Tag Archives: Investment

Review-The Skinny On Networking

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The Skinny On Networking: Maximizing the Power of Numbers, Jim Randel, 2010, ISBN 9780984441815
This is another in a series of simple, but not simplistic, books that teach a “large” subject very painlessly. This one is all about networking.

Billy is a high school history teacher. He would like to be a college music teacher, but such vacancies are few and far between. Randel, the narrator, tells Billy to start by asking his network, like friends and family, if they can help. Maybe someone knows someone who knows someone. He shouldn’t assume that they already know about his desire to be a college music teacher; he has to tell them, specifically. If he sends an email, he should be very careful about who gets it. Don’t just send it to everyone on your e-mail list.

If that doesn’t fulfill the request, expand your horizons. For instance, dust off your college yearbook, and start looking up old classmates. Cold calling is never fun, but it is an essential part of networking. The book talks about connectors, those who seem to know people in many different “groups.” If you come in contact with such a person, becoming acquaintances or friends with them is a very good idea. Think of social capital as a form of karma; you can never have too much of it. Try very hard to do things for other people (increasing your social capital supply) before you ask for things from other people (reducing your social capital supply).

Billy’s wife, Beth, is a lawyer who would like to be partner. She knows that it involves bringing in more clients, but she is uncomfortable asking total strangers for their business. Randel suggests that she join business and professional groups that will put her in the company of people who may need her services in the future. Networking is not supposed to be quick or easy, so don’t get discouraged if “it” doesn’t happen very quickly.

This is another excellent book that is made for busy people. The idea is to distill the major points from many books on a subject, like networking, into an easy to read format that still has a lot to say. Along with the rest of the series, this is very highly recommended.

Paul Lappen is a freelance book reviewer whose blog, Dead Trees Review, emphasizes small press and self-published books.

QPP MIPS Success Depends on Quality Measures Selection

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The success of QPP MIPS depends highly on the MIPS Quality Measures and the accurate submission of data to CMS (The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services).
Industry leaders say that eligible clinicians have a higher chance to maximize points in MIPS scores when they report measures compatible with their already implemented activities.

It is not a good practice to select measures that you know nothing about and wish to implement in the future. CMS offers several options to choose from for MIPS data submission. The flexibility helps eligible clinicians to select measures that can be easily adapted as per their budget.

Another problem with blindly selecting quality measures is that a physician might not be able to follow the plan as desired. That is why MIPS Qualified Registry is the easy and stress-free choice to submit data efficiently.

How MIPS Qualified Registries Help Strengthen MIPS Position?
A MIPS Qualified Registry has the resources and expertise to comprehend the structure of medical practices. They sit together with their clients and come up with solutions and strategies that direct them towards their goals.

The continuous communication and detailed framework develop a system where MIPS consultants identify the strengths and weaknesses of the practice.

This detailed analysis helps them select MIPS quality metrics that best suits the practice. Ultimately, the selected measures benefit the practice in the long run. It is easier to track their performance, and you can always adjust measures to optimize efficiency.

Does This Strategy Restrict Physicians from Choosing the Desired Measures?
No! Physicians still have a wide list of measures to choose from and report data. The idea to limit physicians to select specialty-specific measures is to allow them to score well in performance categories.

Suppose you choose a measure that is not related to your expertise, and you report it to CMS. You might get some points to perform the respective activity, but you cannot expect exceptional performance in the category.

Implementing an improvement or quality activity as system up-gradation requires time and investment. It might seem like an easy task. But, the reality is farfetched.

The Ease of Choosing the Right Measures
When you choose the specialty-specific quality measures, half of your burden is eased out. You do not need to start right from scratch and align your financial situation around the new measures.

Your staff members already know what practices to use and how things work in your healthcare facility. So, when you use related measures, everyone’s efforts unanimously credit towards one goal.

With related measures, the MIPS consultant team has time to even improve the quality and performance with carefully derived data-driven and care coordinated strategies.

No doubt, QPP MIPS is an excellent incentive payment program to compensate for the accounts receivable (AR).

In the upcoming year, with the advent of MIPS Value Pathways, the composite measure set will be available for clinicians. Eligible physicians would not have to spend their quality time spending to find the right measures.

Meanwhile, you can choose to report via a MIPS Qualified Registry to unburden the administrative load. Because your MIPS reporting journey becomes much easier when you have a qualified team alongside you.

Conclusion
We also understand that it is normal to easily swayed by other options. But, when you look into different measures’ definitions and reporting requirements, lots of things do not make sense.

So, instead of wasting time and get started on a new measure after the first half of the year, why not carefully select measures from the start.

Quality reporting is a crucial element for MIPS reporting. If you cannot convey your due diligence to the CMS, no matter how hard you have worked throughout the year, it is useless.

So, Physicians! Where you are particular about the MIPS data submission, ensure special care for the accuracy of quality measures, as a lot of metrics’ performance depends on them.

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