TMA Practice Well

In this episode expert guest Dr. CM Schade elaborates on the Texas Medical Board's revamped CME requirements for opioid prescriptions, which now focus only on direct patient care physicians. He offers insights into how the new rules bring flexibility while placing an emphasis on meticulous documentation. With decades of experience in legislative advocacy, Dr. Schade shares valuable tips on navigat...

Welcome to this episode of TMA's Practice Well Podcast, where we dive into the transformative potential of AI in healthcare. Join us as Shannon Vogel, TMA's Associate Vice President for Health Information Technology, hosts a conversation with Dr. Dan McCoy, a leader in AI consulting and education. Explore the evolving terminology and concepts like data drift and hallucinations, and how they relate...

Welcome to the TMA Practice Well podcast. In this episode, our host Shannon Vogel, TMA's Associate Vice President for Health Information Technology, engages in conversation with Dr. Nithisha Thatikonda, a resident at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. They explore the evolving role of augmented intelligence (AI) in healthcare and clinical research. Dr. Thatikonda shares insights...

Shannon Vogel, Associate Vice President for Health Information Technology and special guest, Dr. Harvey Castro, author of the first book on chat GPT in health care, discuss the evolving role of AI in direct patient care in this second episode of the AI in Health Care series. Discover why TMA prefers the term 'augmented intelligence' and explore how it can enhance, not replace, a physician's clinic...

Welcome to the TMA Practice Well podcast, where we explore the evolving landscape of healthcare technology. In this episode, our host Shannon Vogel, TMA's Associate Vice President for Health Information Technology, dives into the world of AI and its impact on medical practices with our guest, Rehan Ahmed, MD. Dr. Ahmed, an experienced ophthalmologist and AI enthusiast, shares his journey into AI f...

In this educative episode of TMA's Practice Well Podcast, Cara Benson and Alexis Harvey from TMA's Physician Payment Resource Center look into the strategies essential for optimizing practice revenue in 2025. Discover actionable insights on implementing regular staff training, staying updated with the latest billing codes and policies, and effectively managing claim denials. The discussion provide...

Welcome to this episode of the TMA Practice Well podcast, hosted by Cheryl Krhovjak, Director of the TMA Education Center. In this insightful discussion, we are joined by Robert Bennett, TMA Vice President of Medical Economics, to delve into the significant impact of Medicare 2025 physician fee schedule. With over 65 million beneficiaries, Medicare is a key player in health care, and its spending...

The Texas-Mexico border region faces unique health care challenges. Many people have diabetes, obesity, and other chronic health conditions, and they often lack health insurance – 42% of adults have no health coverage . At the recently held TMA Border Health Conference, physicians, other health care stakeholders, and government policymakers gathered to discuss how to strengthen border health care....

Discover the critical differences between medical claim denial management and  prevention programs, and learn how to set up effective processes to reduce and manage claim denials. Guest expert, Sabrina Skeldon, shares valuable insights on the financial impact of claim denials, the importance of clean claim ratios, and practical strategies for improving front desk, coding, and billing staff perform...

For more than two decades, the Immunization Collaboration of Tarrant County has played an important role in ensuring uninsured and under insured families get necessary vaccinations, especially before kids head to school. Tarrant County Medical Society Alliance members participate en masse to make the vaccination clinics a success by greeting patients and providing information on the vaccines avail...

The number of people aged 65 and older in Texas will more than triple by 2050. As this population grows, Deborah Freeland, MD, a Dallas geriatrician, and Guadalupe  Zamora, MD, a family physician in Austin, weigh in on the specialized heath care needs of older patients and how the medical community can give them the care they need. NOTICE: This podcast is intended for general informational purpose...

As the summer temperatures rise and the heat index surges, many Texans suffer from heat-related illnesses. Hilary Fairbrother, MD, an emergency medicine physician and chair of the Texas Medical Association’s Committee on Emergency Medical Services and Trauma, says she sees many patients suffering from heat exhaustion and the more dangerous heat stroke. In this TMA Health Beat Podcast, she says, st...

