| A Word from Your
XChange Editor |
 |
Children’s Medical Group: A Case History
An aging practice management (PM) system can be a drain on the
productivity and performance of a modern medical group.
Children’s Medical Group (CMG), a practice with eight
locations and over 20 providers located in Poughkeepsie, New
York, was facing such a scenario in 2005. After careful
deliberation, the management of CMG decided their old
UNIX-based system could no longer meet the needs of their
fast-growing practice, and they needed to upgrade PM
systems.
Once the decision to modernize was made, a software evaluation
team was formed, creating a list of requirements for a new
system. The team wanted a scalable Windows-based, client/server
PM system. They decided MicroMD PM from Henry Schein Medical
Systems fit their needs and budget. Nearly three years since
choosing MicroMD PM, CMG has seen its investment pay off with
increased efficiency and responsiveness to office needs.
CMG staff found their previous PM system to be complicated and
slow. There was also a considerable learning curve for new
employees who needed to master many screens and keystrokes.
Management and staff have praised the simplicity of scheduling
with MicroMD PM and say training new employees is much easier.
What was once a tedious process of scrolling through screens and
entering patient information multiple times in the previous PM
system can now be done with a few simple clicks. Rescheduling and canceling appointments is now streamlined with a
drag-and-drop function. CMG has also substantially increased the
number of patients that can be seen on a daily basis because of
these enhanced scheduling functions. Staff can now see the entire
schedule of the practice and allow for flexibility when fitting
in walk-ins and last-minute patients in different locations.
The Henry Schein Medical Systems team excelled in implementation
of the new PM system, completing the entire process —
including configuration, installation, and training — in
less than four months. Data conversion into MicroMD PM was
another selling factor for CMG. Given the enormous amount of data
in its old system, staff could not be expected to do manual data
re-entry. With MicroMD, that potential problem was avoided.
Reporting with MicroMD PM has been vastly improved. Increased
speed and flexibility with reporting is essential when
considering an upgrade within a large group practice. Reports
that would clog the system at CMG and take hours to process are
now processed in minutes or even seconds with MicroMD PM. Not
only has the time posting payments and processing claims been
reduced, rejected claims have decreased 20%.
Replacing a PM system can be a challenge to a practice. However,
given the solid improvements shown in just a few months with
MicroMD PM, the management team of CMG sees the upgrade as a
worthwhile investment in the future. |
|
| |
 |
November Practice Cost-Saving Tips For
This Uncertain Economy
Each month we are featuring tips to help make your practice run
more efficiently and to provide better ways to meet the changing
landscape of our current economy. Contact your sales consultant to explore other suggestions.
COST-SAVING TIPS:
- Focus on strategies that deliver a trackable ROI. First,
and perhaps most important, narrow your promotional sights from
the wide field of all things you do to selectively focus your
promotional message on the professional services that build
profits for your practice. The test is: “If I invest $1,000
today, I want to realize $4,000 in return on this investment
tomorrow.” If money is super tight for you, it is okay to
tread a little carefully at first. But that doesn’t mean
you should disappear from the marketplace altogether. Instead,
take smart risks and reasonable steps until you find that magic
combination of variables that works. Once you do, turn up your
marketing while everyone else sits on the sidelines. Do what is
best for your practice specialty.
- Consider what the patient wants. Determine what it is that
prospective patients want or need the most. (Changes in the
economy may have changed people’s priorities.) Don’t
think about what you want to sell, but determine what it is that
they want to buy — then deliver it to them.
- Keep your marketing budget consistent. The practice that
abruptly silences its voice is totally and suddenly invisible to
people in need. Maybe it “feels” like you’re
preserving resources, but you are giving up more in lost revenue
and opportunity. Every dollar wisely invested has a stronger ROI
potential (when the competition is standing down). And, as an
added bonus, media costs might be available at bargain rates. (If
you don’t have a marketing budget, now is the time to get
one. Make it a priority as you develop a specific
plan.)
- Take advantage of the competitive vacuum. This is when
most of your competitors have cut their marketing back to little
or nothing. Use this time (while their practices are invisible)
to grow market share at their expense. Advertisers who increase
their budget in a soft economy increase their market
share.
- Prune any wasteful spending that has crept in. Take this
time to carefully examine where there may be waste anywhere in
the practice. This is a good time to reorganize what’s
being spent and what can be applied to serious ROI
marketing.
