April’s “bestsellers”
The top selling books in April 2011 from Chiropractic Books, Etc. were (drum roll please!)
# 1 —Chiropractic First |
# 2 –Pearls of Wisdom |
# 3 –Whiplash: A Patient Centered Approach to Management |
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Articles from April 2011
Spanish Terminology for Chiropractic Care
Spanish Terminology for Chiropractic Care
– published by Mosby
From the publisher: Modeled after the way chiropractors or chiropractic assistants interact with patients, this convenient pocket guide helps those working in the chiropractic office to communicate more effectively and improve the quality of care delivered to Spanish-speaking patients. Discussing everything from salutations and case histories, to specific procedures and follow-up care, this highly portable handbook is easy to reference when taking a patient history or performing adjustments. Using simple, non-technical words, with both open-ended and yes/no questions, it includes a wide range of terms from all of the topics that are essential to communication in the chiropractic office. A pronunciation guide further assists readers in formulating explanations, instructions, and questions in Spanish.
- Content covers everything from salutations to case histories and follow up care – mimicking how chiropractors and assistants interact with patients.
- The highly portable pocket guide format is easy to reference when taking a history or adjusting a patient.
- Different types of questions are posed to facilitate patient communication.
- A pronunciation guide gives readers additional support and confidence when communicating with Spanish-speaking patients.
Don’t be put off by the book’s 1-star rating on Amazon — it came from a single reviewer who was actually complaining about a defective CD (for which he got a refund). He said of the book itself: “As a practicing physician, I was very pleased with the content of this Book. It was informative and very helpful. I have several OTHER clinical books by “Mosby” and was in NO WAY displeased with the Book’s content.”
Practicing Profitability
Practicing Profitability — Billing Network Effect for Revenue Cycle Control in Healthcare Clinics and Chiropractic Offices
– by Dr. Yuval Lirov
FROM THE PUBLISHER: You want to heal the sick, but you waste your time fighting insurance companies and barely making ends meet in a conflict-ridden business environment. “Increasing complexity of billing creates opportunities for the payers to benefit at the expense of the providers,” says Dr. Sigmund Miller, executive director of the Association of New Jersey Chiropractors (ANJC). “Endless claim denials, payment delays, and post-payment audits are all too familiar symptoms of dilettante billing. Doctors require professional solutions.”
“Providers paid $3.1 billion last year in refunds and penalties-twenty times more than ten years ago,” adds Jeffrey Randolph, ANJC legal counsel. “The payer’s motive is money, the payer’s means is a gargantuan statistical database, and every provider is an opportunity.”
“Practice owners alone are helpless against insurance companies that are armed with powerful technology and focused on keeping providers’ money to increase profits for their shareholders,” says Dr. Yuval Lirov, who holds patents in artificial intelligence and computer security and is also CEO of Vericle Inc., a distributed practice management and billing technology company in New Jersey.
Practicing Profitability is the first book to systematically approach billing from the “payer-provider conflict” perspective and to apply the “network effect.” The network effect is the most revolutionary characteristic of Internet technology. In short, it’s when the value of a networked service to a customer increases in step with the growing number of customers. It applies to services like Google AdSense, eBay, Wikipedia, Skype, Amazon, Flickr, and MySpace-and it can be used by healthcare practice owners and managers to “level the playing field” with insurance companies.
“The network effect allows each member practice to gain more value as each new practice joins the Vericle network,” says Lirov. “For practice managers, value is defined in terms of increased collections, reduced audit risk, better practice efficiencies, and added sources of revenue. This book demonstrates how practice managers achieve and take advantage of the network effect by combining Straight-Through Processing [STP] and Software as a Service [SaaS] architectures.”
Practicing Profitability touches on every aspect of modern office management software-including workflow, reporting, outsourcing, scheduling, EMR, SOAP notes, care plans, coding, billing, collections, HIPAA compliance, and audit risk management. It shows simple steps that practice owners must take to increase practice revenue without wasting time, energy, and money on personnel, software, hardware, or any other resources that dilute their focus from patient care and practice development. The book spans thirty-five chapters and about two hundred pages, and it contains informative illustrations and an extensive index. It’s aimed at practice owners, coaches, owners of billing companies, practice managers, office management consultants, billing specialists, and recent graduates of medical schools and chiropractic colleges.
