Coffee with Coker

Today's episode is an interview with Chris Torregosa, a vice president in our Healthcare IT Services division, conducted with Patrick Randolph, Founder and CEO of QueueDr. QueueDr is a healthcare technology company offering online scheduling automation to maximize patient access and physician utilization. Chris and Patrick discuss the benefits of an automated system to help manage physician schedules and patient waitlists, boost staff productivity, and increase physician utilization.

Contact Information

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We welcome all feedback from our listeners. Please submit questions on any of the topics we discuss or questions about issues that interest you. You can also provide recommendations on topics for future episodes.

• Email us: [email protected]
• Connect with us on LinkedIn: Coker Group Company Page
• Follow us on Twitter: @cokergroup
• Follow us on Instagram: @cokergroup

Episode Synopsis

Patrick and Chris discuss how QueueDr integrates with an organization's electronic health record system to automatically fill canceled appointments while maintaining each physician's established schedule. The automation is designed to lift the burden of rescheduling and optimizing schedules from medical group staff to increase their productivity and the medical group's return on investment.

Extras

QueueDr website

Request a Demo

Aimee Greeter and Jhaymee Tynan join producer Jessica Combs to discuss their time at the Modern Healthcare Women's Leadership Conference earlier this year. Aimee and Jhaymee recount their experiences at the conference and their thoughts on the future of leadership roles in this dynamic industry.

Contact Information

Subscribe to our feed in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast provider. Like what you hear? Leave a review! Not there? Let us know!

We welcome all feedback from our listeners. Please submit questions on any of the topics we discuss or about issues that interest you. You can also recommend topics for future episodes.

• Email us: [email protected]
• Connect with us on LinkedIn: Coker Group Company Page
• Follow us on Twitter: @cokergroup
• Follow us on Instagram: @cokergroup

Episode Synopsis

Aimee and Jhaymee discuss their experiences at the conference and the lessons they learned. As leaders within their respective organizations, they plan to apply these insights and continue to further their leadership knowledge. Both women strongly believe that diversity within a team or organization is crucial to success, and kindness is the most underused leadership skill.

Extras

White Paper: Top 5 Current Trends in Healthcare Executives' Compensation

How much does money matter? Using multiple methods for attracting and retaining top talent

Christopher Kunney joins Mark to discuss the state of cybersecurity in the healthcare industry. Although cybercrime has been impacting other sectors for over 20 years, it has recently begun attacking the healthcare industry extensively. Christopher explains the most common types of cybercrime, why cybercrime occurs, and what questions healthcare organizations need to ask when implementing a cybersecurity solution.

Contact Information

We welcome all feedback from our listeners. Please submit questions on any of the topics we discuss or about issues that interest you. You can also recommend topics for future episodes.

• Email us: [email protected]
• Connect with us on LinkedIn: Coker Group Company Page
• Follow us on Twitter: @cokergroup
• Follow us on Instagram: @cokergroup
• Like us on Facebook: @cokerconsulting

Episode Synopsis

Daily, we read about security breaches in small-, medium-, and large-scale healthcare organizations that often affect hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people and their private information. Christopher outlines the most common types of breaches that could be avoided through employee education. He also discusses the reasons that cybercrimes occur and the specific types of cybercrime that are targeting health systems, hospitals, and medical groups.

6 Questions Healthcare Organizations Should Ask about Cybersecurity

1. What is your organization doing to protect your vital data and financial assets from cybersecurity attacks?
2. Do you have a written plan that outlines strategies and tactics for preventing, detecting, and responding to these attacks?
3. What governance structure do you have in place to oversee the accountability for implementing your cybersecurity plan?
4. How aware are your employees of the organizational and personal risks associated with cybercrime?
5. Do you have an ongoing training program to increase this awareness?
6. Do you have the necessary (or any) insurance coverage for cybercrime events like ransomware?

Extras

White Paper: The State of Cybersecurity in Healthcare: Still Much Ground to Cover

Podcast: Episode 28: How to Adopt Cybersecurity Best Practices

Blog: Five Tips to Keep your Data Safe

Blog: 3 Critical Elements for Building an Effective Human Firewall

Jeannie Cagle joins Mark to discuss the basics of medical coding for healthcare practitioners. Proper medical coding is essential for both compliance and reimbursement for professional services. Jeannie explains medical coding at the highest level and identifies common problem areas.

Contact Information

Subscribe to our feed in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast provider. Like what you hear? Leave a review! Not there? Let us know!

We welcome all feedback from our listeners. Please submit questions on any of the topics we discuss or about issues that interest you. You can also recommend topics for future episodes.

