Start Your Own Medical Practice Book

Preface -

I. Setting Up Your Medical Practice

Chapter 1: Finding the Right Location -
Locating Your Practice
Office Space
Negotiating the Lease

Chapter 2: Creating Your Practice -
Writing a Business Plan
New Options in Medicine
Structuring Your Practice
Sole Practitioners
Partnerships
Limited Liability Partnerships
Corporations
LLC or Subchapter S Corporations
Firm Agreements

Chapter 3: Business Formation Fundamentals -
Important Preliminaries

Chapter 4: Office Design, Layout, and Furnishings -
Work Space Planning
Doctor's Office Checklist
The Waiting Room
Basic Waiting Area Checklist
Support Staff Area
Common Spaces
Employee Lounge Checklist
Filing Systems
Décor
Maintaining the Office

Chapter 5: Equipment -
To Buy, Lease, or Rent
Basic Office Equipment Checklist
Examination Room and Lab Supplies Checklist
Office Supplies Checklist
Supply Inventory Form
Telephones
Communications Checklist
Telephone Intake Form
Telephone Log Sheet
Gearing Up: Computer Hardware and Software
Day-to-Day Operations
Electronic Health Records
Computer Discussion and Planning Checklist

Chapter 6: Personnel -
Civil Rights
Work Safety and Fairness
Medical Office Personnel
Who to Hire
The Interview
Policies and Procedures
Policy Manual Checklist
Procedures Manual Checklist

Chapter 7: Outside Support Services -
Finding Trustworthy Consultants
Business Managers
Accountants
Banks
Insurance
Insurance Checklist

Chapter 8: Your Medical Library -
GettingBooks
The Electronic Medical Library
Essential Medical Library Starters
Medical Library Checklist

Chapter 9: Financing -
Raising Capital
Debt Management
Budget
Cash Flow

II. Managing Your Medical Practice

Chapter 10: The Organized Office -
Indexing
Setting Up the Charts and Files
Office Management Forms
Sample Symptom Diary
Patient Transfer Form
Missed Appointment Notice
Referral Acknowledgment
Administration

Chapter 11: Fees, Billing, and Collections -
Establishing a Fee Structure
In-House Billing
Outsource Billing
Overdue Payments
Delinquent Accounts
Unpaid Bill Letter
Skippers
Collection Agencies

Chapter 12: Ethics -
Ethical Rules
Ethics and Personnel
Unauthorized Practice of Medicine
Doctor Relations with the Public
Sex in the Workplace
Doctor/Patient Fee Disputes
Conflicts of Interest
Terminating a Patient
Patient Termination Letter

Chapter 13: Marketing Your Practice -
Building a Base
Advertising
Keeping Patients

III. Personal Considerations

Chapter 14: Medical-Legal Issues -
The Physician/Patient Relationship
Physician/Patient Communications and Privileges
The Patient's Privacy Rights
HIPAA
Informed Consent
Advance Directives
The Physician as Witness
Professional Liability
Anatomy of a Professional Liability Trial Chart
Anatomy of a Professional Liability Trial
Mediation
Arbitration
ADR Training for Physicians

Chapter 15: Preventing Malpractice Suits -
Confronting the Unexpected Outcome
The Healing Value of "I'm Sorry"
Clear Communications for Healthy Outcomes
Managing Risk and Reducing Liability
Checklist for Developing a Risk Management Policy
Additional Suggestions for Risk Management
Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire
Checklist for Conducting Meetings
Medical Board Comments for Physicians
Avoiding Common Medical Practice Mistakes

Chapter 16: Prescription for the Doctor -
Diagnosing the Doctor
The Stressed Physician
Burnout Assessment and Reduction
Spirituality
Healing...and Staying Healthy

Chapter 17: A Perspective from Experience -
Closing Comments

Appendix: Resources -
Index -
About the Authors