- Be open to new tactics that you might not have otherwise
considered. Doctors tend to be conservative. But some doctors
are so conservative that they dismiss good new ideas out-of-hand
— ideas that could vastly improve profitability of their
practice or business. Remaining open to new ideas is especially
important right now.
- Fortify and strengthen professional relationships. Of
course this is something that you should be doing all along
— especially with those practices that refer to your
practice. But when they’re busy, doctors, administrators,
and staff tend to put off some things. When things are slow,
it’s critical to strengthen those relationships. Take care
of the people who take care of you.
- Refocus on low-risk internal marketing. Most doctors
understand the importance of taking care of their patients
— and professionally, of course, they do. But when things
are rushed in the office, they can overlook the exceptional added
value of patients who are the internal marketing audience.
Internal marketing — working with existing (and satisfied)
patients — is low cost, low risk and high ROI. Your best
asset is your patient base and it’s a solid source of
referrals, especially in a declining economy.
- Help your employees build a secure future with a 401(k) plan
for you and your practice. Just as regular physical exams are
a good way to help ensure that your patients enjoy continued
health, a yearly Fidelity Plan Exam can help you analyze your
current 401(k) plan and assist you in your efforts to help your
employees build secure financial futures. If you don’t
already have a retirement plan, that’s no problem. Henry
Schein has arranged for Fidelity Investments to offer a
discounted 401(k) plan to help you and your practice address
retirement plan needs. If you determine that a 401(k) plan is the
right choice for your practice, Fidelity Investments can help you
attract and retain the best possible team and help you and your
employees prepare for retirement. You can focus on your business
— and Fidelity Investments will help your employees focus
on their retirement. Give Fidelity Investments a call to learn if
you can get value through the Henry Schein program. To find out
more, call 1-866-467-0633.
- Are you aware of the substantial opportunities gained by
acquiring equipment and technology this year? The 2008
Section 179 Tax Deduction increase allows you to lower your
taxable income, to boost the productivity of your practice, and
to offer new and improved treatments. The Economic Stimulus Act
of 2008 is now in effect and it expires this December. IRS
Section 179 encourages small-business owners, sole
proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations including LLCs to
invest in equipment by allowing them to deduct the asset’s
value in the first year. The 2008 limit is $250,000. Invest in
your practice and capitalize on the largest tax benefit ever. You
may deduct up to $250,000 of the equipment value acquired by your
practice in 2008. Consult your tax advisor for specific details.
Your sales consultant can schedule a no-cost, no obligation visit
to explore equipment opportunities based on your specialty. In
addition, Henry Schein offers leasing and financing for your
large-equipment purchases through Henry Schein Financial
Services. For details, call 1-631-843-5554.
Reminder:
Are you a PRIVILEGES Member? By becoming a PRIVILEGES member,
you’ll receive value certificates to reduce your supply
expenses while earning Reward Points that are redeemable for
gifts, free airline travel, and event tickets when you order
electronically. Now that the holiday season is upon us, you can
use your Privileges Rewards Points to redeem for gifts for
yourself and your staff. Visit the PRIVILEGES Web page for information on how to
enroll without cost or contact your sales
consultant. |
We look forward to providing you with the products and services
you need to help your business stay efficient and profitable in
these changing economic times. Thank you for choosing Henry
Schein Medical … where our customers are our number one
priority!
Meanwhile, remember that the purpose of this e-newsletter is
not only to inform, but also to provide information that you may
want to pass along to your patients and staff. The more we know
about what interests you, the easier it will be to create an
e-newsletter you’re anxious to read each month.
Please stay in touch,
Your XChange Editor
Xchange.editor@henryschein.com
|
| News You Can Use |
Maternal Immunization
With Influenza Vaccine May Reduce Influenza In Infants
Maternal immunization with inactivated influenza vaccine is
associated with a 63% reduction in laboratory-confirmed influenza
and a 29% reduction in respiratory tract illness with fever in
infants up to six months old, according to a report in the New
England Journal of Medicine.
“Young infants and pregnant women are at increased risk for
serious consequences of influenza infection,” say K. Zaman,
MB, BS, PhD, from the International Centre for Diarrheal Disease
Research in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and colleagues.
