference app for doctors and it’s free at https://itunes.apple.com/US/app/

PatientsLikeMe Homepage

id373185673?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4. The app includes a symptom checker to help remind you what may be wrong with a certain patient. The app also includes first aid essentials, conditions, drugs and treatments, a pill identification tool, and local health listings.

Microdex Drug Reference Essentials, https:// itunes.apple.com/us/app/micromedex-drug-reference/ id819627009?mt=8, is an app that provides drug information for the iPhone and the iPad for $2.99 per year. The app includes over 4,500 search terms. These results include: generic names, trade names, black box warnings, dosage info, administration, monitoring, precautions, adverse effects, and much more. If you are a doctor prescribing drugs day in and day out, then this is a great app.

Micromedex Drug Reference Essentials screenshots continued on page 26 PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

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Many physicians need to create custom forms for their patients. Tap Forms HD is an app that allows you to do just that. The app includes 17 different field types including: link to form, file attachment, email address, GPS info, contact, text, date, time, date/ time, number, rating, URL, check mark, note, audio recording, photo and phone number. The app can also search through your forms allowing you to pull up past information quickly. The app is password protected ensuring your patients’ data is safe. The app also includes 25 different built-in forms. The app integrates with Dropbox to allow easy file transfers.

The app can also export your information as a CSV file to be opened up in Excel or Numbers. If you need custom forms, then Tap Forms HD is a great app for that. It’s available at https://itunes.apple.com/US/app/ id410500116?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4 for $8.99

electronic systems that hold bits and pieces of medical history. With My Medical, any and all information that is important to the patient is kept together in one place. And it’s secure because the information is kept on their device, not on a remote server. iTriage, https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ id304696939?mt=8 is a free app to assist in health, doctor, symptoms, and healthcare searches. Patients now have access to an endless amount of health information right in their pockets. This app allows them to check their symptoms and easily locate a physician or hospital in the event of an emergency.

Technology for Patients The explosion of mobile devices means that more patients have an opportunity to start tracking health data in an organized way and many of the people surveyed said the experience had changed their overall approach to health.

A very effective mobile app for patients to record health information is My Medical, https://itunes. apple.com/us/app/my-medical/id347860026?mt=8 for $4.99. It is a comprehensive record-keeping app for personal medical information and is the perfect replacement for unreliable paper records or various

iTriage screenshots

These are several innovations meant to help physicians and patients. While many digital developments — electronic medical records and mobile medical encyclopedias — have streamlined doctors’ work, new tools for patients are starting to hit cell phones and the Internet at a rapid rate with no slowdown in sight.  Sources: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/28/health/electronichealth-tracking-increasingly-common-researchers-say. html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=4& http://renegadehealth.com/blog/2012/08/31/doctorvisit-theres-an-app-for-that http://appadvice.com/applists/show/apps-for-doctorswith-ipads

My Medical screenshots

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| JANUARY 2016

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/15/the-doctorcan-see-you-now-really-right-now/

is now hiring primary care MD’s and PA’s, DDS’s, dental hygienists, and registered dental assistants in North Carolina, Virginia and South Carolina

Ongoing and intermittent shifts are available for physicians, mid-levels, DDS, dental hygienists, and registered dental assistants as well as permanent placement. Find out why providers choose Physician Solutions.

P.O. Box 98313, Raleigh, NC 27624 Scan this QR code with your smartphone to learn more.

phone: 919.845.0054 fax: 919.845.1947 e-mail: physiciansolutions@gmail.com www.physiciansolutions.com

features

eHealth and Your Patients…

Are You Plugged in or Behind the Times?

