Fundamentals of Medical Practice Management

Overview

Consolidations and mergers have dramatically changed the face of the medical practice. From governance issues to information technology, today’s practice managers face a host of new complexities and competing priorities that demand more robust skills and knowledge than ever before.

Fundamentals of Medical Practice Management uniquely addresses the educational needs of the modern practice manager. The author, who studied under quality guru W. Edwards Deming, combines a focus on quality and excellence with an important thesis: that working together and putting people first is the best path to success in healthcare.

The author argues that win–lose games and quick-fix solutions have begun to deliver diminished returns in healthcare—not only economically but emotionally and societally. Although the book delves into many practical topics, its aim is to shape the reader’s mind-set for a new era of people-focused practice management.

Fundamentals of Medical Practice Management covers these areas and more:

• Information technology and management
• Regulatory issues, law, and practice management
• Strategic planning, project management, and marketing
• Third-party payers and revenue cycle
• Human resources management
• Quality and emergency management

This book will appeal to a wide range of learners, including those in organizational programs, undergraduate and master of health administration programs, and practice management certificate programs. Its insights will not only prepare those new to the field but also help current practice managers to retool and refocus.

Author Biography

Stephen L. Wagner, PhD, FACHE, FACMPE, FACEM, FACHT, has been active in the field of healthcare as an executive, a teacher, and a researcher for more than four decades. He recently retired from a long career as a medical practice administrator, including many years as the senior administrator of the Sanger Clinic, where he was instrumental in the creation of the Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute. Dr. Wagner is now an executive in residence and assistant professor in the School of Health and Medical Sciences at Seton Hall University. In addition, his work as an expert on the US healthcare system and its transformation focuses on managing the difficult process of changing the healthcare organization to meet the challenges of the future. He earned his master’s degree in healthcare fiscal management from the Wisconsin School of Business at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and his doctorate in healthcare public policy analysis from the University of Louisville College of Business.