In this episode of the TMA Practice Well podcast, recorded live at TexMed 2024, Dr. Toi Harris moderates an insightful panel discussion on fostering relationships for improved physician well-being. Joined by esteemed panelists Joshua Baker, Dr. Lane Aiena, and Dr. Cheryl Hurd, the conversation delves into the significance of both professional and personal relationships in enhancing health and happ...

Welcome to TMA's Practice Well podcast, where we help you improve the health of all Texans. In this episode, we cover the latest updates and essential news for Texas physicians. Scroll down to get links referenced in this episode. Firstly, we discuss a crucial payer update: Cigna will start denying claims without Z-code documentation from July 14th. Learn how this change might impact your practice...

Delve into the complexities, challenges, and joys of a fulfilling medical career with Dr. Rajani Katta in this insightful podcast episode. As an experienced dermatologist and mentor, Dr. Katta brings a unique perspective to maintaining career health in the medical field.  Dr. Katta emphasizes the importance of annual career check-ups and the ongoing self-evaluation of one’s professional growth and...

In an engaging episode of the TMA Practice Well podcast, we sample CME from TMA’s premiere conference TexMed. Guest speakers provide insightful discussion on essential aspects of maintaining a productive relationship with the Texas Medical Board, particularly important in light of telemedicine's post-pandemic boom. Dr. Mary Maness speaks on the growing issue of vaccine hesitancy. Then Dr. Mehta of...

The allergy season can be tough for many Texans who struggle with cough, runny nose and itchy eyes. Louise Bethea, MD, allergist and immunologist from The Woodlands, talks about the allergens that affect Texans the most, allergy induced asthma and the difference between allergies, and respiratory illnesses. 

In Case You Missed It… In this episode of TMA's Practice Well Podcast, we cover several interesting and valuable topics aimed to help physicians across Texas thrive. We begin with a story on the significant reduction of administrative strain using virtual scribes in medical practice. We delve into how these scribes streamline notetaking and paperwork processes within Electronic Health Records (EHR...

TMA’s new podcast called TMA Health Beat will focus on public health issues and outreach programs organized by TMA. In the first episode, Marinel Munda, MD, a pediatrician from Tyler, Texas, talks about  Walk with a Doc  – a free program organized by physicians to encourage their patients to exercise. Dr. Munda explains why  walking is important  for a healthy lifestyle and how the program helps h...

The Texas Medical Board clarifies new fingerprinting requirement ahead of February license renewals. Get instructions and details at the TMB website . Read the TMT article at www.texmed.org/TMT .

Guest Jeff Drummond, partner at Jackson Walker LLP in Dallas noted for his experience in advising on Texas privacy laws and HIPAA and cyber security concerns, answers frequent questions about HIPAA and Texas privacy laws. Get more help on this topic at the TMA Education Center .

We wish you the happiest of holidays! We'll be back in January with new episodes.

The final 2024 Medicare fee schedule solidifies pay cuts and heightens calls for reform. Robert Bennet, VP of TMA’s medical economics division, provides tips you can use today with your patients to fight the ongoing crisis surrounding the Sustainable Growth Rate formula. Get the ondemand Medicare 2024 Payment Update webinar to learn other key changes starting January 1, 2024. Use the links below t...

TMA's Ask the Expert series answers physicians' questions on a wide range of practice management and regulatory topics. In this episode, staff experts will take on questions about medical records, which justify billing practices and are integral to risk assessment. To claim CME for this episode and access links to the resources discussed, go to www.texmed.org/CMEtoGo . Find more Ask the Experts to...

During the pandemic, there was a significant reduction in the volume of complaints filed with the Texas Medical Board (TMB) and investigation notices issued by the board. Now, the board has begun to churn out more complaint notices. Listen to this episode to get quick tips to help you steer clear of TMB notices. Looking for more on this topic? Play the entire ondemand webinar in the TMA Education...