By Barbara Hales, M.D.

www.thewritetreatment.com In case you haven’t noticed, the practice of medicine has changed…a lot! You are either up-to-date and along for the ride (albeit a bumpy one for many) or you will be phased out. eHealth, which became a universal term in the 21st century (despite its development in the late 90s) covers a broad spectrum of medical practice using electronic devices including: • ePrescribing - sending prescriptions to pharmacies for patients or printing out prescriptions to patients directly in order to cut down on drug errors derived from inability to read the handwriting • Electronic health records - recording patient information digitally which enables easier access and sharing between specialists • Computerized test outcomes - retrieving radiological images, EKGs and laboratory results as well as the ability to order diagnostic examinations • Portals - entries into patient records as well as 28

| JANUARY 2016

access to communication with doctors and healthcare practices for scheduling of appointments, posting questions for the doctors or nurse practitioners, viewing results • Clinical Support - accessing online information about accepted protocols and medical standards for treating and diagnosing individuals • Epidemiological tracking - highlights patterns in symptoms and geographical areas for medical conditions/illnesses • Latest information - reveals the newest articles from medical journals and practice guidelines • Consumer health tools - aka mHealth, using smart devices and apps to enable patient control and reporting of various body functions like vital signs, glucose levels, weight and exercise management • Virtual health teams - collaborating between specialties for the management of specific patients and medical conditions

• Telemedicine - monitoring patient functions from a distance using remote devices and both physical and psychological remote therapies and diagnosis • Medical research - aggregating data and disease entities

Benefits of eHealth The seven biggest groups to gain real advantages to digital healthcare involve: 1. Rural, Outlying settings -for those patients who are far away from hospitals, health facilities and physician care giving access to medical treatment 2. Home-restricted/incapacitated patients - for patients who are bedridden or have special needs, these individuals can obtain healthcare without the burden of trying to obtain difficult transportation 3. Healthcare Givers/ Home health aides - enables givers of patients to care for their charges by aggregating the data they need and giving access to physicians and healthcare information 4. Remote, inaccessible settings - medical access in war arenas and migrant camps, mountainous areas and regions that are difficult for physicians to physically travel to 5. Chronic conditions - empowers patients suffering from chronic medical problems to monitor themselves, develop a routine care plan and seek medical contact only when necessary

Patients with chronic problems can also share notes and compare treatments with others who suffer from the same condition.

6. Contagious conditions - enables patients to receive medical attention without spreading viral/ bacterial/parasitic infections to others 7. Self-monitoring - enables individuals to track, record and transmit personal data with sensors or applications and smart devices while obviating the same tracking, lab visits or medical appointments to record the same information

Disadvantages of eHealth • Financial Burden -electronic health record systems can be quite costly depending on the vendor and type of system that is selected. Additional costs are rendered if the system needs to be altered or the vendor changed

• Flow of patients - until the physicians and office staff become adept at using the system, the flow of patients can become slower while data is properly entered and read • Security - worry over systems being breached by hackers, confidentiality infringement or sharing causing violation of HIPAA laws is a real concern Regardless of how you feel about eHealth adoption, these digital methods of practice are not in the future, nor even optional. They are here to stay and part of the ACA meaningful use.

Two Practical Options You have two choices- adopt or get left in the cold, which leads to your practice withering away, financial penalties from third-party payers and essentially forced retirement.

As a young doctor who has recently finished training, digital health is a way of life. As an older doctor, you may be pulled into the latest methods kicking and screaming. Either way, you are now going to be the biggest eHealth advocate and therefore assuring your medical practice the success it deserves! 

The Write Treatment

Ezines and NewslettersCost Effective Powerful Tools • Drive traffic to your business website • Build relationships between yourself and patients • Get new patients • Announce a new service or product • Give great impact Have you got a newsletter yet or want to spread a message?

Contact Barbara Hales, M.D. for a free consultation.

Barbara@TheWriteTreatment.com 516-647-3002

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features

HELP!

Which Medical App Should I Choose?

By Carrie A Noriega, MD

30

| JANUARY 2016

Smartphones have become an integral part of our daily lives and are capable of doing remarkable things.

