Staff News Writer

Following recent adoption of the veterans’ health care reform law, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is reaching out to physicians in private practice to make sure veterans have access to timely medical care.

Most of the 11 schools that received grants in the AMA’s Accelerating Change in Medical Education initiative are investigating how to teach systems-based practice, a blanket term that can cover systems of care, quality improvement, population health and other competencies that would fall under the science of health care delivery.

The way care is delivered can have drastic effects on patients’ health, even in the treatment of the same illness. One physician shares her experience in the differences between fee-for-service and value-based care, and how these differences have directly affected her patients’ health outcomes.

Less than two weeks remain for physicians to review and dispute data about their financial interactions with medical device and drug manufacturers before the information goes public Sept. 30.

Preparing to comply is important because many federal programs can bring financial penalties or other serious consequences if not carefully followed. Here are some of the main things new physicians need to know.

Develop your practice’s policies and procedures manual, or improve your current manual, using the AMA’s Policies and Procedures for a Successful Medical Practice.

One physician has found how to get patients the extra help they need managing their high blood pressure, both while they’re in the office and through community resources.