New Year Goals: A Comprehensive Checklist for Optimizing Your Medical Office

The beginning of a new year offers a perfect opportunity to reset and optimize the operations of a medical office. Ensuring the smooth running of a healthcare practice—whether small or large—requires regular updates in key areas, including patient records, billing practices, equipment, and staff management. Here’s a checklist to help you get started:

1. Review and Update Patient Records: Ensure patient contact information, insurance details, and medical history are accurate. Scan both medical and pharmacy cards to have complete information available for benefit investigations and claim submissions. Have patients verify their data by signing a facesheet, which can also serve as protection during insurance audits.

2. Revisit Billing and Coding Practices: Errors in billing can cause delayed payments. Review your office’s billing and coding procedures for accuracy and compliance with the latest updates. Confirm that your billing department is performing timely follow up on unpaid bills and collecting outstanding payments.

3. Assess Office Equipment and Technology: Evaluate the status of both medical devices and office technology. Ensure all devices are properly calibrated, safe to use, and functioning correctly, including blood pressure cuffs and infusion pumps. Check that digital tools like EHR systems and scheduling software are up to date to maintain performance and avoid security vulnerabilities.

4. Review Compliance and Regulatory Requirements: Take time to review your office’s policies and procedures to verify compliance with federal and state laws. This includes updating privacy practices, training staff on HIPAA and OSHA, and confirming that all provider licenses and certifications are current. Stay informed about changes in billing, patient rights, and safety protocols by renewing your NORM membership to access the latest updates and educational resources in the rheumatology field.

5. Organize Your Physical Space: Maintain a clean, efficient office by organizing exam room medications, medical tools, and other equipment for easy access while checking inventory levels for essential supplies. Archive paper records according to your office protocols to make space for the new year. Check that your office is compliant with OSHA standards and that emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and first aid kits are easily accessible and certified.

By addressing these areas, your medical practice can thrive in the new year with improved efficiency, patient care, and regulatory compliance.

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  • As a speaker at the first ad hoc meeting of rheumatology practice managers gathered in a single small room at its infancy a decade ago, I’m amazed to see how NORM has blossomed into a high energy organization of depth and professional meetings with parallel break-out symposia between plenary sessions. NORM has truly come of age. This is where the “business” of rheumatology gets learned. The ”guildmanship” for rheumatology practice management is now strong.- Paul H. Caldron, DO, FACP, FACR, MBA, Arizona Arthritis and Rheumatology Associates
  • In a time of demanding changes in the management of medical practices in the US, NORM has been a lifesaver to the community of Rheumatology practices.  NORM has allowed our practice to stay ahead of the many demands of CMS and others payors and has ensured that our practice remains cognizant of new issues that arise in HIPPA compliance, human resources and medical billing to name a few. Sending our Practice Manager to NORM's conferences has been cost-effective and beneficial to our practice because she returns to our office with an abundance of information that otherwise would have taken months to compile. Every Rheumatology practice that wishes to stay on top of emerging issues in practice management should consider sending a member of their staff to NORM's conference.- Michael S. Rosen M.D., Chester County Rheumatology PC
  • Thanks to all those wonderful people in the NORM Network who respond to emails, offering their advice, experience, time, and support ... I haven't even been a member a full year yet and I am amazed at the dedication of everyone who responds to helping via emails and the NORM Organization itself! I have barely had a chance to explore the resources and I have yet to really dive into requests for help still I am silently learning so much and do occasionally offer what I can! Thank you all!- Cheryl Piambino, Kenneth E. Bresky, DO

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