There is truly almost always an “app for that,” just like people often like to say. The problem is not whether or not there is an app available to perform a particular function, but more often it is whether the app really offers what you are looking for.

More often than not, I down load a new app that promises to be the next great thing, only to delete it a few months later either because it was too hard to figure out or it really didn’t meet my needs. Finding the right apps to meet your particular needs can often be frustrating and time consuming.

While everyone has different app needs based on their specialty, type of practice, and level of practice (student, RN, MD, EMT), most health care workers now use apps as a regular part of their practice.

Discussed below are some of the most popular point-of-care tools and reference apps that are currently available.

UpToDate The UpToDate app gives you mobile access to the widely used UpToDate website. It is an evidence-based site that covers just about every area of health care from medical practice to how to diagnose and treat medical conditions. The information is peerreviewed and constantly being revised and updated. It does require either an annual subscription (costing $499) or an institutional subscription to access the information. The app is available for both iPhone and android platforms.

Available at http://www.uptodate. com/home/uptodate-mobile-access

Calculate by QxMD This is an easy to use medical calculator that has more than 150 unique calculators and decision support tools. It also offers the ability to link you to PubMed to view abstracts for the references cited in the app. It is a free app available for both iPhone and android platforms.

Available at http://www.qxmd.com/ apps/calculate-by-qxmd

Medscape Medscape offers evidence-based information on disease diagnosis, management, and pathophysiology. It also offers detailed surgical technique descriptions. The app’s homepage is tailored to your specialty and provides you with the latest medical news pertinent to your specialty. The app is free but does require you to register for a free Medscape account. The app is available for both the iPhone and android platforms. Available at http://www.medscape.com/public/ applanding

NEJM this week This app provides free access to weekly content from the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

It provides recent articles, images, audio and video. The provided articles are those that have been published online in the last 7 days and includes research, reviews, commentary, and case materials.

The app is free but only gives you limited access to content in the NEJM but if you have a subscription to the journal you can access the journal according to your subscription terms. This app is available for iPhone and iPad. Available at http://www.nejm.org/page/ about-nejm/mobile-applications

‘‘

“While everyone has different app needs based on their specialty, type of practice, and level of practice (student, RN, MD, EMT), most health care workers now use apps as a regular part of their practice.”

Epocrates There are several versions of this app ranging from the basic (free) app to Epocrates plus (cost $174.99 per year). The basic app includes a drug database, interaction checker, and pill ID feature. Epocrates plus offers the ability to search diseases, drugs, infectious diseases, lab tests, tables, and offers a resource center.

The drug information provided is quite extensive and includes mechanism of action, pharmacology, and drug price. It is available for both iPhone and android platforms.

Available at http://www.epocrates. com/mobile

Wheel SP This is an obstetric wheel that allows you to calculate the estimated due date (EDD) using the last menstrual period, date of conception, or known gestational age. The current gestational age can be calculated using the EDD. It will also allow you to calculate the estimated fetal weight using ultrasound measurements. The app is available for continued on page 32

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the iPhone for $1.99. Available at http://www.enatal.com/thewheelsp. htm

Isabel Isabel is a searchable database of more than 6,000 different diseases that is designed to help physicians create a differential diagnosis based on a patient’s presenting symptoms.

The list can be modified based on the patient’s age, gender, or travel history. Once the list is created, clicking a diagnosis brings up supporting knowledge from external sources like PubMed, Google, or Wikipedia. This app will not give you a diagnosis but can help create a usable differential diagnosis to work with. The app is available for iPhone and android platforms and

is free to download but requires a subscription to use. Subscription costs are weekly for $2.99, monthly for $10.99, or yearly for $119.99.

