APMA News Brief

National News

Bonus Pay for Doctors Can Boost Quality of Care

New research suggests that pay-for-performance arrangements that include bonus pay for phyicians can lead to improved care quality.

Visit https://www.healthleadersmedia.com/clinical-care/bonus-pay-doctors-can-boost-quality-care to view the full article online.

Provider Groups Wary of Major Changes to HIPAA

In their comments to the Department of Health and Human Services' request for information regarding possible amendments to HIPAA, many provider groups urged caution.

Editor’s note: APMA provides HIPAA Privacy and Security Manuals for members on APMA.org.

Visit https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/provider-groups-wary-of-major-changes-to-hipaa/548279/ to view the full article online.

Senators Request Payer, Provider Data on Surprise Medical Billing

A group of U.S. senators from both sides of the aisle has requested more data from health plans and health-care providers to help them address the issue of surprise medical billing.

Editor’s note: Take advantage of APMA’s practice management and reimbursement resources, including ACO info, EHR advice, and much more. Free to members!

Visit https://healthpayerintelligence.com/news/senators-request-payer-provider-data-on-surprise-medical-billing to view the full article online.

Physician Burnout: 10 Work Factors That Hinder Your Well-Being

Factors that have been identified as contributing to burnout including taking working home, among several others.

Editor’s note: Please see APMA’s new Physician Well-Being resources at www.apma.org/wellbeing for help managing burnout, work–life balance, and more.

Visit https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/physician-health/physician-burnout-10-work-factors-hinder-your-well-being to view the full article online.

Doctor–Patient Communication: How to Finally Stop Talking About It

For physicians looking to improve the quality of their communication with patients, it can help to ask oneself a few questions.

Visit https://www.physiciansweekly.com/doctor-patient-communication-how-to-finally-stop-talking-about-it/ to view the full article online.

New Telehealth Bills Address Coverage, Store-and-Forward, RPM

A number of states, including New Mexico and Virginia, are considering new legislation related to telehealth.

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://mhealthintelligence.com/news/new-telehealth-bills-address-coverage-store-and-forward-rpm to view the full article online.

What Patients are Reading

5 Ways Nurses Can Treat Their Feet Right

Making sure shoes fit and wearing socks that wick away moisture are two of the ways nurses can head off problems with their feet.

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

Visit https://www.ajc.com/lifestyles/health/ways-nurses-can-treat-their-feet-right/gmXkqBDSKUIDcl4twbKxAO/ to view the full article online.

Running Doc: How to Handle Plantar Warts

While plantar warts go away on their own over time, shorter-term options for removal also exist.

Editor’s note: Order plantar warts brochures for your practice at APMA’s secure e-Store.

Visit https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/ny-sports-running-doc-20190210-story.html to view the full article online.

Smart Steps for Healthy Feet

Keeping feet dry and using safe practices when clipping nails are among the simple steps to protecting feet.

Visit https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2019-02-12/smart-steps-for-healthy-feet to view the full article online.

Tips for Living With Type 1 Diabetes

Podiatrists are an important part of the health-care team for patients coping with Type 1 diabetes.

Editor’s note: Take advantage of APMA’s Diabetes Campaign materials you can share with your patients year-round at www.apma.org/diabetes.

Visit https://health.usnews.com/health-care/patient-advice/articles/2019-02-08/tips-for-living-with-type-1-diabetes to view the full article online.

Social Media Do’s and Don’ts for Physicians

While it's important for anyone in a professional field to exercise good judgment with regard to social media posts, there are several factors physicians in particular should consider.

Editor’s note: Check out APMA’s social media tips for physicians on APMA.org.

Visit https://www.mdmag.com/physicians-money-digest/personal-finance/social-media-dos-and-donts-for-physicians to view the full article online.

How to Manage Practice Change

Just as it's important for physicians to keep up with changes in clinical practice, it also pays to keep with change on the business side as well.

Visit https://www.dermatologytimes.com/business/how-manage-practice-change to view the full article online.

American Podiatric Medical Association