Managing the Business of Integrative Medicine
Purpose of Conference:
The daily operation of an integrative healthcare practice may be comparable to other healthcare practices in some ways but is unique in other ways including insurance reimbursement (or the lack there of), specialized laboratory testing, training and management of office personnel and utilization of integrative therapies. This conference is designed to assist new and existing participants in gaining appropriate skills in the proper management of these issues.
Goals:
- Provide information about setting up the business of Integrative Medicine
- Review of appropriate
insurance procedures regarding laboratory tests
- Education and management
of staff on working with integrative patients
- Review of common clinical
conditions seen in an integrative practice
- Review the use of herbs in Integrative Medicine.
Objectives: the participants will:
- Gain knowledge of how to
set up and run a complementary / integrative practice.
- Incorporate new safe and
effective methods of treating patient in their practice.
- Be able to assist their
patients gain reimbursement for laboratory tests
- Review the use of herbs in their practice
Employee Management - Elizabeth Vaughan, MD
How to Build a strong team of Employees: Can’t Work With Them, Can’t Work
Without Them.
Disclosure of Conflict: No conflict
Purpose:
While physicians are trained to care for patients, we are frequently not
skilled at managing the business of providing medical services. Unless one
masters this, the best of intentions to care for the sick will be frustrated
by ongoing office problems. One aspect of this is the management of
employees. This talk will offer concepts, techniques and policies that
will create and maintain a stable, cohesive, committed team.
Goals:
- Describe techniques that
will build a strong medical team.
- Review methods necessary
to hire employees that make a stronger team.
- Provide adequate training
policies and procedures necessary to run an integrative physician’s office.
- Review methods on how to
hold employees accountable and discipline them without shame.
- Demonstrate how to reward
the team and individual members for working as a team to improve patient
care.
- Discuss how and when to replace employees that don’t work out.
Objectives:
The participants will:
- Gain the basic knowledge
necessary to improve staff training.
- Incorporate effective
methods to build a strong team.
- Be able to improve
employee accountability and discipline.
- Be able to implement rewards in the practice.
Laboratory Tests Out-of-Network Insurance – John Pittman, MD
Disclosure of Conflict: No conflict
Purpose:
Choosing appropriate tests to assist in the diagnosis of conditions is
essential to treatment. Although many Integrative Medical
procedures and laboratory tests are not covered by insurance reimbursement
is available for several procedures and laboratory tests. Obtaining
insurance reimbursement could mean the difference between a patient being
able to afford treatment or not.
Goals:
- Discuss appropriate tests
to assist in diagnosis.
- Review coding procedures
and staff needs to assist patients obtain insurance reimbursement.
- Review appropriate
insurance procedures regarding laboratory tests commonly used in Integrative
Medicine.
- Discuss the changes in office procedures to provide filing for insurance for patients.
Objectives:
The participants will:
- Be familiar with
appropriate tests to assist in diagnosis
- Gain the basic knowledge
necessary to choose whether to help patients file for insurance
reimbursement.
- Know how to incorporate
cost-effective methods to have staff file insurance.
- Be familiar with the
Integrative Medicine procedures that meeting the requirements for insurance
reimbursement.
Business of Providing Quality Supplements Panel
William Rawls, MD; Alexander Augustides, MD; Elizabeth Vaughan, MD
Disclosure Statement: No Conflict of Interest.
Purpose of Activity: The quality of supplements is vital to the outcome for patients of Integrative Medicine. The NC Medical Practice Act requires the NC Medical Board to enforce the law regarding the sale of goods to patients to avoid exploitation of patients. Practitioners need to be knowledgeable about the options available that will avoid the conflict.
Goals:
- Review the options of providing supplements using a website; selling through
local stores; and as part of a separate business in which the practitioners
is part owner.
- Review the laws and rules that practitioners must follow.
- Provide patient consent forms so patients understand no obligation to buy
from a particular location.
Objectives: At the end of the session the participants will be able to
- Assess the mechanism to provide quality supplements to their patients
- Understand the regulations regarding sales if goods.
- Understand the components of a good consent form regarding supplements
- Apply the information to improve services to patients.
Clinical Pearls of Wisdom – Members Participation
Disclosure Statement: No Conflict of Interest.
Purpose of Activity: Provide an opportunity for members of NC Integrative Medical Society to exchange knowledge and clinical treatment for: Yeast and Fungal problems; Management of Dysbiosis and common GI problems; Thyroid and Adrenal disease; and Bio-identical hormones
Goals:
- Facilitator will ensure that participates will have the opportunity to ask
questions and share treatments with the group.
- Participates will be exposed to different approaches to addressing the
underlying cause and treatment of Yeast and Fungal problems; Management of
Dysbiosis and common GI problems; Thyroid and Adrenal disease; or
Bio-identical hormones
Objectives Participants will:
- have shared their successful treatments of : Yeast and Fungal problems;
Management of Dysbiosis and common GI problems; Thyroid and Adrenal disease;
or Bio-identical hormones
- have heard a variety of successful treatments of : Yeast and Fungal
problems; Management of Dysbiosis and common GI problems; Thyroid and
Adrenal disease; and Bio-identical hormones
- be able to apply the new knowledge to patients.