Available at http://www.isabelhealthcare.com/home/default

Read by QxMD Read by QxMD provides a simple interface to access medical and scientific research, top reviews, and the ability to search PubMed. Users are allowed to select the journals they choose to follow or can choose to narrow their selection by specialty. The app is free but you are required to create an account with Read QxMD and you must enter a password to access your institutional library so that you can have full access to the journals. The app is available for both iPhone and

android. Available at http://www. qxmd.com/apps/read-by-qxmd-app The number of apps available as of July 2015 are a staggering 1.5 million apps on iTunes and 1.6 million apps on Google Play, making it difficult, if not sometimes impossible, to find the right app to fit your needs.1 While lists like these may not provide you with the exact app that you are looking for, they can at least help to narrow down your search.  References 1. Number of apps available in leading app stores as of July 2015.

Statista website. http://www.statista. com/statistics/276623/numberof-apps-available-in-leading-appstores/. Accessed Dec. 17, 2015.

Internal Medicine Practice Wilmington, North Carolina Newly listed Internal Medicine practice in the beautiful city of Wilmington, NC. With Gross revenues over $400,000, 18 to 22 patients per day, this practice is ready for the physician that enjoys beach life. The medical office is located in a brick wrapped condo and is highly visible. This well appointed practice has a solid patient base and is offered for $85,000.

Medical Practice Listings l 919-848-4202 l medlisting@gmail.com l medicalpracticelistings.com

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Practices for Sale Medical Practices Primary Care specializing in Women’s Practice Location: Morehead City, N.C. List Price: Just reduced to $20,000 or Best Offer Gross Yearly Income: $540,000 average for past 3 years Year Established: 2005 Average Patients per Day: 12 to 22 Building Owned/Leased: MD owned and can be leased or purchased Contact: Philip at 919-848-4202

Family Primary Care Practice

Location: Minutes East of Raleigh, North Carolina List Price: $15,000 or Best Offer Gross Yearly Income: $235,000 Average Patients per Day: 8 to 12 Total Exam Rooms: 6 Physician retiring, Beautiful practice Building Owned/Leased: Owned (For Sale or Lease) Contact: Philip 919-848-4202

Family Practice/Primary Care

Location: Hickory, North Carolina List Price: $425,000 Gross Yearly Income: $1,5000,000 Year Established: 2007 Average Patients Per Day: 24-35 Total Exam Rooms: 5 Building Owned/Leased: Lease or Purchase Contact: Philip at 919-848-4202

Med Spa

Location: Coastal North Carolina List Price: $550,000 Gross Yearly Income: $1,600,000.00 Year Established: 2005 Average Patients Per Day: 25 to 30 Total Exam Rooms: 4 Building Owned/Leased: Leased Contact: Philip at 919-848-4202

Practice Type: Mental Health, Neuropsychological and Psychological Location: Wilmington, NC List Price: $110,000 Gross Yearly Income: $144,000 Year Established: 2000 Average Patients Per Day: 8 Building Owned/Leased/Price: Owned Contact: Philip at 919-848-4202

Practice Type: Internal Medicine Location: Wilmington, NC List Price: $85,000 Gross Yearly Income: $469,000 Year Established: 2000 Average Patients per Day: 25 Building Owned/Leased: Owned Contact: Philip at 919-848-4202

Dental Practices Place Your Ad Here

Optical Practices Place Your Ad Here

Special Listings Offer We are offering our “For Sale By Owner” package at a special rate. With a 6 month agreement, you receive 3 months free.

Considering your practice options? Call us today.

PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

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Practice for Sale in Raleigh, NC Primary care practice specializing in women’s care Raleigh, North Carolina The owning physician is willing to continue with the practice for a reasonable time to assist with smooth ownership transfer. The patient load is 35 to 40 patients per day, however, that could double with a second provider. Exceptional cash flow and profit will surprise even the most optimistic practice seeker. This is a remarkable opportunity to purchase a well-established woman’s practice. Spacious practice with several well-appointed exam rooms and beautifully decorated throughout. New computers and medical management software add to this modern front desk environment.

