How to Develop & Implement an Effective Employee Handbook in Your Medical Practice Presented by: Deborah R. Mathis, CPA, CHBC Michael S. Lewis, MBA, FACMPE
How to Develop & Implement an Effective Employee Handbook in Your Medical Practice Presented by: Deborah R. Mathis, CPA, CHBC Michael S. Lewis, MBA, FACMPE Agenda Why a handbook? Where to start Basic content Citi Critical linformation Implementation Why a Handbook? Protection for practice and employee Guidelines for every employee Consistent treatment for all staff Help resolve personnel issues 1
Where to Start No specific format Unique to your practice Clear, concise, organized Ask colleagues for help Can purchase template Professional organizations Basic Content - Introduction Introductory overview Welcome staff Mission statement History Goals Practice culture Management philosophy At-Will Employment Disclaimer not an employment contract Employment at-will Termination 2
Confidentiality HIPAA policies privacy and security Penalty for non-compliance Compensation and Benefits Payroll Frequency Taxes Holidays Vacation time/pto Benefits Health, Dental, etc. Bereavement Jury duty Inclement weather Short/Long-term term Leave of Absence Military leave Sick leave Family and medical leave Other leaves of absence 3
Employment Details Equal opportunity Employment categories/job descriptions Hours of work Work schedules Pay and performance issues Standards of Conduct Safety/hygiene Dress code Timeliness Smoking/substance abuse Discrimination/workplace harassment Other Important Subjects Company computer/property use Performance reviews Grievance procedures 4
Finalizing handbook Have others in practice review Ensure compliance (attorney review) Local State Federal Update on a regular basis Implementation Give employees time to read Sign and date Keep copy in each office location Maintain electronic copy Use, follow, and update Consistency All employees must follow the rules and guidelines specified in the handbook Exceptions cause problems 5
Questions? Deborah R. Mathis, CPA, CHBC Michael S. Lewis, MBA, FACMPE Cowan, Gunteski & Co., P.A. 40 Bey Lea Road, Suite A101 Toms River, NJ 08753 732-349-6880 www.cowangunteski.com 6
DONALD A. COWAN, CPA, PFS, CFP Shareholder/Managing Director Healthcare Services Group Donald A. Cowan, CPA, PFS, CFP, Shareholder/Managing Director, founded Cowan, Gunteski & Co., P.A. in November 1982. He has more than 25 years of public accounting experience in both New Jersey and Washington D.C. His client base includes physicians and physician groups, family-owned businesses, publicly traded companies, manufacturing-based corporations and firms doing business in the construction industry. Mr. Cowan has provided management advisory services in the areas of investment decisions, the evaluation of business structures and preparation of business plans for a wide range of businesses. He has a wealth of experience in medical practice vital signs, physician compensation formulas, buy-sell agreements and medical practice valuations. He has developed special expertise in the tax and financial planning area and has particular experience in familyowned businesses, wealth management and succession planning. Mr. Cowan typically gets involved in helping clients operate their businesses more productively and profitably through proper management and evaluation of their operating systems. He is also highly qualified to address potential merger and acquisition issues. A graduate of Monmouth University, Mr. Cowan is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants. He earned the designation of Certified Financial Planner in 2005. He was also certified by the AICPA as a Personal Financial Specialist in 2008. Mr. Cowan is a member of the national and New Jersey chapters of the Medical Group Management Association. As a prominent member of the New Jersey business community, he serves on the advisory boards of several leading banks. A lifelong civic leader, Mr. Cowan has served as president of the Ocean County/Toms River Chamber of Commerce and is a past president of the United Way of Ocean County. He is also a member of the board of trustees of Community Medical Center and serves as either a board or committee member of various not-for-profit organizations throughout Monmouth and Ocean counties, including the American Heart Association. Cowan, Gunteski & Co., P.A. Certified Public Accountants and Consultants 40 Bey Lea Road, Suite A101 Toms River, New Jersey 08753 Telephone: (732) 349-6880 Fax: (732) 349-1949 Email: dcowan@cowangunteski.com www.cowangunteski.com
