Information Technology for the Practicing Physician

As health care moves from an inpatient to an outpatient delivery system, physician practice management will become more complex and accountable. To manage this change, physician practices are increasingly relying on information technology. This book follows both a patient and an employee through a physician visit, highlighting what, where, and how technology is utilized. The first section, "Utilizing Technology to Arrange a Physician Visit," provides information and examples of technology utilized prior to the patient visit, and includes examples of physicians who utilize email and Web sites to attract patients, electronic scheduling systems to decrease wait time, and registration systems which can verify insurance information. The second section, "Utilizing Technology to Enhance the Physican Visit," demonstrates how technology is utilized when the patient is in treatment and/or follow-up care. Focusing on electronic medical records, electronic referral systems, billing and collection systems, and follow-up patient education and discharge information, it portrays the "future physician office visit." The third section, "Utilizing Technology to Enhance Physician Practice Operations," focuses on the physician practice manager's daily operations and how technology can achieve efficacy. The examples and case studies provided demonstrate a more timely, efficient mode of delivering quality patient care. This is a "how-to" manual for implementing practice management solutions, and will appeal to Physicians, Practice Managers, Information Technology Specialists, Allied Health Professionals, students and researchers.