Ring in the New Year with this bonus SoundPractice episode covering your action plan for HIPAA compliance. In this episode we discuss common causes of patient privacy breaches and how to avoid them. We focus on Business Associates, cyber insurance, and compliance requirements. This fast moving discussion is full of practical, inexpensive tips on how to navigate your way to patient privacy safety, as well as an overview of actual HIPAA cases that illustrate the risk for healthcare practices.

https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/security/guidance/guidance-risk-analysis/index.html

The Journal of Medical Practice Management - https://greenbranch.com/jmpm

Love it or hate it, online ratings and social media are essential to your future. 84% of people trust online reviews as much as they trust their friends. With value-based care and bundled payments fast approaching, it’s important to prepare a strategy now for how your practice will encourage online reviews from happy patients and mitigate the negative ones too. We interview neurosurgeon and attorney Jeff Segal, MD, JD, Founder and CEO of Emerit.biz for pragmatic guidance about online reputation management and tips for addressing Internet-assaults.

eMerit Online Reputation Management for Doctors web site.

Tweets, Likes, and Liabilities: Online and Electronic Risk to the Healthcare Professional book link.

Establishing, Managing and Protecting Your Online Reputation: A Social Media Guide for Physicians and Medical Practices book link.

Holiday work parties are a time for fun and celebration. But when a little relaxation and alcohol mix, the line between professional and unprofessional behavior can get blurry. In this episode we cover some do’s and don’ts to make sure your holiday party is an embarrassment-free zone.

When was the last time you updated your data and device destruction policy? If the answer is, "we don't even have one," your practice is not alone. But you do need to get to work. Planning for the destruction of data and devices that contain PHI is a critical component of privacy and security and important to managing financial and reputational risk. This episode explains how to fearlessly and successfully develop a policy, in five easy steps!

Download "Develop a Data and Device Destruction Policy in Five Easy Steps" from The Journal of Medical Practice Management.

In this SoundPractice Episode, we talk with Tracy Spears, Founder of the Exceptional Leader Lab, about the characteristics of thriving practice leaders. Leading staff in a constantly changing regulatory and reimbursement environment while simultaneously overseeing financial and A/R management, process improvement, and an exceptional patient experience is not for the faint of heart. What are the characteristics that drive an effective practice leader to create a strong culture with a solid balance sheet and a group of physicians and employees who thrive?

Link to Tracy Spears web site - TracySpears.com

Masterclass special - code is ELL25 for a 25% off discount

Link to "You’ve Been Promoted! Strategies for Successful Leadership Transition" from The Journal of Medical Practice Management

No matter the size or the specialty, every practice needs a good lawyer and a sharp accountant. But how do you find the right professionals to help your practice? This episode covers the essentials of selecting, hiring, and working with accounting and law firms. We will replace mystery and trepidation with knowledge and a strong game plan.

Episode 1 Checklist for Hiring an Accountant

Cheryl Toth - Working with a Healthcare Attorney

Martindale link: https://www.martindale.com