List price: $435,000

Call Medical Practice Listings at (919) 848-4202 for details and to view our other listings visit www.medicalpracticelistings.com

Pediatrics Practice Wanted Pediatrics practice wanted in NC Considering your options regarding your pediatric practice? We can help.

Medical Practice Listings has a well qualified buyer for a pediatric practice anywhere in central North Carolina.

Contact us today to discuss your options confidentially.

Medical Practice Listings Call 919-848-4202 or e-mail medlistings@gmail.com www.medicalpracticelistings.com

Eastern North Carolina Family Practice Available Well-appointed Eastern North Carolina Family Practice established in 2000 is for sale in Williamston, NC. This organized practice boasts a wide array of diagnostic equipment including a GE DEXA scanner with a new tube, GE case 8000 stress testing treadmill and controller and back up treadmill, Autoclave and full set of operating equipment, EKG-Ez EKG and much more. The average number of patients seen daily is between 12 to 22. The building is owned by MD and can be purchased or leased.

The owning physician is relocating and will assist as needed during the transition period. The gross receipts for the past three years average $650,000 and the list price was just reduced to $185,000. If you are looking to purchase a well equipped primary care practice, please contact us today.

919-848-4202 medlisting@gmail.com medicalpracticelistings.com

34 | JANUARY 2016

Primary Care Specializing in Women’s Health

Located on NC’s Beautiful Coast, Morehead City

Practice established in 2005, averaging over $540,000 the past 3 years. Free standing practice building for sale or lease. This practice has 5 well equipped exam rooms and is offered for $20,000.

919.848.4202 medlisting@gmail.com medicalpracticelistings.com

Adult & pediAtric integrAtive medicine prActice for sAle This Adult and Pediatric Integrative Medicine practice, located in Cary, NC, incorporates the latest conventional and natural therapies for the treatment and prevention of health problems not requiring surgical intervention. It currently provides the following therapeutic modalities: • • • • •

Conventional Medicine Natural and Holistic Medicine Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy Functional Medicine Nutritional Therapy

• • • • • •

Mind-Body Medicine Detoxification Supplements Optimal Weigh Program Preventive Care Wellness Program Diagnostic Testing

There is a Compounding Pharmacy located in the same suites with a consulting pharmacist working with this Integrative practice. Average Patients per Day: 12-20

Internal Medicine Practice for Sale Located in the heart of the medical community in Cary, North Carolina, this Internal Medicine practice is accepting most private and government insurance payments.

The average patients per day is 20-25+, and the gross yearly income is $555,000.

Listing Price: $430,000

Gross Yearly Income: $335,000+ | List Price: $125,000

Call 919-848-4202 or email medlistings@gmail.com www.medicalpracticelistings.com

Call 919-848-4202 or email medlistings@gmail.com www.medicalpracticelistings.com PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

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PHYSICIANS NEEDED: Mental health facility in Eastern North Carolina seeks: PA/FT ongoing, start immediately Physician Assistant needed to work with physicians to provide primary care for resident patients. FT ongoing 8a-5p. Limited inpatient call is required. The position is responsible for performing history and physicals of patients on admission, annual physicals, dictate discharge summaries, sick call on unit assigned, suture minor lacerations, prescribe medications and order lab work. Works 8 hour shifts Monday through Friday with some extended work on rotating basis required. It is a 24 hour in-patient facility that serves adolescent, adult and geriatric patients.

FT ongoing Medical Director, start immediately The Director of Medical Services is responsible for ensuring all patients receive quality medical care. The director supervises medical physicians and physician extenders. The Director of Medical Services also provides guidance to the following service areas: Dental Clinic, X-Ray Department, Laboratory Services, Infection Control, Speech/Language Services, Employee Health,

Pharmacy Department, Physical Therapy and Telemedicine. The Medical Director reports directly to the Clinical Director. The position will manage and participate in direct patient care as required; maintain and participate in an on-call schedule ensuring that a physician is always available to hospitalized patients; and maintain privileges of medical staff.

