Top Docs Radio Archives - Page 2 of 8

Self Funded Insurance Plans – Top Docs Radio

November 9, 2015 by angishields

Top Docs Radio

Self Funded Insurance Plans - Top Docs Radio

00:00 / 00:28:38

Self Funded Insurance Plans

On this week’s episode I sat down with Alan Conner, of Your Professional CFO. Alan is a tax and accounting expert who works with a wide range of companies and professionals, including physicians.

I met Alan a few weeks ago in the hall of our office building. After learning about how he helps physicians, I knew we needed to have him stop by to talk about it. In addition to providing basic accounting/payroll functions, Alan also helps physicians develop effective, legal tax strategies, including self funded insurance plans to reduce their tax burden and risk at the same time.

Alan shared the story of his older brother, an ER physician in Florida. He explained the fact that his brother, as do many physicians, work as 1099 contractors for the respective practice they serve. In this relationship, the doctor receives a gross paycheck with no tax withheld.

In this situation it is vital for the provider to plan for their tax obligation and pay it in a timely fashion (at least quarterly) or they face between 5-10% penalties, which can quickly add up to significant amounts, based on the numbers they’re working with.

Alan explained several options available to physicians that work as 1099 contractors, including self funded insurance plans, pension plans, SEP IRA’s, and others, that will help them preserve their hard-earned revenue for later while protecting them from risk such as loss of medical license should that occur.

It’s clear after speaking with him that it is advisable for our colleagues in the community to partner with experts such as Alan to develop a solid plan for managing their tax obligations as well as helping to secure their financial future.

Special Guest:

Alan Conner, CEO, My Professional CFO

MBA, Finance, Nova Southeastern University
Previous Investment Banker, Orosey & Pepe Capital Markets
Former Investment Manager, Arduus Asset Management

Interventional Radiology – Top Docs Radio

October 23, 2015 by angishields

Top Docs Radio

Interventional Radiology - Top Docs Radio

00:00 / 00:24:00

Interventional Radiology

We talked interventional radiology with Dr. John Lipman of Atlanta Interventional Institute on this week’s show. Interventional radiologists are radiologists who are trained to perform a wide array of procedures using various radiologic images to guide their work.

In fact, as Dr. Lipman explained, it was interventional radiologists who invented the technology to perform procedures such as balloon angioplasty that was later used to open blocked arteries in the heart.

We talked about uterine fibroid embolization, a minimally-invasive procedure where a catheter is passed into the femoral artery and maneuvered to the arteries feeding uterine fibroids, where a chemical is instilled, caused the vessel to occlude. This blocks bloodflow to the fibroid, causing it to shrink and die, allowing for easy removal.

The alternative for these women is hysterectomy, which is the surgical removal of the uterus, after which, the woman will need to take hormones to compensate for its loss. Additionally, it takes days longer to recover from the surgery and bears the risk of anesthesia and post-surgical infection.

Dr. Lipman talked about other procedures interventional radiologists are able to perform such as treatment of migraine headaches, and reversing infertility related to blocked fallopian tubes.

It is important for patients and their loved ones to be sure to ask lots of questions and to inquire about other available treatment options when surgery is recommended, particularly when it involves removal of an organ or amputation.

In this way, patients can limit risk associated with surgery in many cases, and save cost and time away from work. Dr. Lipman offered a number of questions patients and loved ones can ask to determine if an interventional radiologist is the one they should choose.

Special Guest:

Dr. John Lipman, MD, FSIR, Atlanta Interventional Institute

Doctorate of Medicine, Georgetown University School of Medicine
Radiology Residency, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Fellowship, Vascular & Interventional Radiology, Yale New Haven Hospital, Yale University School of Medicine
Board Certified, Radiology, Vascular & Interventional Radiology
Fellow, Society of Interventional Radiology

Telemedicine – Top Docs Radio

October 16, 2015 by angishields

Top Docs Radio

Telemedicine - Top Docs Radio

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Telemedicine

We sat down with legal expert on healthcare matters, attorney, Sidney Welch, of the Polsinelli law firm on our monthly episode with Medical Association of Georgia. What is it? How is it utilized? And, what are the licensing, regulatory, and legal concerns around it?

Georgia Composite Medical Board (GCMB) has stressed that it is essential for telemedicine patients in the state to receive the same high standard of care they would in a traditional office setting. GCMB adopted a number of telemedicine rules in 2014 that “allow the Composite Board to take disciplinary action against licensed physicians and allied health professionals who practice telemedicine if they do not provide the minimum standard of care.”

Georgia’s rules require physicians and other allied health care professionals who deliver care by way of telemedicine to…

Be the ones who provide all of the treatment and/or consultations via telehealth.
Have access to the patient’s medical history if they are providing the services.
Have personally seen and examined the patient if they are referring the patient to a telehealth provider.
Maintain records on the patient’s evaluation and treatment if they are providing a service via telehealth and to provide a copy of those records to the referring physician.
Provide telehealth services only within their specialty.
Give their name, credentials and emergency contact information to the patient when they provide a telehealth treatment or consultation.
Provide the patient with “clear, appropriate, accurate instructions” on follow-up care.

