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17 dos and don’ts of coding and compliance
Practice Management Q: I have been billing and coding the same way since I opened my office seven years ago. Can you provide some general guidelines so I can be sure I am billing properly and coding compliantly? A: Since changes occur to CPT codes and ICD-9 (diagnosis) codes every year, you are making a wise decision learning as much as possible about CPT coding. Here is a list of the most common CPT coding and compliance dos and don’ts.Become a wellness innovator: Put your ideas into action
Personal Development Revolutions don’t take place without a significant amount of innovative thinking. And the wellness revolution is a clear example of that. Without wellness innovation, wellness revolution would not be taking place. With ever-evolving technology comes constant improvement in office systems. You may already have ideas you’d like to develop in one or more of these areas. For most people having new ideas is not the difficult part. The challenge lies in putting action behind the idea and developing it into reality.Can non-compete clauses be enforced?
Legal Q: I recently left an associate position with a chiropractor. I have established roots in this city with my family and do not want to move. However, I signed a non-compete clause in the original contract. I heard that non-compete clauses may not be enforceable. Is this true? A: This is a very common question on both sides of the equation. The associate wants to break the agreement, and the employer wants to enforce it to the fullest. Many variables exist in state laws regarding non-compete employment clauses so you will want to hire a local attorney familiar with this specific issue to assist you.Chiropractic plays a key role at OSU Center for Integrative Medicine
Feature Big things are going on at Ohio State University. And for once they have nothing to do with football on the campus of 50,000 students and several thousand more faculty, staff, and other employees. Not even a stone’s throw from Woody Hayes Drive and just across the Olentangy River from the university’s most famous building — Ohio Stadium — sits a less descript structure, but one where exciting things are happening — the OSU Center for Integrative Medicine (CIM). The center can be likened to a supersized shopping center.
Personal DevelopmentCreate a child-friendly clinic
Office Design The design of a pediatric chiropractic practice can take two different paths. Which path is better for you depends upon the results you are looking to achieve. One child-friendly design is created for the convenience of parents. The other is created to promote health benefits for children under chiropractic care. The “convenience” design has elements that entertain children while the parent gets adjusted. It keeps children occupied, but it does nothing to promote pediatric chiropractic wellness and usually places a huge burden on your staff.Developing a pregnancy niche
Marketing Pregnant women need chiropractic. They go through hormonal, postural, and emotional changes in pregnancy, and their nervous system does not function optimally. Fulfilling this need can be an exceptional way to grow your practice. Creating and promoting a pregnancy chiropractic practice may be easier than you think. Here are several things you can do to get started. Learn all you can about pregnancy to communicate effectively and professionally.Easing the ‘bite’ of mandated changes
Finances Complying with federal tax rules cost Americans $265 billion in 2005, or 22 cents per dollar collected. Despite that financial burden, those same laws can also ease the financial “bite” you face when compelled to make changes to your practice or to the way you operate. The costs of making improvements to any business asset, regardless of whether those changes were mandated or not, is a capital expense, because the improvements often add to its value, or adapt it to a different use.Patients and practice both benefit from DC/PT relationship
Practice Management Physical therapy is a logical next step to improve the overall care of your patients and boost your revenues. When done correctly, adding a physical therapist (PT) to your practice can be a true win-win situation. But, to assure success in expanding your practice in this direction, do your homework, weigh all the factors (both pro and con), then make a decision. Let’s look at some of the important benefits your patients receive when you include a physical therapist as part of your treatment team.