REVIEWS: “Lirov’s writing, though sometimes weighed down by jargon, is precise and evocative, and his methods are sound and clearly explained. A superior addition to the field of medical billing.” – Kirkus Reviews, February 13, 2008
Amazon readers also gave this book high marks, rating it 4-1/2 out of 5 stars (with 16 reviews). Here’s what a few of them had to say:
“A comprehensive analysis of the losing battle physicians find themselves in with unpaid and underpaid claims due to the insurance companies’ powerful computers and software. Insurers will pick out small inconsistencies and reject claims, delaying for weeks or months the payment the physician has earned. The approach outlined in this easy to read book explains how the doctor can level the playing field by equipping his or her practice with equally powerful software to match the insurers’. Dr. Lirov, a renowned computer expert, outlines the various strategies of his system to overcome the payers’ continuous attempts to underpay or delay payment to the practitioner.”
“Brief and informative, Lirov’s book offers a modern technology perspective to the most frustrating billing problems, faced today by tens of thousands of small practice owners. Practicing Profitability sets a new standard for practice management processes.”
“I love books that take me beyond theoretical discussions about complex problems and show real life solutions! Dr. Lirov has not only developed a powerful approach to an amazingly complex problem but also explained it in simple and straightforward terms. Practicing Profitability is a great book about an awesome system that packs in plenty of practical ideas for many medical billing problems. A must read.”
A word of caution: Many of the “reviews” on amazon appear to have been taken from the book and are not by actual readers. A few of the reviews from amazon readers aren’t as complimentary. One says: “The book was a quick and easy read. I am a physical therapist operating 5 privately owned clinics. I was hoping to find a resource to improve the efficiency of our billing and collections processes, but this was not it. This book provides a basic description of what technology can and should do to assist a practice operate more effectively, but there are no real world answers. I read it, but then was happy to resell it. Not a resource worth keeping.”
The New Chiropractic Cash Practice Survival Guide
The New Chiropractic Cash Practice Survival Guide, Second Edition
– by Dr. David E. Abblett
From the Publisher: Loaded with timely advice on how to start up and run a successful cash practice, “The New Chiropractic Cash Practice Survival Guide, Second Edition” is a must-have resource for anyone contemplating starting a practice or already running a practice. Whether you’re fresh out of college, or wish to regain control of your existing practice, this resource provides the answers and advice you need. This book includes guidelines and strategies that are simple, practical, and proven effective.
NOTE: Although there were only two reviews of this book on Amazon.com, both were very negative (rating the book only 2 and 3 out of 5 stars respectively). Here’s a bit of what they had to say:
“This book is full of interesting material, on how to develop the practice, the ethics… However I was a little disappointed by the “poor mentality” expressed by the authors; they often relate to the lack of money and how they’re always trying to get the cheapest and avoid expenses. I agree that it’s important to look carefully over money matters, and that money is much more easily spent than it is owned, but I believe we can be very successful with an abundance mentality.” [personal note: Amen to that!!!!]
“There is no meat to this book. Had I paid 15 dollars for it, I wouldn’t complain. But I didn’t. I expected detailed information on superbilling, marketing, what to say when asked about insurance, etc. In one chapter about bookkeeping, the author suggests a CPA. This type of common sense is what you’ll will get a lot of when you read this book.”
Have a different opinion? Let us know!
Marketing Chiropractic to Medical Practices
Marketing Chiropractic to Medical Practices
– by Dr. Christina Acampora
The first book of its kind, “Marketing Chiropractic to Medical Practices” targets chiropractors and leads them through a comprehensive sales model to demonstrate how they can educate the medical profession on how to utilize chiropractic services for their patients. By implementing a gradual approach from the first office contact to presenting an effective and educational sales call, this text informs chiropractors how to confidently access their greatest untapped new patient source. The book offers a step-by-step approach to securing medical referrals and developing ongoing professional relationships between the chiropractic and medical worlds.
