This episode of the MGMA Weekend Review Podcast is hosted by Daniel Williams and Colleen Luckett. Key topics include HHS reversing course on breach notifications, primary care physician compensation, bipartisan support for healthcare reform, the impact of medical debt, and improving obesity treatment training.

Major Takeaways:
- HHS will now allow Change Healthcare to file breach notifications for organizations affected by the February ransomware attack. This provides relief for impacted groups.
- The AMA payment system favors specialists over primary care doctors, leading to a shortage. Improving primary care compensation could improve outcomes and lower costs.
- Rare bipartisan support for site neutral payments to address healthcare consolidation and rising costs.
- Medical debt takes a significant toll on patient health through financial stress and avoidance of care. Efforts are needed to reduce costs and debt burdens.
- Improper prescribing of weight loss drugs without training can harm patients. More obesity treatment training is required as drug approvals increase.

Direct Quotes:
"Financial toxicity is a real and growing concern in healthcare. It's crucial that we address the underlying issues driving medical debt to improve patient outcome." - Dr. Ron Robert Ziegler

Sources:
- The Record - "HHS reverses course allows change healthcare to file breach notifications for others"
- MedPage Today - "Second opinions how the AMA undermines primary care"
- Fierce Healthcare - "Site neutral payments draw blanket bipartisan support at House budget hearing"
- Physicians Practice - "Is medical debt making patients sicker?"
- Axios - "America's Doctors need more obesity medicine training"

MGMA Sources:

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Let us know if there's a topic you want us to cover, an expert you would like us to interview, or if you'd like to appear on the member spotlight podcast. Email us at dwilliams@mgma.com or cluckett@mgma.com. If you have a question for our senior advisor, Cristy Good, email advisor@mgma.com.

Support for this podcast comes from ilumed
ilumed helps Medicare providers practice better medicine so they can get paid in up to three ways. Whether you’re just starting your value-based-care journey or ready to take it to the next level, ilumed can help you do more for your patients while earning more. ilumed offers simple solutions for a complicated industry. Let’s heal healthcare together. Visit ilumed.com to learn more.

Today’s podcast is also sponsored by RingCentral

RingCentral brings staff, patients, and payers together with compliant cloud communications and a modern call center on any device. A free new ebook from RingCentral and MGMA focuses specifically on the payer-provider relationship. With all-too-familiar patient reviews, must-see statistics, and a transformative case study, this eBook illustrates how easily cloud communications can bring patients, providers, and payers together. Download your copy at go.ringcentral.com/mgma-healthcare.html.

In this MGMA Member Spotlight Podcast episode, host Daniel Williams speaks with Tony Schier, Executive Director of Cheyenne Obstetrics and Gynecology, about implementing successful human resources practices. They discuss strategies for developing employee skills, tracking performance goals, conducting effective interviews, and onboarding new hires. Tony contributed to MGMA's newest book, Advanced Strategy for Medical Practice Leaders: Human Resources Management Edition.

Summary:
Tony shares how his practice evaluates staff annually and encourages career development through certifications and training. He explains how setting organizational, department, and individual goals tied to key metrics helps improve performance in areas like patient satisfaction. Tony also discusses prioritizing integrity and cultural fit when interviewing candidates. The conversation provides insights on developing employees, implementing performance reviews, and strengthening recruitment practices at small medical offices.

Takeaways:

- Performance reviews focus on open-ended questions about accomplishments rather than a 1-5 scale to encourage dialogue. Goals are set to improve patient satisfaction scores and financial metrics like days in AR.

- When hiring, integrity and cultural fit are priorities. Schirer assesses soft skills during interviews and ensures fairness.

- New hires complete onboarding materials online and receive orientation, training, and shadowing with a mentor.

Sources:
Cheyenne Obstetrics and Gynecology
Advanced Strategy for Medical Practice Leaders: Human Resources Management Edition

MGMA Sources:

Ask an Advisor

MGMA Membership

MGMA Consulting

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

Let us know if there's a topic you want us to cover, an expert you would like us to interview, or if you'd like to appear on the member spotlight podcast. Email us at dwilliams@mgma.com. If you have a question for our senior advisor, Cristy Good, email advisor@mgma.com.

Support for this podcast comes from ilumed
ilumed helps Medicare providers practice better medicine so they can get paid in up to three ways. Whether you’re just starting your value-based-care journey or ready to take it to the next level, ilumed can help you do more for your patients while earning more. ilumed offers simple solutions for a complicated industry. Let’s heal healthcare together. Visit ilumed.com to learn more.

Today’s podcast is also sponsored by RingCentral

RingCentral brings staff, patients, and payers together with compliant cloud communications and a modern call center on any device. A free new ebook from RingCentral and MGMA focuses specifically on the payer-provider relationship. With all-too-familiar patient reviews, must-see statistics, and a transformative case study, this eBook illustrates how easily cloud communications can bring patients, providers, and payers together. Download your copy at go.ringcentral.com/mgma-healthcare.html.