Physicians Practice - Tech Guide 2008 - (Page 1)

THE BIGGER PICTURE PA M E L A L . M O 0 R E , P h D TECHNOLOGY WHEAT, NO CHAFF their technology options. When it comes to IT, skepticism is demanded. But cynicism should be prohibited. This special issue is our attempt to be a better-than-average spam ﬁlter on your behalf. Inside, you’ll ﬁnd some of the best, most practical ideas that we’ve seen over the past year actually in use in real practices. No hype. For starters, our cover story, “Secure Your Practice and Sleep Better” (page 8) will alert you to why an ever-increasing number of healthcare organizations is losing sensitive patient information and what you can do to keep it from happening to you. explains how practices can snag good deals on Internet auction sites. “All About Blogs” (page 37) tours the world of physician bloggers and lays out the pros and cons of voicing your opinion in cyberspace. Feeling out of it when you watch your teenager text message her friends? Our “In the Ofﬁce” article (page 61) explores how physicians are using multipurpose, portable communication devices, offering guidance on how to use text messaging, cell phones, instant messaging, and the like to help you work smarter, faster, and safer. For those sick of managed care intervening in physician-patient relationships, check out our “Patient Relations” (page 35) article for some ideas on how to use technology to tighten your patient relationships. And if you’re tired of your current ofﬁce’s software limitations, it may be time for an upgrade. Our “IT Enhancement” article (page 51) will get you started. It’s easy to ignore new IT trends in a busy practice. Who has the time to deal with all that tech mumbo jumbo. But by not paying attention now, you may ﬁnd yourself behind the curve in the future. Here’s hoping these articles make it to your inbox — and help improve your practice. THERE’S A NEW SPAM FILTER ON MY E-MAIL ACCOUNT. THE RESULT? IF YOU WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT “ENHANCEMENT,” ONLINE PHARMACEUTICAL SALES, CHEAP SOFTWARE, OR LONELY WOMEN IN FORMER SOVIET UNION COUNTRIES, I’M YOUR GIRL. This special issue is our attempt to be a betterthan-average spam filter on your behalf. Inside, you’ll find some of the best, most practical ideas that we’ve seen over the past year actually in use in real practices. No hype. WHAT ARE WE DOING? Every morning, I greet a long list of mysteriously worded offers. It’s become something of a game to see how quickly I can sort out the come-ons from the messages I actually need. Note: If you e-mail me, word your subject line carefully. My trigger ﬁnger is quick; my caution sensors alert. It’s a state of mind not unlike that of many physicians reviewing WWW.PHYSICIANSPRACTICE.COM “Paperless? Not Quite” (page 20) takes on the holy grail of the paperless ofﬁce. If you are on a quest for an EMR, take a look at how other practices are building efﬁciency with a practical mix of paper and digital chips. Or get a line on how to use trendy applications to your advantage. Our “Online” article (page 59) • Pamela L. Moore, PhD, is senior editor, practice management, for Physicians Practice. Do you have technology ideas of your own to share? Tell us about it. Just e-mail Pam with a non-spam-like subject line at pmoore@physicianspractice.com. TECHNOLOGY GUIDE | PHYSICIANS PRACTICE | 1 http://WWW.PHYSICIANSPRACTICE.COM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Physicians Practice - Tech Guide 2008

Physicians Practice - Tech Guide 2008 TG Cover Story: Protect Your Practice and Sleep Better Operations: Paperless? Not Quite The Internet: You've Got Mail...Or Do You? Patient Relations: Attention Grabbers The Tech Doctor: All About Blogs Lessons Learned: 'My EMR Nightmare...And Why I'd Do It Again' Scheduling: No More No-Shows The Marketplace: Who's Got Your Back IT Enhancement: Time, at Last, for an Upgrade? Online: 'Yup, I'm a Junkie. And Proud of It.' In the Office: New Technologies in the Workplace: Blessing or Curse? Web Surfing: If You Build It...

Physicians Practice - Tech Guide 2008

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