The Queens Medical Society along with The Queens Courier and TD Bank sponsored “Surviving Private Practice in 2010” at Water’s Edge Restaurant in Long Island City on Thursday, March 25.
The seminar, which drew over 100 doctors, aimed to teach them how to manage audits and how to successfully implement new technology without compromising their business.
“Managing a private practice is very complex today,” said Janine Regosin, Executive Director of the Queens Medical Society. “The knowledge they are learning tonight is essential for them to run their practice.”
Beauty Wong, manager of TD Bank in Flushing, said that TD Bank wants to support doctors in the community because that is where they do business.
“We open early and close late, and that matches the busy lives of the physicians here,” said Wong. “Being here is a byproduct of our superior customer service.”
On lawsuits, attorney Michael J. Schoppmann, Esq. of Kern, Augustine, Conroy & Schoppmann, P.C. told those in attendance that staying prepared is the best way to defend against an audit.
“They need to understand that proper record keeping is the best way to prevent getting sued,” said Schoppmann. “We want to show them how to minimize risks and how to do it on their own; it’s a type of self-risk management.”
Malpractice lawsuits can ruin a doctor’s practice, even if they are baseless and completely without merit, according to Alexander Barkan, M.D. of Kew Gardens. Barkan specializes in weight loss surgeries, and preventing lawsuits is chief among his concerns.
“Even if you do a good job with the expected outcome, you can still be sued,” said Barkan. “My practice is a Center of Excellence in weight loss surgery. This is a legitimate option to help people with obesity and I want to know ways I can protect myself.”
According to Schoppmann, doctors’ records can either be their closest ally or their worst enemy. However, new technology is altering the way doctors keep their records, making the second half of the seminar even more pertinent.
Matthew Brown, Vice President of Network Solutions & Technology (NST), said that he wanted to quell the fears of any doctor in attendance that might be weary of implementing Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) in their practice.
“In the long run, it will make their office more efficient,” said Brown. “The space that they use to store charts can now be used to treat patients; it will help their business grow.”
However, some doctors were afraid of the idea of putting medical records on the Internet; fearing the confidentiality of their patients. But NST officials wanted to assure them that EMRs are as secure as online banking.
“Everyone uses online banking now, and that was something that everyone was afraid of when it first came out,” said Brain Van Zandt, Accounting Executive at NST. “It’s human nature to resist change and to fear change. These are valid concerns and that is what we are here to address.”
“By working with the Queens Medical Society and TD Bank, we were able to bring together a terrific group of medical professionals who were able to network and enjoy the beautiful setting of Water’s Edge Restaurant while gaining important knowledge in their respective fields,” said Queens Courier Co-Publisher Joshua Schneps.
