In the eighteen months leading up to January 2018, hospitals bought 8,000 medical practices, reports Avalere Health and the Physicians Advocacy Institute (PAI).

Practice administrators hesitate to seek the help of healthcare consultants out of fear more than a lack of usefulness.

Yesterday, I received a text from my eye doctor informing me that I have not scheduled my yearly exam and need to make an appointment.

Since its establishment in 1986, the National Practitioner Data Bank ("NPDB") has served as a nationwide clearinghouse for information about matters relating to the professional competence of physicians and other practitioners.

The government's 340B drug discount program, which was begun in 1992, has been under the scrutiny of the Administration and Congress for the past two years with ill effects for participating hospitals and the potential for more reform on the horizon.

"I hate to say it, but anything is better than nothing. We're getting slaughtered," says David McCormack, about the potential hospital wage index (area wage index - AWI) increase in Medicare reimbursements.

What have you done for me lately? Now that the tune is stuck in your head, specifically, have you recently conducted a thorough and up to date risk assessment in accordance with the requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 ("HIPAA")?

Never a dull moment ... the highly regulated nature of the healthcare industry keeps America's health lawyers hopping.

Technology has advanced to a point where AI in healthcare is increasingly common. Now the challenge is utilizing data in a way that is not only predictive but also prescriptive to improve health and outcomes.

The cost for the software and tech systems vary by company.

The worst thing healthcare organizations can do when an IT incident occurs is downplay it.

MGMA collects and publishes actionable data to help practices stay competitive and grow.

Between new rules for reimbursement and uncertainty about what will happen next in health care legislation, it is a good time for providers to review their plans for maintaining short term financial stability and profitability in the years ahead.

Now that we're into the third year of the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), how are Alabama providers doing in making the changes necessary to succeed in the new environment?

"In Alabama, we have what I like to call Alabama Barbecue Disease. We have a lot of folks with calcified, challenging arteries," says Dave A. Cox, MD, interventional cardiologist and director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at Brookwood Baptist Medical Center.

Lawmakers in both the United States House and Senate are considering two proposals to address unexpected, patient medical bills from out-of-network providers.

As the tax filing season under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) comes to a close and extensions are being addressed, many tax advisors and financial planners have had the opportunity to address common concerns with their clients over the last six months.

When it comes to medical real estate, there is no one 'right' answer for every practice. Instead, experts say it's important to understand all the options before making a decision that impacts individual physicians, the practice ... and ultimately, patients.

Conventional wisdom says that spending less money is the most effective way to save money. After all, a penny saved is a penny earned.

The Office of Civil Rights ("OCR") is the federal agency that oversees compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, and its implementing regulations ("HIPAA").

Tim Puthoff returned to Alabama in January to serve as Chief Executive Officer for Brookwood Baptist Medical Center and Tenet's Alabama and Tennessee Group.

Soon Alabama nurses will likely be able to choose one medical license that will allow them to practice in more than 30 states.

As the worldwide influenza epidemic of 1918 swept through Alabama's Tri-Cities, young Eliza Coffee was one of the many who were lost. The area's hospital was named in her memory.

On October 24, 2018, Congress enacted the Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act of 2018 (EKRA). EKRA is part of the "Support for Patients and Communities Act," comprehensive legislation designed to address the opioid crisis.