In this study, 340 pregnant women in the third trimester were
randomly assigned to receive inactivated influenza vaccine or the
23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (control). Mothers
were interviewed weekly about signs of illness in themselves or
their infants from birth to 24 weeks. Participants with febrile
respiratory tract illness were examined clinically, and ill
infants were tested for influenza antigens.
Compared with infants in the control group, those born to mothers
who received influenza vaccine had fewer cases of
laboratory-confirmed influenza, with a vaccine effectiveness of
63%.
The study’s authors conclude: “Maternal influenza
immunization is a strategy with substantial benefits for both
mothers and infants.”
Lung Cancer Awareness Month:
Pazopanib Shows Encouraging Activity in Early-Stage Lung Cancer
The investigational drug pazopanib, an antiogenesis inhibitor, demonstrated
single-agent activity in patients with early-stage non-small-cell
lung cancer (NSCLC). Although the results are preliminary, they
suggest that this agent is highly active in this setting, and
might have a role in the treatment of lung cancer.
The results of this phase 2 study, presented recently at the 33rd
European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress in Stockholm, Sweden,
showed that 30 of 35 patients experienced tumor shrinkage. In
some cases, tumor size decreased by up to 85%.
“Lung cancer is difficult to treat, and new and novel
agents have been slow in coming,” says José Baselga,
MD, ESMO’s president. “These results are
encouraging.”
Targeted therapies are primarily used in patients with advanced
lung cancer who have already failed standard chemotherapeutic
regimens, according to lead author Nasser Altorki, MD, professor
of cardiothoracic surgery and director of the division of
thoracic surgery at New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical
Center, in New York.
Early-stage lung cancer is generally treated surgically, without
any type of preoperative therapy. When preoperative treatment is
used, it is generally chemotherapy, either alone or in
combination with other agents, explains Dr. Altorki. “To my
knowledge, this is the first time that this drug has been used in
lung cancer.”
American Diabetes Month:
Premixed Insulin Analogues May Be Effective In Type 2 Diabetes
Premixed insulin analogues provide glycemic control similar to
that of premixed human insulin and tighter glycemic control than
long-acting insulin analogues and noninsulin antidiabetic agents
in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to the results of a
systematic review reported in the “Annals
of Internal Medicine.”
“Evidence comparing premixed insulin analogues (mixtures of
rapid-acting and intermediate-acting insulin analogues) with
other antidiabetic agents is urgently required to guide
appropriate therapy,” says Rehan Qayyum, MD, from Johns
Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, and colleagues.
“Given the increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes, the
number of patients who use insulin for glycemic control, and the
importance of glycemic control in decreasing mortality and
morbidity,” he adds, “it is imperative to establish
the weight of evidence for the safety and effectiveness of these
relatively newer insulin preparations compared with traditional
insulin preparations.
“Studies with longer follow-up are needed to determine
whether the effects observed early in treatment are sustainable
long-term,” Dr. Qayyum notes.
National Healthy Skin Month:
Dermoscopy May Help Distinguish Melanoma Lacking Pigment From
Benign Lesions
Dermoscopy may help distinguish melanoma lacking significant
pigment from benign lesions, even though its diagnostic accuracy
in this situation is inferior to that of more pigmented lesions,
according to the results of a study reported in the
“Archives
of Dermatology.”
“Dermoscopic evaluation has been shown to be superior to
naked eye examination for the diagnosis of amelanotic or
hypomelanotic melanoma,” says Scott W. Menzies, MB, BS,
PhD, from Sydney Melanoma Diagnostic Centre, Sydney Cancer
Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Australia, and
colleagues.
“Because evidence of melanin is usually found in amelanotic
melanoma histopathologically, the difficulty in diagnosing these
lesions lies with the clinician and not the pathologist, and a
precise clinical definition of melanoma lacking significant
pigment would be most useful,” the authors write.
“Furthermore, since dermoscopic evaluation allows the
visualization of pigment not seen with the naked eye, a
dermoscopic definition of lesions lacking significant pigment
would be most useful and is presented in our study.”
