While the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) is now in its fourth year, and participation is once again voluntary, many physician groups are gearing up this year to participate in the program and receive the bonus payments from CMS.

In 2008, CMS awarded more than $36 million in bonus payments to the more than 56,700 health professionals who satisfactorily reported quality information to Medicare under the 2007 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI).

Listen to pre-conference comments from Dr. Bruce Bagley.

During Physician Quality Reporting Initiative in 2009: How To Avoid Submission Errors and Improve Reimbursement, a 90-minute webinar on March 18, 2009, now available as a CD-ROM, via On Demand Web access or as a training DVD, two industry experts examined the 2009 measures and provided advice on how to overcome submission errors based on an analysis of previous reporting experience.

Leading industry experts Dr. Bruce Bagley, medical director of quality improvement for the American Academy of Family Physicians, and Betsy Nicoletti, consultant, Medical Practice Consulting, LLC, described how PQRI can provide physician practices with a great start on registries and measurement and reporting and provided practical hands-on PQRI coding and auditing strategies. You will get details on:

• The new 2009 PQRI measures;
• Advice and lessons learned from practices participating in PQRI in 2007 and 2008;
• Using registry-based data to submit the measures;
• Increasing physician practice revenue through PQRI;
• Understanding the movement of government and other payors to pay-for-performance programs;
• Making the case for participation in PQRI and other pay-for-performance programs; and
• Conducting internal office PQRI audits to improve reporting, performance and reimbursement levels.

Have questions on our webinar and/or webinar formats? Visit our webinar FAQ.

You can listen to this program right in your office and enjoy significant savings – no travel time or hassle; no hotel expenses. It’s so convenient! Invite your staff members to gather around a conference table to listen to the CD, DVD or the On Demand version.

WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS CONFERENCE?

CEOs, CFOs, financial managers, chief medical officers, chief nursing officers, medical directors, quality improvement executives, managed care contracting executives, practice management executives, health plan executives, strategic planning directors, consultants and physician organization leaders.

ABOUT OUR PANELIST:

Dr. Bruce Bagley

PQRI participation shouldn't be all about the bonuses.

Bruce Bagley, M.D., is the medical director for quality improvement for the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). The AAFP represents more than 94,000 family physicians, family practice residents and medical students nationwide.

Dr. Bagley’s current responsibilities with the AAFP include liaison work with other national organizations in the quality arena and active participation in the development, deployment and implementation of performance measures. He provides clinical oversight for quality improvement programs and products developed by the AAFP.

During his practice career, Dr. Bagley provided the full range of family medicine services in a single specialty group practice in Albany, N.Y. Under his leadership, the 10-person group was a pioneer in the community in adapting to the challenges of managed care, quality improvement and informatics.

In his active leadership role with the AAFP, Bagley was elected president-elect in 1998, served as president in 1999-2000 and Chair of the Board in 2000-2001. Bagley chaired the AAFP's Task Force on Hospitalist Physicians, the Task Force on Obstetrics in Family Medicine, the Task Force on Quality Enhancement and the Task Force on Quality in Family Medicine. He also chaired the Ad Hoc committee on electronic medical records for the AAFP. Dr. Bagley’s current responsibilities with the AAFP include liaison work with other national organizations in the quality arena and active participation in the development, deployment and implementation of performance measures. He provides clinical oversight for quality improvement programs and products developed by the AAFP.

Dr. Bagley has spoken extensively on the topics of performance measurement, office redesign, electronic health records and leadership. He is a 2005-7 Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award examiner.

Dr. Bagley received a Bachelor of Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and his medical degree from Albany Medical College. He served his residency at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse, N.Y.

Betsy Nicoletti

Betsy Nicoletti is currently a consultant with Medical Practice Consulting, LLC and the co-founder of Codapedia.com. Codapedia is a website dedicated to providing user-generated, free reimbursement information for physician practices. Nicoletti has worked in and around physician offices for over 20 years.

Nicoletti is the author of The Field Guide to Physician Coding published by Greenbranch Publishing and the Physician Auditing Workbook published by DecisionHealth. She developed The Accurate Coding System™ to help doctors get paid for the work they do. Nicoletti simplifies complex coding rules for practitioners and engages physicians in a positive and respectful way, which encourages attention and accuracy in their coding. Her journal articles have appeared in: Medical Economics, The Journal of Medical Practice Management, Family Practice Management, Cardiology Practice Options, Physician Practice Options, Advance for PAs, and Health Care Biller.

In addition to writing, Nicoletti educates physicians and coders and helps practices with complying with government regulations while collecting all of the reimbursement they are entitled to collect.

Nicoletti is a national speaker and has spoken at conferences sponsored by MGMA, DecisionHealth, ACHE, HFMA, AMBA, The Coding Institute, The Journal of Medical Practice Management and the World Research Group.

Nicoletti holds a Masters of Science in Organization and Management from Antioch University New England. She became a certified coder in 1999. Nicoletti is a member of the National Speakers Association, the Medical Group Management Association and the Healthcare Financial Management Association.

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