Medical Money Matters with Jill Arena

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we're demystifying a topic that's critical yet often overlooked in medical billing – Hierarchical Condition Category, or HCC coding. Understanding HCC coding is not just about compliance; it's about ensuring your practice's financial health. So, let's dive into the world of HCC codes and discover why they add a lot to your bottom line.  HC...

Send us Fan Mail Taking performance to the next level frequently demands more than we know to do for ourselves. This is where a coach can come in, and this episode explores specifically why a physician might want to consider retaining an Executive Coach. I get to talk with Karl Pister, founder and president of The Coaching Group, Inc. Karl has extensive coaching, counseling, and training backgroun...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we're diving into a critical aspect of healthcare that affects both providers and patients alike – the patient experience. While medical expertise is undeniably crucial, the way patients are treated and how their time is valued can leave a lasting impression. So, in this episode, we’ll explore practical strategies and insights into enhancing these aspects of...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we’re tackling a topic this is critical for many physicians: Selling Your Medical Practice. Whether you're nearing retirement, looking to shift careers, or considering other ventures, understanding the intricacies of this process is vital.  Selling a practice is more than a transaction; it's a transition that affects your financial future, your staff, pa...

Send us Fan Mail In this week's episode, we're diving into a crucial topic for many growing practices: when and how to add a new location. This decision is more than just a financial investment; it's a strategic move that requires careful consideration of various factors. Whether you're a seasoned physician or new to practice management, understanding these nuances is key to en...

Send us Fan Mail You work hard for the money, but are you getting all of the money you've actually earned? "Coding" and "game" don't usually collide in the same sentence, but understand that it IS a game. And, it's one you can win! Join me for a conversation with Anne Hirsch, MD a practicing internist and national coding expert. Anne walks through the distinction...

Send us Fan Mail How do you ensure that your practice not only survives but thrives, long after you've stepped back? It's about creating a legacy, something that stands the test of time and continues to impact the community positively.  So, why is succession planning so important in a medical practice? It's about continuity and legacy. Without a clear plan, your practice could face...

Send us Fan Mail What should you do when your practice partnership feels more like a sinking ship than a thriving enterprise? If you've been asking, "What if my partner is driving me crazy?" this episode is for you.  This is a topic no one wants to talk about, but absolutely everyone needs to consider.   And before we dive in, I should say, the objective of this episode is not to fu...

Send us Fan Mail In more than 30 years of working with medical practices, I've observed a consistent theme: talented physicians who excel in their field, but face challenges with leadership and people management. Understanding your cognitive, emotional, and behavioral patterns as a leader can significantly impact the productivity and morale of your practice. In general, I am a fan of any tool...

Send us Fan Mail As a physician, you have tremendous skill and training to be an individual contributor. And, as you're shifting into a leadership role, you may find yourself needing to develop a whole new set of skills. Join me for an in-depth conversation with national physician executive coach and leadership development expert, Deborah Dorsett as she and I explore all of the facets of movi...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we tackle a topic that stirs a lot of feelings and opinions—Change Management. If you're leading a medical practice, you'll know what I mean. Change can be one of the most challenging aspects of managing your practice, especially when you've got multiple stakeholders—including physicians—who often have very strong opinions. So let's explore why...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk about why it's important to focus on metrics and take the time to develop dashboards for your practice.  How else can you reasonably measure the health of your medical practice?  We talk a lot about measuring our patients’ health, and we have some great examples of this: quality dashboards, full chem panels, diagnostic reports. Today, let’s focus on m...

Send us Fan Mail Medical Money Matters celebrates it's first birthday! Heartfelt thanks to our entire audience, and all the folks along the way who have contributed either with advice, feedback or encouragement. It's been a journey. Join us for this brief retrospective, and our preview of coming attractions as we kick off  Season 2 next week. Please Follow or Subscribe to get new episode...

Send us Fan Mail As a physician, you may be asking yourself if you should take on a leadership role…or maybe you’re already in one either in your practice, or within your hospital or another organization. As we’ve said many times in this podcast, we didn’t train you for this!  Join me for this episode when I talk with Craig Wright, MD, a long-time physician leader who holds multiple leadership rol...

Send us Fan Mail Investing in real estate, including medical office buildings and free standing ASC's or Imaging Centers can be a huge part of any medical group's financial strategy. And, it can be scary. Stakes are higher, markets can be volatile, and a poor decision can cost you dearly. In this episode, I talk with Brad Christiansen, Executive Vice President at Colliers International,...

Send us Fan Mail Return On Investment and Break-Even calculations are two crucial financial metrics that help you make well-informed decisions. While they may seem similar, understanding their differences is the key to using them effectively.  Return On Investment gives you a percentage that indicates the profitability of an investment over time. Break-Even, on the other hand, tells you when you c...

Send us Fan Mail You use your EMR all day, every day, and you spend a lot to time and money on it. When was the last time you optimized it? And, how secure is it, really? Join me as I speak with national EMR expert Jensina Hawkins of Mocodile Medical. Jensina works with practices all over the country to assist them in optimizing their EMR. She and I talk about the use of your electronic medical re...

Send us Fan Mail Today, we’re diving into a topic that often gets swept under the rug but holds immense significance—Understanding Your Scope and why, believe it or not, you shouldn't sweat it about that $500.   So when I say "scope," I’m talking about the role you play within your medical practice. Are you a physician? A manager? A medical director? Each position should have a rang...

Send us Fan Mail This episode digs into a topic that's close to my heart and incredibly relevant for the financial well-being of your medical practice—understanding Cost vs. Value in Business Decisions. Understanding this concept can be a game-changer in your decision-making process, and it can open you up to huge financial opportunities.   The Cost Trap  When it comes to making business deci...

Send us Fan Mail Are your practice expenses out of control? Do you wonder where all the money went at the end of each month? Join me for this episode where I talk with Matthew McCreith, a Cost Reduction Consultant with Schooley Mitchell. We delve into places where practices can find cost savings, and what to expect if you engage the services of a cost reduction consultant. Matthew gives our listen...

Send us Fan Mail You’ve probably heard the saying, "Easy come, easy go," right? But in medical practices, when money goes, it's anything but easy. It's stressful, confusing, and can throw a wrench into your operations. You’ve worked hard to provide care for your patients – why would the insurance companies clawback money they’ve already paid you?   Insurance clawbacks can be a...

Send us Fan Mail In a world where almost everything has moved online, cybersecurity is a topic that no one in healthcare can afford to ignore. Whether you're a solo practitioner or part of a large medical group, understanding how to protect your practice from phishing scams, social engineering, and other cybercrimes is crucial.  Cybersecurity is a hot topic, especially considering how healthc...

Send us Fan Mail Today we're talking about Professional References. How do you get them and how do you give them, especially in our current climate of legal concerns?   So, let's start with the basics: why are professional references so important in the healthcare field? References are like the trust currency in the professional world. They provide a third-party validation of a person&ap...

Send us Fan Mail Today we have a topic that doesn't just resonate with your wallet, but also with your heart and with your team’s morale.  The practice of medicine isn’t just about the physicians and clinicians who provide care. It’s a collective effort, and today we’re talking about how to make sure every voice in your clinic is heard—especially those who do the "invisible work." ...

Send us Fan Mail Today we’re diving into a serious and important topic, sexual harassment in the workplace within physician offices. We’ll be exploring the complex power dynamics involved, and focusing on how to mitigate risks, especially in the classic case of a male physician and a female staff member.  First and foremost, we must understand what sexual harassment is, and why it is so detrimenta...