Physicians News Health news for doctors and patients.

Is it a coincidence that a second physician has left a high-ranking position at the state Health Department, or is it a sign of serious problems?

The IRS has made a sweeping attempt to convert physicians’ income tax returns from the traditional cash method of accounting to the accrual method.

Specializing in the management of hospitalized patients, a hospitalist takes over for a primary care physician when it comes time to admit a patient.

While similar coverage is typically offered with a capitation contract from an HMO, there are clear benefits to securing excess loss coverage from an insurance company.

A physician or practice that receives an audit notice from Xact Medical Services should take the matter seriously, and respond in a way that demonstrates medical necessity in a detailed fashion.

New regulations specify three levels of required physician supervision for diagnostic tests: General, Direct and Personal.

Physician empowerment can be better achieved, Richard Baron, M.D., writes, by focusing on the medical profession inself rather than by responding to external forces.

A seven-step process to enable the accumulator to make smarter investment decisions for the long-term and not just for the moment.

Vertical integration, as an asset-based method of organizing health care delivery, has some drawbacks. Virtual integration may be one alternative solution, emphasizing coordination through patient management agreements, provider incentives and information systems, rather than investment in large numbers of facilities and people.

Some of the distinguishing characteristics of future, successful physician organizations are clear: they’re found in the organizations that perform well today. Some predictions of what the best organizations will look like in the second generation.