MICHAEL S. LEWIS, MBA, FACMPE Director Healthcare Services Group Michael S. Lewis, MBA, FACMPE, Director, Healthcare Services Group, brings a wealth of knowledge in medical practice management to Cowan, Gunteski & Co., P.A. Mr. Lewis joined the Firm in 2005 after spending 27 years as a senior executive in the healthcare industry and was named Principal in 2007. He has demonstrated expertise in identifying opportunities and solving problems within medical practices so that doctors can concentrate on the business of medicine. Mr. Lewis is a recognized expert in: Practice Management Practice Acquisition Healthcare Information Systems Physician Relations Reimbursement and Billing Management Consulting Throughout his career, Mr. Lewis has been actively involved in billing and account receivable management. Practices that he has managed have been recognized by the Medical Group Management Association as among the Best Practices in the country with respect to billing and collection indicators. Prior to joining the Firm, Mr. Lewis served as Executive Director of a 27 provider primary care group with nine offices in Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties. He previously was the Administrative Director for the Department of Surgery for the Cooper Health System; Vice President of a division of the Graduate Health System that owned and managed physician practices; and the administrator of an internal medicine sub-specialty practice. He has also provided consulting services throughout the years in all areas of medical practice management. Mr. Lewis graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Brooklyn College in 1974. He went on to earn a Master of Science in Biology from Fordham University in 1975 and a Master in Business Administration in Health Administration from Temple University in 1977. Mr. Lewis earned the professional designation of Fellow of the American College of Medical Practice Executives (FACMPE) in 2006. Listed in both Who s Who in America and Who s Who in Medicine and Healthcare, Mr. Lewis is a member of the Medical Group Management and Healthcare Financial Management Associations, as well as the Gerson Lehrman Group s Council of Healthcare Advisors. He is a frequent speaker on topics related to medical practice management for hospitals, physician groups and various trade associations, including the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), New Jersey Medical Group Management Association (NJMGMA), Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) and the New Jersey Dental Association (NJDA). Cowan, Gunteski & Co., P.A. Certified Public Accountants and Consultants 40 Bey Lea Road, Suite A101 Toms River, New Jersey 08753 Telephone: (732) 349-6880 ext. 7715 Fax: (732) 349-1949 Email: mlewis@cowangunteski.com www.cowangunteski.com
DEBORAH MATHIS, CPA, CHBC Shareholder/Director Healthcare Services Group Deborah Mathis, CPA, CHBC, Shareholder/Director, Healthcare Services Group, has been working with physician practices for more than ten years. Ms. Mathis joined Cowan, Gunteski & Co., P.A. in July 1996 and has focused her career on helping physicians and other professionals keep more of their hard-earned money. She consults with physician practices in the following areas: revenue enhancement strategies, practice vital signs, compensation formulas, physician buy-sell agreements and valuation of medical practices. Healthcare providers throughout New Jersey have hired Ms. Mathis to advise them in the formation of their practices, including business entity selection, implementation of practice management and accounting systems, bank loan negotiations, development of fee schedules and retirement plans. Ms. Mathis also consults with established practices considering mergers, recruitment of new physicians, expansion into new market areas and ancillary service offerings. Area hospitals have engaged Ms. Mathis and the Healthcare Services Group to value physician practices for potential acquisitions. As a Certified Healthcare Business Consultant (CHBC), Ms. Mathis is uniquely trained and experienced in both the financial and operational facets of medical and dental practices. Ms. Mathis strong accounting and tax foundations enable her to find creative solutions for her clients, in an industry that has seen constant changes in regulations and reductions in reimbursements over the past decade. Ms. Mathis is a frequent speaker and author on topics related to medical practice management and revenue enhancement for physician groups, hospitals, and various medical associations. She was a featured speaker at the national Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) convention in 2006, as well as the New Jersey MGMA Practice Management Conference for the past couple of years. Deb has been published in MD News, as well as numerous other periodicals for the healthcare industry. Mathis joined Cowan, Gunteski & Co. in 1996 after earning a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Loyola College. Mathis is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants. She serves as the President-Elect of