Practice Management Specialty Meeting 2017 Agenda

Welcome and Introductions

State of the Profession: Changing Legislative and Reimbursement Landscape

Learner Outcomes: (1) List the two medical models addressed within the MACRA law, (2) define the four categories of compliance for MIPS, and (3) list the three components of the relative value unit (RVU).

Summary: Patient care has changed from fee-to-service to pay-for-performance. Practitioners must be compliant with the federal mandates that have been published to improve patient care while lowering costs. This session will address the impact of this legislation for audiologists. Attendees will have a better understanding of how a procedural code is given value and the role audiologists can play to influence reimbursement. 

Optimizing Patient Care: The Medical Investigation of Hearing and Balance Disorders with a Multi-Specialty Focus

Learner Outcomes: (1) Identify the differences between a normal and abnormal tympanic membrane, (2) identify the different types of radiographic studies, and (3) identify the reason for and the interpretation of key lab test results used for solidifying the etiology of hearing loss.

Summary: The diagnosis and treatment of hearing disorders is predicated on performing a skilled otoscopic evaluation, knowing what radiographic study should be performed in view of the reported case history and/or test findings, and interpreting lab findings for identifying the potential etiology of hearing loss. With the ever-changing health-care model (pay-for-performance), it is mandatory that the audiologist work collegially as part of the multi-disciplinary approach to patient care. This session will improve the attendee's comfort level by understanding the medical "birds eye" view of hearing health care.    

Lunch with Exhibitors

Afternoon breakout for office personnel Friday afternoon. Reconvenes Saturday morning; see topics below.

Thinking Beyond the Audiogram: What Is Hearing Loss?

Learner Outcomes: (1) Contrast hearing and listening and how one might quantify and qualify each in order to better provide services to patients, describe the value of interprofessional practice (IPP) and connecting with a team of professionals, including those involved in a concussion/TBI clinic and in working with children with developmental disabilities, (2) list benefits of an audiologist working with children with developmental disabilities, and (3) describe the value of assessing and treating tinnitus/hyperacusis within a practice.

Summary: Sensorineural hearing loss has traditionally been the “bread and butter” of audiology. However, with patient knowledge and demand, broadening of technology options, and growth in populations of populations such as those that have had concussion and those with autism to name a few opportunities, thinking outside the booth and redefining hearing loss provide remarkable options for audiology. This session will focus on making connections and bringing people through the door that may not have been considered in the “wheelhouse” of audiology in the past but are now potentials for growth and change of the profession. Cases will be presented and the role of audiologists in Interprofessional Practice will be explored.  The goal of the session is to provide exciting alternatives to the traditional practice of audiology. 

Legislative and Regulatory Issues: PCAST, NASEM, FDA, FTC, and More

Learner Outcomes: (1) Discuss the current legislative and regulatory climate and related policies impacting the profession of audiology, (2) describe recent federal actions related to the accessibility and affordability of hearing health care, including the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), and the Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act before Congress, and (3) identify and utilize existing resources and information related to advocacy and coding and reimbursement.

Summary: PCAST, NASEM, OTC, CMS, MIPS, MPFS…with so many acronyms at play, it’s hard to keep track of everything that is happening on the national level with regard to legislative and regulatory policies affecting the practice of audiology. Health-care delivery models are changing in the United States, especially with regard to hearing health care, and this session will examine some of the policy discussions taking place on Capitol Hill, at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and within other entities such as the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). This session will also address specific legislation before Congress that may impact audiologists, as well as anticipated activity on the regulatory side with a specific focus on payment policy for 2018.

Break and Visit with Exhibitors

Audiology Nightmares:  What Keeps You Up at Night?

Learner Outcomes: (1) Identify current myths and facts in the audiology landscape that can lead to great night’s sleep or result in a sleepless night, (2) list issues confronting audiologists and provide ideas and solutions to address them, and (3) participate in a critical conversation addressing opportunities and threats to the practice of audiology.

Summary: A panel of audiologists will discuss what keeps you up at night related to the profession of audiology. The panelists will present current trends, opportunities, and threats to the profession while sharing their own nightmares. Meeting participants will be able to share their nightmares. Ideas and solutions presented will end in sweet dreams and positives for the profession. 

General Q&A

Welcome

Contemporary Hearing Solutions and Programming Options, Including Telehealth: Threats and Opportunities

Learner Outcomes: (1) Calculate revenue per clinical hour and determine its impact of clinical service provision, (2) describe the differences between synchronous and asynchronous telehealth models of care, and (3) list three ways to address the impact of over-the-counter hearing aids.

What Is the "Value"? Financial Indicators and More

Learner Outcomes: (1) Assess the financial health of their own practice, (2) identify value creation opportunities within their own practice, and (3) conduct a risk assessment of their own practice.

Summary: This session will explore the underlying fundamentals of value in an audiology practice. Value starts with financial performance, but there is more to understanding value—and value creation opportunities—than simply looking at revenue and profitability. This session will discuss important financial ratios and instruct the audience on how to identify value creation opportunities simply by reviewing their own financial statements. The session will segue into non-financial elements of value, helping the audience to understand the makeup of a practice’s risk profile and exploring the perspectives of the two most important outside stakeholders on this topic—a prospective practice buyer and the lender who will fund them.

Break and Visit with Exhibitors

Maximizing Profits: Successful Business Practices

Learner Outcomes: (1) Describe three key performance indicators (KPIs) that should be monitored in every practice setting, (2) outline several ways to manipulate (KPIs) to improve profitability of a practice, and (3) compare and contrast the pros and cons of bundling, unbundling and itemizing pricing strategies.

Summary: The commoditization of hearing health care is an increasing threat to independent practice. However, with the right approach, we can win against this competition. New evidence suggests that moving from providing services to providing experiences may be the next competitive battleground in health care. This session will focus on how to not only survive against increasing competition but actually to thrive in the face of it and to create a practice you have always dreamed about.