There are only two reviews for the book on Amazon.com — here are a couple of excerpts from those reviews:
“For two years I’ve been meeting with MDs to bring them information about what we do at my company, Universal Health Institute. It’s been a journey of success and failure, and we’ve clumsily worked to create a way to present ourselves that makes sense. Dr. Acampora’s advice fills in alot of the blank spots, particularly the recommended dialogue and its’ context. I like the fact that she went out on a limb and identified different types of doctor personalities as well an approach to communication for each one. I’ve met with about 60 doctors’ offices (and about 125 doctors) over the last two years, and can tell that she’s been there and done it. Her advice adds the necessary polish to our New Business Development department, and we are taking it seriously.”
“One of the challenges that many chiropractors face when approaching a medical practice is having the proper gambit to meet the doctor. This book shows you how to do that effectively. This book will also help you get over the initial fear of approaching a medical business by telling you exactly how solicitors are perceived by doctors and staff. Hint: It’s different than with chiropractic doctors and staff. If you were looking to get over your apprehension of merely approaching a medical practice, get this book.”
If you’ve read the book, please comment below and tell us what you think of it.
Into Practice: A Comprehensive Guide to Getting Into Chiropractic Practice
Into Practice: A Comprehensive Guide to Getting Into Chiropractic Practice
– by Michael Meyer, DC
Product Description (from the publisher):
Into Practice is a comprehensive blueprint that will take you from envisioning your dream practice as a first year college student to making all the right decisions right up to giving your first adjustment. Whether you are considering associating, independent contracting, buying a practice, or a new practice start-up, this book will help you to make that decision and then guide you step by step through the process of successfully getting into practice. This guide will serve as your mentor and consultant as you learn how to: · Create a success mindset. · Make an informed choice as to the “four” types of entry into practice. · Design timelines and checklists for transitional activities. · Evaluate both an associateship and a practice that is for sale. · Find the money for your transition and practice start-up. · Determine necessary support personnel. · Market yourself and your practice successfully. · Plan your procedures and establish effective office policies. Transitioning from student to successful doctor is not as difficult as you might imagine – when you start early and when you have the answers you need. Remember, it is never too soon to start planning for your success!
About the Author: Dr. Mike Meyer is a chiropractic practitioner and president of Professional Practice Resources, Inc., a regional practice management-consulting firm. He is a 1975 graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic, Davenport, Iowa. He has been in private practice for 30+ years. During these three decades, Dr. Meyer has employed more than thirty associate doctors, and owned as many as four multiple doctor offices serving both the metropolitan and rural areas of North Indiana. Dr. Meyer has been active in state and alumni as activities, serving as president of Palmer College of Chiropractic International Alumni Association, and President of the International Chiropractors Association of Indiana. In 1992 he was named a fellow in the Palmer Academy of Chiropractic. In 2003, he was named a distinguished fellow of the International Chiropractors Association. In the late 1990′s he served as a senior consultant to Palmer Institute for Professional Success. A frequent lecturer, Dr. Meyer was instrumental in developing the Palmer Institute’s “Transition To Success” program for senior students in recent graduates.
At the time of this posting, there was only one review for this book on Amazon.com, from a student who said (in part):
“It is a very thorough manual that provides a lot of the things that practice management companies are promising to my classmates and I as selling points. Chapters on things like floor plans, financing, office systems flowcharts, marketing, etc. So far it seems very comprehensive and I will definitely be referencing it a lot when I graduate and continue the process of getting into practice.”
If you’ve read this book, please share your thoughts about it here…
Ethical Perspectives: Sexual Boundary Issues and the Chiropractic Paradigm
Ethical Perspectives: Sexual Boundary Issues and the Chiropractic Paradigm
– by Drs. Michael Stahl and Stephen Foreman
This easy-to-read manual is a succinct discussion of sexual boundary issues for chiropractors and chiropractic students. The book’s goals are to make chiropractors familiar with sexual boundary issues, to help educators teach students about the topic, and to provide a resource for members of regulatory boards. Real life examples of ethical boundaries provide the reader with a clear understanding of issues that may arise.
No one has reviewed this book at amazon — have your read it? If so, please leave a comment below so others can decide whether it’s worth buying.