• Email us: [email protected]
• Connect with us on LinkedIn: Coker Group Company Page
• Follow us on Twitter: @cokergroup
• Follow us on Instagram: @cokergroup

Episode Synopsis

Throughout the discussion, Jeannie explains the following concepts:

1. What types of codes are used to bill professional medical services?
2. Which sources are considered "gospel" when coding?
3. What are the most common problem areas in coding?

Jeannie also explains the benefits of a coding review and how it can be used to educate healthcare providers on proper medical coding practices.

Extras

White Paper: An Effective Approach to Coding and Compliance Auditing and Education

Blog: Will Providers be Reimbursed for Telehealth Services?

Roz Cordini joins Mark to discuss compliance program effectiveness and the reasons to have a compliance program in place. There continue to be significant compliance concerns across the healthcare industry as evidenced by ongoing DOJ settlements, new corporate integrity agreements, and other findings and activity.

Contact Information

Subscribe to our feed in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast provider. Like what you hear? Leave a review! Not there? Let us know!

We welcome all feedback from our listeners. Please submit questions on any of the topics we discuss or about issues that interest you. You can also recommend topics for future episodes.

• Email us: [email protected]
• Connect with us on LinkedIn: Coker Group Company Page
• Follow us on Twitter: @cokergroup
• Follow us on Instagram: @cokergroup

Episode Synopsis

Throughout the discussion, Roz and Mark touch on the following concepts:

1. What constitutes a well-designed compliance program?
2. Does the corporation's compliance program work in practice?
3. Barriers to implementing an effective compliance program
4. Compliance effectiveness red flags

Roz walks through what it means to have a truly effective compliance program and why compliance programs are essential for healthcare organizations of any size. One of the most critical factors in establishing an effective plan is the "tone-at-the-top" of a healthcare organization, or more simply put, how an organization's board or executive leaders position a compliance program and its compliance officer.

Extras

White Paper: Compliance Program Effectiveness

Blog: EHR Documentation Integrity Risks: Ten Ways to Stay Compliant

Today's episode is an interview with Aimee Greeter, SVP in our Financial Services division, conducted with Matt Yagey, Founder and CEO, and Graeme Keith, Investor and COO of MedChat, a HIPAA-compliant live-chat application for patient communication. Aimee, Matt, and Graeme discuss the need to evolve patient communications in the 21st century and how text-based communications are improving patient access to healthcare.

Contact Information

Subscribe to our feed in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast provider. Like what you hear? Leave a review! Not there? Let us know!

We welcome all feedback from our listeners. Please submit questions on any of the topics we discuss or questions about issues that interest you. You can also provide recommendations on topics for future episodes.

• Email us: [email protected]
• Connect with us on LinkedIn: Coker Group Company Page
• Follow us on Twitter: @cokergroup
• Follow us on Instagram: @cokergroup

Episode Synopsis

Matt, Graeme, and Aimee discuss MedChat's mission and their software solution, which brings a new level of engagement to healthcare patient communications. MedChat is simple to install and easy to use for all generations.

Patients use MedChat to:

• Manage appointment scheduling and rescheduling
• Assist with billing and coordinate payments
• Advise on care-related inquires
• Coach for population health
• Distribute and refill medications
• Manage referrals
• Communicate pre- and post-appointment
• Convert website visitors into new patients

Extras

MedChat Website

Contact MedChat

Bio: Aimee Greeter

David Walline and Yong Zhang join Mark to discuss performing healthcare business valuations and explain their purpose in the healthcare industry. Although a request for a healthcare business valuation can be for a multitude of reasons, most of the valuations Coker Group performs are associated with a pending transaction between two healthcare entities.

Contact Information

Subscribe to our feed in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast provider. Like what you hear? Leave a review! Not there? Let us know!

We welcome all feedback from our listeners. Please submit questions on any of the topics we discuss or about issues that interest you. You can also recommend topics for future episodes.

• Email us: [email protected]
• Connect with us on LinkedIn: Coker Group Company Page
• Follow us on Twitter: @cokergroup
• Follow us on Instagram: @cokergroup

Episode Synopsis

In a highly regulated industry, such as healthcare, it is imperative to have an accurate business valuation. A business valuation, in the most basic sense, is the act or process of determining the value of a business enterprise or an ownership interest within an enterprise.

David and Yong address frequently asked questions on healthcare business valuations such as:

1. Why would a healthcare business valuation need to be performed?
2. What is the typical process when a client requests a healthcare business valuation?
3. Why is it important to establish the scope of services at the onset of the engagement?
4. What approaches are used when performing a healthcare business valuation?
5. How does Coker Group value specific assets of a healthcare business?