The goal of this study, which took place at predominantly
hospital-based clinics from five continents, was to identify
predictive dermoscopic features of amelanotic and hypomelanotic
melanoma.
| |
CONCERNED ABOUT THE CURRENT
CREDIT CRISIS? |
Henry Schein Financial Services has
access to capital for equipment
and practice financing at excellent rates!* |
Contact your
Henry Schein Financial
Services
Regional Manager
at 631-843-5554 or hsfs@henryschein.com |
| * Subject to credit approval. Henry Schein Financial Services is
not a bank, does not represent itself as such, and does not
conduct banking activities. Henry Schein Financial Services or
Henry Schein does not provide tax advice. Please check with your
own advisors. |
 |
|
|
 |
With our PRIVILEGES
PROGRAM, we believe in rewarding our loyal
customers with products and services that will help their
businesses stay competitive and profitable.
The rewards don’t stop there. By using any one of our
electronic ordering systems, PRIVILEGES Members
earn reward points (one point for each dollar spent), which are
automatically posted online in your PRIVILEGES
Rewards account. Visit your account often to check your
points, browse our gift catalog, and choose from thousands of
gift items to redeem your points—including FREE travel and
event tickets!
Sign up now to start enjoying all the special attention and
exclusive benefits that you deserve. Membership is FREE!
As a PRIVILEGES Member, you’ll
receive:
- The COMPLETEcare Advisor Equipment Inventory Tracker to track
warranties and service contracts
- Schein Rx Samples Program
- Members-only promotions
|
 |
|
|
|
|
| Ask
The Experts: Testing For And Diagnosing Diabetes |
Send in your practice-related questions to our panel of Team
Schein experts at Xchange.editor@henryschein.com.
 “Is there a
better way to test for and diagnosis diabetes?”
—R.W. |
 Diabetes is under-diagnosed. About one-third of people with
diabetes do not know they have it, and the average lag between
onset and diagnosis is seven years.
In order to make case-finding easier for clinicians and patients,
a panel of experts in the area of diagnosis, monitoring, and
management of diabetes formed a panel to review the literature
and develop consensus regarding the screening and diagnosis of
diabetes with particular reference to the use of hemoglobin A1c
(HbA1c).
According to the principal conclusions of the panel, the main
factors in support of using HbA1c as a screening and diagnostic
test include the following:
- HbA1c does not require patients to be fasting.
- HbA1c reflects longer-term glycemia than does plasma
glucose.
- HbA1c laboratory methods are now well standardized and
reliable.
- Errors caused by non-glycemic factors affecting HbA1c —
such as hemoglobinopathies — are infrequent and can be
minimized by confirming the diagnosis of diabetes with a plasma
glucose (PG)-specific test.
Specific
recommendations are as follows:
- Screening standards should be established that prompt further
testing and closer follow-up, including fasting PG 100 mg/dl,
random PG 130 mg/dl, or HbA1c > 6.0%.
- HbA1c 6.5 - 6.9%, confirmed by a PG-specific test (FPG or OGTT),
should establish the diagnosis of diabetes.
- HbA1c 7%, confirmed by another HbA1c or a PG-specific test (FPG
or OGTT), should establish the diagnosis of diabetes.
Click here for more
information on A1c. To order, please contact your Henry Schein
sales consultant.
|
| CALENDAR
OF EVENTS |
|
| SHARE YOUR
SUCCESS |
Your professional success is undoubtedly due to many things,
whether it’s your business prowess, your medical knowledge,
or your personal philosophies. At Henry Schein, we believe in
sharing those experiences, and we’d like to give you a
little something for sharing your success with your fellow
readers.
Send in as many TIPS FOR SUCCESS as you’d like to xchange.editor@henryschein.com.
We’ll print one of the stories in each issue … and
send a token of our appreciation to the reader who submitted it
(be sure to include your mailing address).
This month, we’re thanking you with a
jWIN PORTABLE DVD
PLAYER
The jWIN 9-in., portable DVD player with swivel TFT display plays
DVDs, CDs, MP3s, CDRs, and CDRWs. It comes complete with built-in
stereo speakers and hi-capacity rechargeable battery. It has an
AC power adapter and is packaged with a cigarette lighter car
adapter and a wireless remote. It is also Kodak picture
CD-compatible to view your photo images. |
 November Success Story: Dr. Godwin Maduka of Las Vegas Pain Institute
Understanding the goals and vision of the doctor and knowing where they plan to take their practice is the basis of a good vendor/practice partnership. Recognizing the doctor’s needs and the day-to-day operation of the office allows the sales consultant to recommend new innovations that can help a medical practice become more effective and efficient. This story is the result of such a relationship that has been built on trust, respect, and the understanding of what a growing new practice needs to attain success.
