Astute Physician

When a disaster strikes—whether it be a hurricane, earthquake, flood, terrorist attack, or some other devastating event—many businesses are eager to volunteer and assist those in need. They want to help rebuild the damaged homes and businesses, and they often donate the necessary materials and manpower to do so. Unfortunately, the resources that are brought in on a volunteer and donation basis typically run out much sooner than expected. And very often, those businesses who gladly gave their time and resources to those in need feel guilty charging for additional services, so they pack up and leave the area, proud of their good deed, yet leaving those in the disaster area with few recovery options.

For a long time the Bank of America Doctor Loan was the best and, in some cases, the only option available as financing for doctors and medical residents who wanted to buy a home. On April 1, 2009, Bank of America indefinitely suspended their Doctor Loan Program due to the economy and the impending restrictions on risky lending practices. This has made finding financing for the purchase of a new home very difficult for young physicians, especially those still in residency. There are other programs available, but they are often hard to find and nearly always limited to specific geographical areas. If you can find a lender who offers Doctor Loans in your area, then it is worth checking out because the advantages of owning your own home can often make it more affordable than you think.

HIPAA compliance requires special focus and effort as failure to comply carries significant risk of damage and penalties. A practice with multiple separate systems for patient scheduling, electronic medical records, and billing, requires multiple separate HIPAA management efforts. This article presents an integrated approach to HIPAA compliance and outlines key HIPAA terminology, principles, and requirements to help the practice owner to ensure HIPAA compliance by medical billing service and software vendors.

The last decade of the previous century witnessed accelerating proliferation of digital technology in health care, which, along with reduced costs and greater service quality, introduced new and greater risks for accidental disclosure of personal health information.

Young Physicians and Dentists who graduate from their respective residency and fellowship programs should feel a sense of relief but instead, are saddled with a tremendous amount of tuition debt. Even though many of these professionals will earn a very comfortable income, it really does not provide any form of security when a large portion of that income is allocated directly to paying down those loans. The numbers are staggering.

A study done by the Association of American Medical Colleges in 2008 indicated that the average medical student carries with them over $155,000.00 in student loan debt from tuition costs associated from medical school and related programs.