December 2001 Bulletin
Business skills courses at Annual Meeting
Symposia, IC lectures to focus on communications, marketing, coding, budgets, legal pitfalls
By Sandra Lee Breisch
Orthopaedists cannot bury their heads in the sand and practice without any business knowledge. "Those days are over," says Paul J. Duwelius, MD, member of the Annual Meeting Committee. "I clearly think orthopaedists are at a disadvantage if they don’t have some negotiating skills in contracting with managed care plans, communication skills and market knowledge."
So, whether you’re an orthopaedist just starting a practice or you’re well-established, Dr. Duwelius says, "be sure to attend" a number of practice management Instructional Course lectures and symposia at the Annual Meeting in Dallas February 13-17, 2002.
"These courses can help you," Dr. Duwelius stresses. "Course lectures are one of the best ways to learn. They’re very valuable because the topics are timely, there’s new information and you have the leaders in the field teaching."
- Communication Skills Workshop: The Medical Interview on Feb. 13, 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; Feb. 14, 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; and Feb. 15, 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m., is an interactive workshop conducted by orthopaedic mentors using video vignettes and the Bayer Institute educational model that teaches specific techniques to improve communication skills.
- Strategic Positioning and Marketing on Feb. 13, 8-10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., covers how to develop proactive strategies for attracting patients, referrals and managed care subscribers.
- Recertification Symposium on Feb. 13, 1-3 p.m., addresses issues of professional responsibility, the public’s opinion about recertification, how recertification is approached by other professionals (airline pilots) and the factors involved in ensuring the process is valid and reliable.
- Coding and Documentation: Fraud and Abuse on Feb. 13, 1-3 p.m. and Feb. 14, 1-3 p.m., teaches the basics of CPT coding, including E & M documentation guidelines and the use of modifiers.
- Understanding the Numbers: Basic Practice Financial Management on Feb. 13, 3:30-5:30 p.m., covers primary financial elements essential to practice management.
- Bare Bones Marketing on Feb. 14, 1-3 p.m., discusses how solo or small-group orthopaedists can increase their practice by using low-cost marketing techniques.
- Sync Me–Using Personal Digital Assistants in Orthopaedic Practice on Feb. 14, 1-3 p.m., offers an overview of current PDA technology, wireless technology and software applications.
- Budgeting, Cost Management and Productivity on Feb. 14, 1-3 p.m. and 3:30-5:30 p.m., covers key elements in a business plan, understanding external conditions, internal capabilities and primary competitors.
- Developing and Enhancing the Utilization of Physician Assistants in an Orthopaedic Practice on Feb. 15, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., evaluates the addition of Physician Assistants.
- Key Issues in Choosing and Starting Your Orthopaedic Practice: There is Life After Residency on Feb. 15, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., covers issues faced by orthopaedists completing their training and beginning to practice.
- Orthopaedic Education On-line Symposium on Feb. 15, 1-3 p.m., addresses new concepts in orthopaedic education enabled by the Internet.
- Physician Owned Surgery Centers on Feb. 15, 3:30-5:30 p.m., covers issues of ownership, new partners, single-specialty, multispecialty, CON, Medicare approval, Stark II rules and case mix.
- Current Legal Pitfalls in Orthopaedic Practice on Feb. 17, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., covers liability issues including the federal government’s fraud and abuse prosecution campaign, the latest legal problems associated with coding and billing, the new HIPAA privacy regulations, and recent liability issues arising in managed care.
On Feb. 12, the day before the Annual Meeting begins, all residents are invited to attend the second annual Practice Management Symposium for Orthopaedic Residents from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., followed by a networking reception. The complimentary symposium, supported by an unrestricted educational grant from AstraZeneca, will present information on the legal and business aspects of orthopaedics.