Coffee with Coker

Michele Madison, a partner in the healthcare practice at Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP, joins Mark to discuss hospital pain points and challenges in the wake of 2020. They touch on compliance, transactions, E/M coding changes, financial challenges, telehealth, and handling the various hardships that have grown over the last year of COVID.

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Episode Synopsis

Michele and Mark discuss maintaining physician relationships and focusing on value-based care and cost-reducing strategies. Hospitals are also exploring how to develop and expand outpatient healthcare delivery to patients.

They also discuss the implications of the weighting changes to the work RVU values and how these changes affect commercial reasonableness and fair market value. How will these changes affect the upcoming survey data that many physician enterprises rely on?

Click the play button to listen to the episode.

Extras

Learn more about Michele

2021 Offers New Opportunities Amid Healthcare Regulation Changes

Episode 82: How the MPFS Final Rule Impacts Medical Practices (and What to Do about It)

Webinar Replay: 2021 E/M Coding Changes: What Healthcare Professionals Need to Know

Alex Kirkland joins Mark to discuss changes to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) final rule. On December 27, 2020, Congress passed and the President signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act. The stimulus bill provided temporary relief by partially mitigating cuts to the conversion factor in 2021.

Podcast Information

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

• Please email us: [email protected]
• Connect with us on LinkedIn: Coker Group Company Page
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Episode Synopsis

Many payers use the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) as the foundation for their rates and how they set their conversion factor. Although the stimulus bill only affects Medicare reimbursement for physician professional services, the impact will extend beyond Medicare. The stimulus package provides support only during 2021, so the full 10% cut to the conversion factor is still expected in 2022.

Medical groups need to analyze their financial impact through a CPT level revenue and wRVU compensation analysis. The important concept is compensation increases should not outpace reimbursement, meaning you can’t afford to pay more than your revenue allows.

There are also fair market value (FMV) and commercially reasonable (CR) implications and issues to consider. The new regulations state that a hospital may not value a physician’s services at a higher rate than a private equity investor or another physician practice.

Click the play button to listen to the episode.

Extras

Estimate the Financial Impact of 2021 E/M Coding Changes

Episode 82: How the MPFS Final Rule Impacts Medical Practices (and What to Do about It)

Webinar Replay: 2021 E/M Coding Changes: What Healthcare Professionals Need to Know

Aimee Greeter and Taylor Cowart join Mark to unpack how the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) final rule impacts medical practices (both employed and private), and offer suggestions to handle the 2021 changes to wRVUs and Medicare reimbursement for professional services.

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

• Please email us: [email protected]
• Connect with us on LinkedIn: Coker Group Company Page
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Episode Synopsis

COVID-19 drew everyone’s focus in 2020, and the surges around the holidays have moved the battlefront and center. In the fray, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced big changes to evaluation and management codes that few are prepared for. Budget neutrality dictates there will be “winners” and “losers” throughout 2021.

Aimee and Taylor provide an overview of how the final rule will affect certain specialties, and what hospitals and private medical practices need to do.

Click the play button to listen to the episode.

Extras

E/M and ME: How Will the 2021 E/M Coding Changes Impact Medical Practices?

Estimate the Financial Impact of 2021 E/M Coding Changes

PSA Progression: What’s Next in the Evolution of Professional Services Agreements?

Richard Romero and Jeremy Johnson join Mark to discuss the Polsinelli|TrBK Distress Indices, which track bankruptcy statistics. The Distress Index is designed to capture distress in the market place and quantitatively present market place stress for healthcare valuators.

Podcast Information

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

• Please email us: [email protected]
• Connect with us on LinkedIn: Coker Group Company Page
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Episode Synopsis

Jeremy provides an overview of the Distress Index and how one could use the index to understand distress in the healthcare market. The Distress Index tracks all Chapter 11 bankruptcies, and there are two sub-indices for real estate and healthcare.

Throughout this episode, Mark, Richard, and Jeremy explain how consultants and valuators use this data to understand the healthcare market and apply it to healthcare valuation. Risk is a significant factor in healthcare valuation and transaction advisory services. The Distress Index helps quantify the level of industry risk.

Click the play button to listen to Richard and Jeremy discuss the Distress Index.

Extras

The Distress Index

Blog: Recognizing and Mitigating Key Areas of Risk

Blog: The Impact of COVID-19 on Business Valuation

Taylor Cowart and Max Reiboldt join Mark to discuss the top five trends they expect to see during 2021. COVID-19 changed the entire world in just a matter of weeks, completely upending the status quo. Max and Taylor discuss how these changes will affect the healthcare industry in 2021 and beyond.

Podcast Information

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

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

• Please email us: [email protected]
• Connect with us on LinkedIn: Coker Group Company Page
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Episode Synopsis

Top Five Healthcare Trends for 2021

1. Post-COVID Transactions
2. Political Transition
3. Value-Based Arrangements
4. Operations and Efficiencies
5. Telehealth

Click the play button to listen to Max and Taylor discuss these five trends.

Extras

Blog Post: Top Five Healthcare Trends for 2021

2020 Telehealth Survey – Summary of Results

2020 Telehealth Survey – Summary of Results, Part 2

Coffee with Coker host, Mark Reiboldt, reviews the lessons we learned from the pandemic in 2020 and considers how to apply these lessons to a crisis moving forward.

