Practice Management

In this article, Robert A. Dowling, MD, describes what urologists need to know about the Quality category of MIPS and nuances of the scoring methodology.

"Determining what to invest in should be based primarily on the needs, temperament, and available resources of each individual or family," write Jeff Witz, CFP, and David Zemon.

In this "Coding Q&A," the Painters also answer a question regarding coding for sling and cystocele repair with mesh repair.

Other pipeline developments include efficacy results for a bladder and prostate cancer drug, an infertility tool to predict sperm quality, the initiation of an immunotherapy combination for mUC, and more.

The provision of health care via technology and without direct eye-to-eye and skin-to-skin contact is an area of growing interest in the U.S. It is also an area of great concern. One of the key conundrums surrounding telemedicine is the when, how, and what to pay for the service.

Value-based payment models tend to fall into three general categories: shared savings programs, capitation models, and episode-of-care models. In this article, Robert A. Dowling, MD, reviews the current landscape of these payment models, including public and private-sector models that may serve as examples for urology.

With the U.S. stock market reaching record highs, it’s important to know how to prepare for an eventual fall. Plus, tax credits may be available for tuition payers.

Neil Baum, MD, and Randy Bauman discuss their tips to making the transition from practice seller to buyer as seamless as possible to keep patient retention rates high.

When trying to determine how much is enough when saving for retirement, there are many elements that must be considered. Plus, weigh these pros and cons when deciding how long to receive payments from an immediate annuity.

Urology-related FDA approvals from 2016 encompassed drugs and devices for prostate cancer, renal cell carcinoma, bladder cancer, stone disease, and more.

Other products discussed include an updated prostate tissue ablation device, a contrast agent for voiding ultrasonography, a bladder cancer test and more.

This article will discuss the concept of practice valuation and how to go from abstraction to dollars or how to make dollars and “cents” of the process of putting a dollar value on a urologic practice.

Each year, the Office of the Inspector General at the Department of Health and Human Services publishes a summary of its activities and a work plan for the coming year. What follows is a summary of new topics in the FY2017 work plan that may be of interest to urologists.

Other pipeline developments discussed include an implantable device for OAB treatment, a subcutaneous hypogonadism treatment, efficacy results for an HPV drug, and the status of a device-based BPH treatment.

Robert A. Dowling, MD, summarizes key findings from the recent CMS report “National Health Spending: Faster Growth In 2015 As Coverage Expands and Utilization Increases."

"Those patients (and their caregivers) who take ownership of more aspects of their health care experience, including relevant and personalized information, will have better outcomes," writes Steven A. Kaplan, MD.

Other products discussed include a stent system for treating ureteral obstructions, a male infertility test, and more.

In this article, I outline what urologists should know about major provisions in the 2017 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and how it may impact their bottom line.

Here is a list of potential estate-planning mistakes you can help avoid with professional counseling.

Other pipeline developments discussed include a bladder cancer test, a male infertility assay, and the first oral dosage treatment for hypogonadism.

Other new products discussed in this article include a surgical training model, devices designed to improve prostate biopsy accuracy, an updated label and more.

In this article, the the most recent installment in an ongoing series, Robert A. Dowling, MD, summarizes his first impressions of the MACRA final rule and what it means for urologists.