Dr. Godwin Maduka is from South Africa and graduated from Harvard University School of Medicine, where he earned degrees in anesthesia and critical care/pain management. He also has a degree in medicine from the University of Tennessee and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Mercer University in Atlanta, GA. He currently owns and operates the largest pain care institute in Las Vegas, NV, along with a smaller start-up office that is still in operation.
 This story was developed as a result of the partnership established by Venus Robinson, field sales consultant, and Virginia Harper, regional equipment specialist. Robinson, who built a great working relationship with her customer, asked the question “Do you need any equipment?” This question led her to reach out and fully utilize the tools and resources available to her through Henry Schein’s complete one-stop-shop offering for all of our physicians’ practice needs. Indeed, Dr. Maduka was in need of a new x-ray unit for his existing practice.
Robinson reached out to her equipment resource — Virginia Harper — to help research radiology equipment for Dr. Maduka’s current practice, the Las Vegas Pain Institute. In the very first meeting, Robinson, Harper, and Dr. Maduka instantly developed a genuine relationship. Asking more questions, Robinson and Harper unveiled their vision of additional equipment that was needed. The Henry Schein team introduced one of its newest x-ray vendors to Dr. Maduka. After many meetings, phone calls, and e-mails, the team effort closed a $95,000 digital imaging bundle package for the doctor’s current facility. With the help of the entire Team Schein equipment and warehouse network, the equipment package was delivered on-time. Special thanks to team members Mark Benson, Ceasar Guerrero, Jim Loschen, Mike McCarthy, Lisa Philips, and Mitch Cobb for their outstanding efforts.
 With the success of this installation, Dr. Maduka shared with Robinson and Harper his vision of building and opening the largest pain care/surgery center in Las Vegas. After many meetings, and because of the extensive portfolio of value-added practice solutions, social responsibility platforms, and international focus that Henry Schein offers, Dr. Maduka chose Henry Schein to be his partner in providing all of the equipment and medical supplies for his new 40,000-square-foot facility scheduled to open in December, as well as his new medical center in the town of Omuchukwu, South Africa.
The new Las Vegas location is under construction, with the radiology equipment going in first, followed by the in-office laboratory and casework/cabinetry. This facility will also include an MDspa; a general practice wing; pediatric, physical therapy, anesthesiology, and pain care/management services; and a surgery center. The total office setup will include installation of full lab, radiology, casework, examination, lighting, and various other medical equipment.
Dr. Maduka and his colleagues were pleased with Henry Schein’s teamwork, and he feels secure in having a trusted partner and consultant who can provide technology solutions and support, as well as a complete offering of supplies to run his business more efficiently.
We extend our best wishes to Dr. Maduka and the entire team at the Las Vegas Pain Institute. We thank them for being a loyal customer and look forward to maintaining a long-term, value-added partnership.
Our thanks for this success story — and a jWIN PORTABLE DVD PLAYER goes to Dr. Maduka. Now we look forward to hearing YOUR success story.
|
 Contact
Us ›
Forward to a Friend ›Subscribe › |
| © 2008 Henry Schein, Inc. No copying without permission. Not
responsible for typographical errors. Orders cannot be combined
or applied to any other promotional offers. No adjustments to
prior sales. |
135 Duryea Road, Melville, NY 11747
To Order, Call 1-800-PSCHEIN 8am-8pm (et)
To Fax and Order: 1-800-329-9109 24 hours |
|
Upon any request by Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, or other payer,
you must report the value of any benefit received from a discount
program (e.g., points redemptions, gifts, or other special
awards).
Local regulatory requirements may apply to use or installation of
certain products. It is your responsibility to understand and
comply with any such requirements prior to purchase, use or
installation of products. |
| |
Please note that you are subscribed as: {{{emailaddress}}}.
If you do not wish to receive promotional e-mail from us in the future,
please click here to remove your name from our mailing list.
Problems accessing that link? Send an e-mail to medsls@henryschein.com with the word Unsubscribe in the
subject line. |
|
|
|
|
|
