APMA News Brief

National News

The DME MACs have recently begun strictly enforcing a long-existing policy, “Same and Similar.” This has resulted in suppliers more frequently receiving denials for DME, indicated on EOBs with reason code, “M3.”

Visit https://www.apma.org/News/NewsDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=32546 to view the full article online.

Patients Love Their Providers. They Are Less Thrilled About Administrative Staff, Survey Finds

A new study finds that patients' satisfaction with a practice's administrative staff is far lower than their satisfaction with their clinical provider.

Editor’s note: Take advantage of APMA’s practice management and reimbursement resources on APMA.org.

Visit https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/practices/patients-love-their-providers-less-thrilled-about-administrative-staff-survey-finds to view the full article online.

Private Equity Purchasing More Physician Practices

Private equity firms are showing increasing interest in acquiring physician practices, according to new research.

Visit https://www.healthleadersmedia.com/finance/private-equity-purchasing-more-physician-practices to view the full article online.

4 Resolutions to Consider this New Year

Potential resolutions for physicians include finding ways to increase delegation of tasks and improving communication with staff and patients.

Visit https://www.mdmag.com/physicians-money-digest/practice-management/4-resolutions-to-consider-this-new-year to view the full article online.

Prices Still Responsible for High US Health-Care Spending

A new study attributes the increase in health-care spending in the United States primarily to pricing.

Visit https://revcycleintelligence.com/news/prices-still-responsible-for-high-us-healthcare-spending to view the full article online.

The Secret’s Out: Your Priority Is the Bottom Line

Finding ways to attract new patients while reducing the rate of no-shows can increase the economic health of a physician practice.

Editor’s note: APMA provides reimbursement resources on APMA.org.

Visit http://www.medicaleconomics.com/business/secrets-out-your-priority-bottom-line to view the full article online.

Telemedicine May Increase Patient Satisfaction With Medical Care, Say Researchers

According to a new study, telemedicine can result in increased satisfaction with postoperative care following vascular surgery.

Editor’s note: Read APMA’s telemedicine issue brief, results of our nationwide teledoc survey, and more on this emerging trend in medicine.

Visit https://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/telemedicine-may-increase-patient-satisfaction-medical-care-say-researchers to view the full article online.

What Patients are Reading

Treat Feet to Daily Exams

Daily foot examinations and checkups with a podiatrist are an important part of care for patients with diabetes.

Visit https://www.vindy.com/news/2019/jan/07/treat-feet-daily-exams/ to view the full article online.

A Podiatrist Thinks This Shoe Trend Is Horrible

Because of their lack of arch support, ballet flats can contribute to heel pain.

Visit https://www.whowhatwear.com/podiatrist-approved-flats to view the full article online.

Step into the New Year with the Right Shoes

Making sure the shoes you select are right for the activities you engage is an important part of choosing the right footwear.

Editor's note: Check out the latest list of APMA Seal-Accepted footwear and recommend these products to your patients.

Visit https://www.bcm.edu/news/bones-joints-and-muscles/step-into-the-new-year-with-the-right-shoes to view the full article online.

How to Find Relief If Your Feet Are Getting Flatter (and Painful) as You Age

A number of options are available for people suffering from painful flat feet.

Visit https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-find-relief-if-your-feet-are-getting-flatter-and-painful-as-you-age/ to view the full article online.

Do I Need Bunion Surgery?

Surgery can be an option when pain resulting from bunions begins disrupting everyday activities.

Editor’s Note: Share APMA’s free “Beat Bunion Blues” materials with your patients.

Visit http://www.mountain-news.com/online_features/health_and_wellness/article_47f444f8-dabc-582d-b149-0ee9f9c95fea.html to view the full article online.

Why Physicians Marry Physicians: 4 Takeaways

Reasons for the high percentage of physicians who marry within the field of health-care include shared experiences and availability.

Visit https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-physician-relationships/why-physicians-marry-physicians-4-takeaways.html to view the full article online.

Convenience More Important to Patients Than Quality of Care, Survey Finds

In a large survey of health-care consumers, slightly more than half of respondents indicated that the most important factors in their decision regarding health-care providers were convenience and access to care.

Visit https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/convenience-more-important-to-patients-than-quality-of-care-survey-finds/545365/ to view the full article online.

American Podiatric Medical Association