the United Way of Ocean County, where she is also a member of the Campaign Cabinet and chairs the Special Events Committee. In 2010, Ms. Mathis received the Young Altruistic Professional Award from United Way for her community involvement and philanthropy. In addition, she serves on the Board of Trustees of the Southern Ocean County Hospital (SOCH) Foundation and the Meridian Health Professional Care Committee. In addition to being named one of New Jersey s Best 50 Women in Business in 2010, Ms. Mathis has also been included in the 2007 Class of Forty Under 40 by NJBiz. Cowan, Gunteski & Co., P.A. Certified Public Accountants and Consultants 40 Bey Lea Road, Suite A101 Toms River, New Jersey 08753 Telephone: (732) 349-6880 ext. 7716 Fax: (732) 349-1949 Email: dmathis@cowangunteski.com www.cowangunteski.com
COwAN, GuNTeSkI & CO., P.A. H e A LT H C A R e S e R v I C e S G R O u P Revenue enhancement Services Contract Analysis and Negotiation Reimbursement Analysis Fee Schedule Analysis Charge Capture Analysis Accounts Receivable Management Payment Denial Reviews Ancillary Opportunity Review Physician Practice Compliance CPT Coding Review Physician Coding education Quality Assurance HIPAA, OSHA, and CLIA Compliance Operational Analysis and Review Staffing Analysis Practice Overhead Analysis and Budgeting vital Sign Reports (key Operating Indicators) Financial Forecasting Market Feasibility Studies Benchmarking Process Improvement Organizational Structure Bank Negotiations Physician Recruitment and Retention Physician Search Services Compensation Formula Development Buy-Sell Agreements Merger and Acquisition Assistance Physician Credentialing Financial and Tax Reporting Accounting and Bookkeeping Business and Individual Tax Preparation employee Benefits Financial Statements Internal Controls Selection and Implementation of Accounting Software Selection and Implementation of Practice Management Software wealth Management Succession Planning estate Planning Financial Planning Investment Advice Retirement Plan Services Asset Protection Practice valuations H e A L T H C A R e S e R v I C e S HeLPING OuR CLIeNTS ACHIeve THeIR GOALS 730 Hope Road Tinton Falls NJ 07724 Phone: 732.676.4100 Fax: 732.676.4101 40 Bey Lea Road, Suite A101 Toms River NJ 08753 Phone: 732.349.6880 Fax: 732.349.1949 Member of CPAmerica International w w w. C o w a n G u n t e s k i. c o m
CG HeALTHCARe SOLuTIONS, LLC AN AFFILIATe OF COwAN, GuNTeSkI & CO., P.A. At CG Healthcare Solutions, LLC, we understand the demands of managing a healthcare practice. You are faced with regulatory and compliance, personnel and quality care issues. Our profitability consultants focus on helping you manage your medical billing, accounts receivable and other practice management issues, so that you can focus on the practice of medicine and healthcare. Our goal is to increase your earnings through solutions that serve as Your Prescription For A Healthy Practice. CG Healthcare Solutions has many years of proven expertise improving the revenue cycle for physicians and other healthcare providers. Our experience includes working with a wide range of practice areas, including cardiology, primary care, dermatology, obstetrics/gynecology, hematology-oncology, radiology, orthopedics, thoracic surgery and ophthalmology. Medical Billing Services Focused On Improving Your Revenue Cycle Real-Time eligibility verification electronic Management of Patient Referrals Sophisticated, Multiple-Resource Scheduling System HIPAA-Compliant electronic Claims and Remittance Customized Reports to evaluate How Your Practice is Performing Handheld wireless Solution for Off-Site Charge Capture Automated Patient Appointment Recall Accounts Receivable Management Services Focused On Collecting Your Money Faster More Than 95% of Claims Paid on Initial Submission Charges and Payments Posted within 24 Hours Aggressive Follow-up for Primary and Secondary Claims Fee Schedule Analysis Coding education and updates for Staff and Providers Coding Review Services Focused on Maximizing Insurance Reimbursement electronic Medical Records ("emr") Solutions Focused on Improving efficiencies Physician and Provider Credentialing Focused on Simplifying The Process And Saving Money Practice Management Consulting Services Focused on Helping You earn More Money Having CG Healthcare Solutions as your Practice Management Team allows you to focus on patient care, while we focus on your financial health. CG Healthcare Solutions is Your Prescription For a Healthy Practice. C G H e A L T H C A R e S O L u T I O N S, L L C HeLPING OuR CLIeNTS ACHIeve THeIR GOALS 730 Hope Road Tinton Falls NJ 07724 Phone: 732.676.4100 Fax: 732.676.4101 40 Bey Lea Road, Suite A101 Toms River NJ 08753 Phone: 732.349.6880 Fax: 732.349.1949 Member of CPAmerica International w w w. C o w a n G u n t e s k i. c o m