Permanent Psychiatrist needed FT, start immediately An accredited State Psychiatric Hospital serving the eastern region of North Carolina, is recruiting for permanent full-time Psychiatrist. The 24 hour in-patient facility serves adolescent, adult and geriatric patients. The psychiatrist will serve as a team leader for multi-disciplinary team to ensure quality patient care/treatment. Responsibilities include:

evaluation of patient on admission and development of a comprehensive treatment plan, serve on medical staff committees, complete court papers, documentation of patient progress in medical record, education of patients/families, provision of educational groups for patients.

Send copies of your CV, NC medical license, DEA certificate and NPI certificate with number to Physician Solutions for immediate consideration. Physician Solutions, P.O. Box 98313, Raleigh, NC 27624 PH: (919) 845-0054 | email: physiciansolutions@gmail.com

Primary Care Practice For Sale

Med Spa in the Raleigh-Durham, NC Area

Wilmington, NC Established primary care on the coast of North Carolina’s beautiful beaches.

Fully staffed with MD’s and PA’s to treat both appointment and walk-in patients.

Excellent exam room layout, equipment and visibility.

Contact Medical Practice Listings for more information.

Medical Practice Listings 919.848.4202 | medlistings@gmail.com www.medicalpracticelistings.com 36 | JANUARY 2016

Beautiful Med Spa located in the Raleigh-Durham is among our newest listings.

This very upscale facility is established and boosts consistent gross revenues of a million plus. Some of the procedures performed are: Botox, Dermal Fillers, Minimal light based treatments, laser hair removal, cool sculpting (external cooling treatment that freezes the hair and the body metabolizes the fat). This practice is ideal for the Plastic Surgeon or Dermatologist.

Established: 2010 l Annual Revenue: $1,000,000 Average Patients per Day: 15 to 25

Call 919-848-4202 or email medlistings@gmail.com www.medicalpracticelistings.com

NC Opportunities DENTISTS AND HYGIENISTS

Urgent Care Practices Wanted We have several qualified MDs seeking established Urgent Care Practices in North Carolina.

If you have an urgent care practice and would like to explore your selling options, please contact us. Your call will be handled confidentially and we always put together win-win solutions for the seller and buyer.

Physician Solutions has immediate opportunities for dentists and hygienists throughout NC. Top wages, professional liability insurance and accommodations provided.

Call us today if you are available for a few days a month, on-going or for permanent placement. Please contact Physican Solutions at 919-845-0054 or physiciansolutions@gmail.com

Call Medical Practice Listings today and ask for Philip Driver 919-848-4202.

Modern Med Spa Available

Located in beautiful coastal North Carolina Modern, well-appointed med spa is available in the eastern part of the state. This Spa specializes in BOTOX, facial therapy and treatments, laser hair removal, eye lash extensions and body waxing as well as a menu of anti-aging options. This impressive practice is perfect as-is and can accommodate additional services like; primary health or dermatology.

The Gross revenue is over $1,500.000 during 2012 with consistent high revenue numbers for the past several years. The average number of patients seen daily is between 26 and 32 with room for improvement. You will find this Med Spa to be in a highly visible location with upscale amenities. The building is leased and the lease can be assigned or restructured. Highly profitable and organized, this spa POISED FOR SUCCESS. 919.848.4202 medlisting@gmail.com medicalpracticelistings.com PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

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MD STAFFING AGENCY FOR SALE IN NORTH CAROLINA The perfect opportunity for anyone who wants to purchase an established business.

NC MedSpa For Sale MedSpa Located in North Carolina We have recently listed a MedSpa in NC This established practice has staff MDs, PAs and nurses to assist patients. Some of the procedures performed include: Botox, Dysport, Restylane, Perian, Juvederm, Radiesse, IPL Photoreju Venation, fractional laser resurfacing as well as customized facials. There are too many procedures to mention in this very upscale practice. The qualified buyer will be impressed with the $900,000 gross revenue. This is a new listing, and we are in the valuation process.

l One

of the oldest Locums companies l Large client list l Dozens of MDs under contract l Executive office setting l Modern computers and equipment l Revenue over a million per year l Retiring owner

Contact Medical Practice Listings today to discuss the practice details.