Controlled substances for pain or chronic pain treatment cannot be prescribed through telehealth – but a physician or a nurse practitioner or a physician assistant can order appropriate labs or other diagnostic tests.

The physician who provides the care via telemedicine must make a “diligent” effort to ensure that the patient is seen and examined in person at least once a year by a Georgia-licensed physician or other appropriate health care professional.

Special Guest:

Sidney Welch, JD, of Polsinelli

Pet Health – Top Docs Radio

October 9, 2015 by angishields

Top Docs Radio

Pet Health - Top Docs Radio

00:00 / 00:33:22

Apex Animal Hospital

On this episode I sat down with Dr. Kimberly Cary and her office manager, Jamie Cary. We talked about their rapidly-growing Austell animal hospital that has seen rapid expansion of their patient base due to referrals from happy clients.

Kimberly explained there are numerous health issues that can be transmitted between humans and their pets or that both humans and our pets can suffer from that we can benefit from being aware about. Examples are ringworm, Lyme disease, giardiasis, rabies, and others.

The Carys talked about measures we can take to reduce the risk of our pets contracting these illnesses as well as how we can limit the risk of being affected ourselves. In many cases, simple preventive measures are very effective at protecting both pet and owner. These include annual exams and keeping vaccinations up to date.

Problems related to tick- and flea-borne diseases can easily be prevented by a regular dose of topical or edible medications. And in areas of high likelihood of ticks, there is a vaccination available for dogs to prevent Lyme disease.

The practice offers a full array of pet services and has been specially designed to accommodate both dogs and cats to minimize the stress they experience when they have to be seen or stay in the animal hospital. The office is located on East-West Connector in Austell, GA near Floyd Road.

Special Guests:

Dr. Kimberly Carey, DVM of Apex Animal Hospital

Doctorate Veterinary Medicine (with honors), Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine
Values educating pet owners who are her clients to help them best care for their pets
President, Cobb County Veterinary Medical Association
Owner of 2 cats and a dog of her own

Clostridium Difficile – Top Docs Radio

September 30, 2015 by angishields

Top Docs Radio

Clostridium Difficile - Top Docs Radio

00:00 / 00:25:50

Clostridium Difficile

On this week’s episode we talked about one of the leading causes of hospital-acquired infections: Clostridium Difficile, or “C. Diff.” I sat down with Dr. David Dickensheets, infectious disease specialist with Infectious Disease Services of Georgia in his Cumming, GA office.

According to the CDC nearly half a million persons experienced a Clostridium difficile infection last year. Their website explains:

“Approximately 29,000 patients died within 30 days of the initial diagnosis of C. difficile. Of those, about 15,000 deaths were estimated to be directly attributable to C. difficileinfections, making C. difficile a very important cause of infectious disease death in the United States. More than 80 percent of the deaths associated with C. difficile occurred among Americans aged 65 years or older. C. difficile causes an inflammation of the colon and deadly diarrhea.

Previous studies indicate that C. difficile has become the most common microbial cause of healthcare-associated infections in U.S. hospitals and costs up to $4.8 billion each year in excess health care costs for acute care facilities alone. The new study found that 1 out of every 5 patients with a healthcare-associated C. difficile infection experienced a recurrence of the infection and 1 out of every 9 patients aged 65 or older with a healthcare-associated C. difficile infection died within 30 days of diagnosis.”

Clearly it’s a big problem. Dr. Dickensheets shared some great information on how the infection is diagnosed and why it’s so hard to eradicate from a hospital environment. He also talked about an interesting treatment approach–the fecal transplant.

That’s right, in some instances, patients have been able to resolve the infection by having fecal material from a healthy human instilled into their bowel, allowing a repopulation of normal flora bacteria that compete with the C. Diff., helping to eliminate the infection.

Special Guest:

Dr. David Dickensheets, MD, of Infectious Disease Services of Georgia

Doctor of Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University
Residency, Roger Williams Medical Center
Fellowshp, Brown University
Board Certified in Infectious Disease

Pre-diabetes – Top Docs Radio

September 22, 2015 by angishields

Top Docs Radio

Pre-diabetes - Top Docs Radio

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Pre-diabetes

This week I featured a long-time friend of the show, Dr. Ellie Campbell, of Campbell Family Medicine, located in Cumming, GA. We talked about a topic I am hopeful many of our followers will both listen to and share: Pre-diabetes.

How many times have you gone for your annual check-up and been told, “Your labs are normal,” when your fasting blood glucose is >80mg/dl? Those “normal” results could actually be a red flag that you have Pre-diabetes.

During this phase it’s actually possible to reverse the condition through diet and exercise. But, as Ellie described, many physicians haven’t yet been educated that they need to be concerned with glucose levels that don’t exceed “normal” limits. This means that we, as patients, need to be advocates for ourselves and our loved ones.

