Today’s rheumatology practices face increasing internal and external pressures. Staffing effectiveness and efficiency, overhead increases, coding and billing issues, litigious employees, conflicts with colleagues, new competition, changing patient attitudes, new revenue constraints, and managed care contracting and compliance are just some of the pressures that constantly push practices to their limits.
The ACR’s practice advocacy department is can guide you through the politics and business of medicine, and, if correctly used, its resources can become invaluable to your practice.
Resources from Practice Start Up to Retirement
Through every stage of practice development and operation—from the creation of an initial business plan through retirement—the ACR practice advocacy department staff offers a variety of tools and services to help your practice function more effectively, efficiently, and profitably.
Professional staff members who understand the clinical services provided by a rheumatology practice are available to assist rheumatology practices in various areas. Certified professional coding specialists can help identify your billing issues, develop plans for correcting billing errors in order to reduce overall denials, and offer counsel on preparing for managed care audits. Practice-management professionals within the department offer support to evaluate your current operating systems and strategies and help you to successfully implement proven business principles and support clinical information technology.
Education, Networking, and Useful Tools
Rheumatology practices can also receive assistance through the ACR Web site at www.rheumatology.org/practice. The Web site features these tools:
- ACR networking list serves;
- Benchmarks for rheumatology practices;
- Career Connection;
- Classification criteria;
- CORC Affiliate Society Council Resources;
- Documentation and coding resources;
- Practice advocacy updates;
- Patient education materials;
- Position statements;
- Practice guidelines;
- Drug alerts;
- Fee schedules; and
- Sample office forms.
In addition, opportunities for education and networking are provided through the State-of-the Art Symposium, ACR/ARHP Annual Scientific Meeting, and the new ACR Affiliate Society Council.
Your practice of rheumatology is not only a business, but a lifelong profession. You have the power to drive the direction of your practice and create an environment that is geared toward productivity, profitability, and overall satisfaction. With planning, creative thinking, and help from the ACR practice advocacy department, you can create a course of action and map strategies that will help meet your practice goals.
For information on how the ACR’s practice advocacy department can help your practice, call (404) 633-3777.