For more information call Medical Practice Listings at 919-848-4202 or e-mail medlistings@gmail.com Please direct all correspondence to driverphilip@gmail.com.

Only serious, qualified inquirers.

www.medicalpracticelistings.com

PRIMARY CARE PRACTICE East of Raleigh, North Carolina We are offering a well established primary care practice only minutes east of Raleigh North Carolina. The retiring physician maintains a 5 day work week and has a solid base of patients that can easily be expanded. There are 6 fully equipped exam rooms, a large private doctor’s office, spacious business office, and patient friendly check in and out while the patient waiting room is generous overlooking manicured flowered grounds. This family practice is open Monday through Friday and treats 8 to a dozen patients per day.

Currently operating on paper charts, there is no EMR in place. The Gross revenue is about $235,000 yearly.

We are offering this practice for $50,000 which includes all the medical equipment and furniture. The building is free standing and can be leased or purchased.

Contact Philip at 919-848-4202 to receive details and reasonable offers will be presented to the selling physician.

Medical Practice Listings Selling and buying made easy

MedicalPracticeListings.com | medlisting@gmail.com | 919-848-4202 38 | JANUARY 2016

PRIMARY CARE PRACTICE - Hickory, North Carolina This is an outstanding opportunity to acquire one of the most organized and profitable primary care practices in the area. Grossing a million and a half yearly, the principal physician enjoys ordinary practice income of over $300,000 annually.

Hickory is located in the foot-hills of North Carolina and is surrounded by picturesque mountains, lakes, upscale shopping malls and the school systems are excellent. If you are looking for an established practice that runs like a well oiled machine, request more information.

The free standing building that houses this practice is available to purchase or rent with an option. There are 4 exam rooms with a well appointed procedure room. The owning physician works 4 to 5 days per week and there is a full time physician assistant staffed as well.

For the well qualified purchasing physician, the owner may consider some owner-financing. Call us today.

List price: $425,000 | Year Established: 2007 | Gross Yearly Income: $1,500,000

Medical Practice Listings Selling and buying made easy

MedicalPracticeListings.com | medlisting@gmail.com | 919-848-4202

Women’s Health Practice in Morehead City, NC

Newly listed Primary Care specializing in Women’s care located in the beautiful coastal city of Morehead City. This spacious practice has 5 exam rooms with one electronic tilting exam table and 4 other Ritter exam tables. Excellent visibility and parking make this an ideal location to market and expand. This practice is fully equipped and is ready for a new owner that is ready to hit the ground running. The owning MD is retiring and will be accommodating during the transition period. This medical building is owned and is offered for sale, lease or lease to own. The gross receipts for the past 3 years exceed $540,000 per year. If you are looking to purchase an excellent practice located in a picturesque setting, please contact us today.

PEDIATRICIAN

or family medicine doctor needed in

FAYETTEVILLE, NC

Comfortable seeing children. Needed immediately.

Medical Practice Listings Buying and selling made easy

Call 919-848-4202 or email medlistings@gmail.com www.medicalpracticelistings.com

Call 919- 845-0054 or email: physiciansolutions@gmail.com www.physiciansolutions.com PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

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Physician Solutions, Inc. Medical & Dental Staffing

The fastest way to be $200K in debt is to open your own practice The fastest way to make $100K is to choose

Physician Solutions

THE DECISION IS YOURS Physician Solutions, Inc. P.O. Box 98313 Raleigh, NC 27624 Scan this QR code with your smartphone to learn more.

phone: 919-845-0054 fax: 919-845-1947 www.physiciansolutions.com physiciansolutions@gmail.com