It is well-known that diabetes leads to a range of chronic and often, deadly, diseases such as heart disease, kidney disease, blindness, stroke, and more. While we also know it is often challenging to make life-style changes, when you are aware of the risks, it can become more easy to do so.

I am pleased Ellie sat down with us to talk about pre-diabetes, a problem many people can actually do something about if they’re willing to make some of the simple changes she recommends.

Special guest:

Dr. Ellie Campbell, DO, Family Practice & Integrative Medicine at Campbell Family Medicine

Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
Family Medicine Residency, Medical College of Georgia
Board Certified Family Medicine

Trauma Surgery – Top Docs Radio

September 10, 2015 by angishields

Top Docs Radio

Trauma Surgery - Top Docs Radio

00:00 / 00:22:08

Trauma Surgery

On this episode of Top Docs Radio, I sat down with Dr. Doug Lundy, an orthopedic surgeon with Resurgens Orthopaedics to talk about trauma surgery. Dr. Lundy shared the fact that he initially had plans to have a career in the military as an officer in the Army.

We talked about the fact that during their training and work, the soldiers were frequently experiencing orthopedic injuries, necessitating care by orthopedic surgeons. In that time he began to have an interest in the field of medicine and ultimately went that direction.

Dr. Lundy explained that motor vehicle accidents, motorcycle wrecks, and falls from height tend to be the main causes of injury leading to a patient needing his help. These injuries are often very complex and involve both the bony and soft tissue, and lead to extensive rehabilitation.

In many cases patients are left with a fair degree of pain or loss of function after traumatic injuries like these. Lundy said that the way to get the best recovery usually means starting rehabilitation soon after repair of the injuries which means the patient has to endure significant discomfort and effort to achieve it.

It is clear in speaking with Dr. Lundy he has a passion for his work and appreciates the opportunity to help patients who are experiencing these life-changing injuries, helping them get their lives back as close to normal as possible.

Special Guest:

Dr. Doug Lundy, MD, of Resurgens Orthopaedics

Medical College of Georgia; Augusta, Georgia
Residency, Orthopedic Surgery, Georgia Baptist Medical Center
Orthopaedic Trauma/ Foot & Ankle Fellowship; Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville, Tennessee
Board Certified, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery

Dr. Priyah Rudolph – Top Docs Radio

August 30, 2015 by angishields

Top Docs Radio

Dr. Priyah Rudolph - Top Docs Radio

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Dr. Priyah Rudolph

On this episode of Top Docs Radio I hosted Dr. Priyah Rudolph, medical oncologist with Georgia Cancer Specialists. Dr. Rudolph practices in the Athens, GA office for the group and has expertise with several forms of cancer. She shared her poignant story about how she came to choose oncology as her specialty of practice.

Dr. Rudolph described how several members of her family experienced cancer in their lives, including her mother. In speaking with her it’s clear she has a very personal connection with patients she sees in her practice and clearly understands the stress and concern they feel.

For this conversation, we focused on breast cancer. According to breastcancer.org, in the US, roughly 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. Nearly 300,000 new cases will be diagnosed this year.

Priya shared the importance self-breast exams, conducted at least monthly, paired with annual mammograms annually after the age of 40 or sooner if direct descendants of breast cancer patients. Early detection helps give the patient more options for treatment, as well as the likelihood of successful treatment.

She talked about various treatments available and what to expect should the troubling news come that a finding is indeed cancer. On a positive note, we talked about the fact that breast cancer is very survivable with today’s technology and medical advancements.

Special Guest:

Dr. Priyah Rudolph, MD, of Georgia Cancer Specialists

Doctor of Medicine, Coimbatore Medical College
Residency, Yale University School of Medicine
Fellowship, Yale University School of Medicine
American Society of Clinical Oncology
American Society of Hematology
PhD in Physiology at The Ohio State University

Radiation Oncology – Top Docs Radio

August 21, 2015 by angishields

Top Docs Radio

Radiation Oncology - Top Docs Radio

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Radiation Oncology

On this week’s show I sat down with Radiation Oncologist, Dr. Chad Levitt. We talked about how he decided he wanted to go into radiation oncology as his chosen field of practice. He shared how he enjoyed the fact that the specialty allowed him to call on his liberal arts schooling, helping him to be able to be perceptive to his patients’ needs and concerns, and allowing him to communicate effectively with them in a period of significant stress.

Chad explained how important it is for oncology physicians to make time to insure their patients’ questions are answered and that their concerns have been addressed. He believes the patient needs to be well-informed so they can hopefully experience less anxiety and allow them to make educated choices about their care. He stated the patient should be the “Captain of the Ship” and the health team the crew that helps them get to where they want to go.

We talked about the importance of getting 2nd and even 3rd opinions when facing life-changing illnesses such as cancer. Chad shared that it is vital to do so before engaging in treatments that cannot be undone. Given the political and personal alliances that can be present in a given hospital ecosystem, it is wise to seek 2nd opinions in hospitals or systems that are outside that of the primary physician to allow for likelihood of a more objective opinion.

Special Guest:

Dr. Chad Levitt, MD, of Radiotherapy Associates of Forsyth