Virtual Scribes, Medicare Payment Reforms, and Cybersecurity

In Case You Missed It… In this episode of TMA's Practice Well Podcast, we cover several interesting and valuable topics aimed to help physicians across Texas thrive. We begin with a story on the significant reduction of administrative strain using virtual scribes in medical practice. We delve into how these scribes streamline notetaking and paperwork processes within Electronic Health Records (EHR), leading to improved time management and overall physicians' satisfaction.

Next, get the details on a notable decrease in the Medicare Physician Pay cut, achieved through high-pressure advocacy by TMA and others in organized medicine, brought some relief to physicians and their practice wellbeing. However, we emphasize the concerted efforts towards additional reform, as lack of suitable Medicare physician payments threatens physicians' practice viability and patient care access.

Lastly, we highlight the recent flexibilities announced by CMS due to a cyber-attack on Change Healthcare, which disrupted many practices' operations. We present various ways this is being addressed, from request acceleration of Medicare payments to alternative methods for submitting claims. This section serves to provide crucial advice during such disruptions and aid in navigating through them.  

The episode wraps up with a reminder of the wealth of free resources provided for TMA members. Stay tuned to Practice Well for more valuable insights. Until next time, stay well.

Resource Links

• Virtual Scribes Enhanced Relationships Between Patients and Physicians  
• Congress Mitigates 2024 Medicare Physician Pay Cut
• Change Healthcare Cyberattack Resources