Contact Information

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

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

• Please email us: [email protected]
• Connect with us on LinkedIn: Coker Group Company Page
• Follow us on Twitter: @cokergroup
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Episode Synopsis

Mark discusses the weaknesses and vulnerabilities the pandemic exposed in healthcare organizations. Ideally, if we can identify and address these vulnerable areas pre-crisis, we can mitigate the severity once a crisis arises.

Mark reviews three categories: financial planning and performance, technology and compliance, and operations.

Extras

COVID-19 Pandemic Exposes Vulnerabilities in Healthcare Organizations (Part 1)

COVID-19 Pandemic Exposes Vulnerabilities in Healthcare Organizations (Part 2)

COVID-19 Pandemic Exposes Vulnerabilities in Healthcare Organizations (Part 3)

Coffee with Coker host, Mark Reiboldt, provides an answer to frequently asked questions over the years. What is healthcare consulting? What do healthcare consultants do? Why would I need to hire a healthcare consultant?

Contact Information

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

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

• Please email us: [email protected]
• Connect with us on LinkedIn: Coker Group Company Page
• Follow us on Twitter: @cokergroup
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Episode Synopsis

In general, consulting firms provide a professional service by advising their clients on a specific matter. Healthcare consultants could focus on healthcare technology implementation and improvement, medical group business operations, or strategic planning for a health system, to name a few.

As a firm, Coker Group focuses on all aspects of healthcare business. Our goal is to optimize the business of healthcare for each of our clients, focusing on five core areas: strategy, operations, finance, technology, and compliance. Our main focal point is the healthcare providers and their specific needs within their healthcare practice. We customize our approach to every project to ensure our clients receive the best value.

Extras

Learn more about Coker Group

Lee Perrett joins Mark Reiboldt to discuss telehealth and virtual care leadership positions for large healthcare organizations. Lee and Mark discuss the advantages of telehealth during a pandemic and why healthcare organizations want healthcare executives and physician leaders who are uniquely qualified to run a telehealth program.

Contact Information

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

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

• Please 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

As telehealth continues to gain popularity among patients, healthcare organizations need versatile leaders to run their telehealth programs. Telehealth offers many advantages, including increased access to healthcare, especially in rural areas, and the ability to screen patients at home and determine if an in-person visit is necessary.

The individuals suited for this position should have a clinical background with experience in operations and health business administration. A telehealth and virtual care leader’s goal is to help the organization meet its goals and objectives for the telemedicine program.

Extras

Is Telehealth Past the Tipping Point?

Should You Use a Non-Medical Grade Telemedicine Platform?

Case Study: Leveraging Technology during a Pandemic

Jeffery Daigrepont joins Mark Reiboldt to discuss Coker’s latest book, Beyond EHR. Today, it is not uncommon for practices and hospitals to be on their second or third EHR or contemplating a transition from the traditional on-premise model to a cloud-based system. As a follow-up to Complete Guide and Toolkit to Successful EHR Adoption (©2011 HIMSS), this book builds on the best practices of the first edition, fast-forwarding to the latest innovations that are currently leveraged and adopted by providers and hospitals.

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. Email us questions on any of the topics we discuss or questions about issues that interest you. You can also provide recommendations on matters for future episodes. 

• Please 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

In this new book, we examine the role that artificial intelligence (AI) is now playing in and around EHR technology. We also address the advances in analytics and deep learning (also known as deep structured or hierarchical learning) and explain this topic in practical ways for even the most novice reader to comprehend and apply.

The book also covers the challenges of EHR to EHR migrations and data conversions, including the unethical practice of data blocking some vendors use as a tactic to hold data hostage. Further, we explore innovations related to interoperability, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and electronic patient/consumer engagement.

Finally, this book will deal with what to do with aging technology and databases, which is an issue rarely considered in any of the early publications on healthcare technology. What is the proper way to retire a legacy system, and what are the legal obligations of data archiving?

Extras

Order the Book!

Case Study: Leveraging Technology During a Pandemic

Dr. Brent Lacey joins Mark Reiboldt to discuss healthcare business and financial success. Dr. Lacey is a gastroenterologist who is passionate about helping physicians succeed with business and personal finances. His goal is to help physicians learn how to manage their businesses successfully and master their personal finances.

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. Email us questions on any of the topics we discuss or questions about issues that interest you. You can also provide recommendations on matters for future episodes. 

• Please 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

As a physician, Dr. Lacey understands how overwhelming it can be to step out of clinical training and into a career. He has seen firsthand the lack of education on how to run a practice and manage finances.

Mark and Dr. Lacey discuss the dynamics of physicians delivering care during a pandemic and the necessity for strong physician leadership within any medical group. They also discuss how patients are accessing medical care and how a pandemic could change healthcare delivery in the future.

Extras

Learn more about The Scope of Practice

The Scope of Practice Reading List

COVID-19 Pandemic Exposes Vulnerabilities in Healthcare Organizations

Leading in Crisis: How to Prepare, How to Execute, How to Thrive