Extras

Blog: What is Business Valuation and Why Would I Need One?

Blog: Could I Benefit from an Appraisal Review?

Blog: Business Valuation to Fit Your Needs

Podcast: Private Equity: The Next Stage in Physician Practice Transactions

Bio: David Walline, ASA

Bio: Yong Zhang, CPA, ASA

Richard Romero joins Mark to discuss the impact telehealth could have on access to healthcare in rural markets as well as recent telehealth policies from Washington, D.C. Telehealth is one of the most significant trends in healthcare, serving as a way to ensure that people can get care when and where they need it. It is dramatically changing the delivery of healthcare and has the potential to be disruptive and transformative.

Contact Information

Subscribe to our feed in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast provider. Like what you hear? Leave a review! Not there? Let us know!

We welcome all feedback from our listeners. Please submit questions on any of the topics we discuss or questions about issues that interest you. You can also recommend topics for future episodes.

• Email us: [email protected]
• Connect with us on LinkedIn: Coker Group Company Page
• Follow us on Twitter: @cokergroup
• Follow us on Instagram: @cokergroup

Episode Synopsis

Richard discusses the practical applications of telehealth and how it differs from more traditional physician visits. As with many new services, new questions arise on how telemedicine impacts healthcare services and reimbursement. Telehealth requires a significant investment in technology and equipment that decision-makers should consider when determining if telehealth is a good fit for their healthcare organization.

Richard recently attended the CTeL Summit in Washington, D.C. and provides a brief update of policies to follow throughout 2019.

Extras

White Paper: Telehealth: Helping your Health System Move Forward

Maximizing Reimbursement in the Telemedicine Environment

CONNECT for Health Act of 2017

Justin Chamblee, Alex Kirkland, and Stephen Ross join Mark to discuss designing an innovative physician compensation strategy to adapt to continual changes within the healthcare industry. Justin, Alex, and Stephen often speak to audiences on the topic and receive many questions on best practices for physician compensation model design and structure.

Contact Information

Subscribe to our feed in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast provider. Like what you hear? Leave a review! Not there? Let us know!

We welcome all feedback from our listeners. Please submit questions on any of the topics we discuss or questions about issues that interest you. You can also recommend topics for future episodes.

• Email us: [email protected]
• Connect with us on LinkedIn: Coker Group Company Page
• Follow us on Twitter: @cokergroup
• Follow us on Instagram: @cokergroup

Episode Synopsis

Justin, Alex, and Stephen discuss the dynamics currently affecting physician compensation and offer an in-depth analysis of the new model structures that are being contemplated within the industry. They consider the key challenges associated with innovation and recommend best practices for designing physician compensation models.

The primary considerations and pressures within the healthcare market today include the push for value-based healthcare initiatives, the growth and scalability of the compensation structure, and the affordability of the compensation model for the healthcare organization.

Extras

White Paper: The Perpetual (Upward) Shift of the Median

Myth of the Median

Compensation Best Practices for Physician Enterprises

Justin Chamblee joins Mark to discuss how to evaluate and structure hospitalist compensation models. Justin walks through what Coker Group considers best practices for hospital-based physician compensation structures.

Contact Information

Subscribe to our feed in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast provider. Like what you hear? Leave a review! Not there? Let us know!

We welcome all feedback from our listeners. Please submit questions on any of the topics we discuss or questions about issues in which you have an interest. You can also provide recommendations on matters for future episodes.

• Email us: [email protected]
• Connect with us on LinkedIn: Coker Group Company Page
• Follow us on Twitter: @cokergroup
• Follow us on Instagram: @cokergroup

Episode Synopsis

Typically, hospitalists are not measured or compensated based on their wRVUs for a couple of reasons. First, most hospitals see the essential goal of a hospitalist program as enhancing throughput (timely discharges, reduced length-of-stay, etc.). Paying hospitalists based on their productivity can be counter to these key goals, as it incentivizes them to do more. Second, the market data for hospitalist wRVU production is imprecise, given that hospitalists vary significantly in their productivity levels as a result of staffing/census dynamics. We believe the best measure of productivity for hospitalists is the patient census, not wRVUs.

Key Trends from Industry Data

• The majority of hospitalist groups work 12-hour shifts (day and night).
• Working additional hours per day equates to the need for fewer shifts per year to equal a 1.0 FTE.
• The market norm for hospitalists working a 7-on/7-off model and a 12-hour shift is 2,184 hours annually (182 shifts per year).

Extras

Physician Compensation Strategy

Bio: Justin Chamblee