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Leslie Witkin Consulting Management Menu
 About
Us
Physicians First, Inc. was founded in Orlando, Florida in June of 1990 by the company
president, Leslie Witkin.
Leslie is a graduate of the
Dartmouth-Hitchcock School of Nursing in New Hampshire and
has over twenty years of successful experience in medical
practice management.
Her long term healthcare career
has fostered mutual respect in clinical and professional relationships
with physicians, medical office personnel, state and federal
legislators, and executives in other organizations that represent
physician interests.
The goal of the company is to
provide quality consulting services to help physicians achieve
a successful business in a complex regulatory environment
that allows physicians to be a physician
first….the way it should be.
Being highly pro-active and
with steadfast commitment, the company has been successful
in presenting testimony to both state and federal regulators
resulting in resolution to physician issues and legislation
related to prompt pay laws.
The company works directly with
physician businesses to provide operational assessments, auditing,
and other consulting services. In addition, Physicians
First, Inc. has conducted and written comprehensive
manuals for a variety of seminars both nationally and throughout
the State of Florida. Topics for programs are always pertinent
to the latest regulatory and operational issues facing the
medical business.
The value of educational programs
as well as the company's consulting services is more than
documented in the references from both participants, administrators,
and other executives who have utilized Physicians First, Inc.
in their organizations.
Physicians
First Inc. has published many articles, frequently
renders opinions, and has served as a speaker for many national
publications that cover a wide variety of physician specialties,
coding, policy, and regulatory issues.
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Physicians
First
..the
way it should be |
FYI
- For Your Information |
Click Here To View All Articles
March 15, 2010
Article: CMS Clarifies Signature Requirements - "Legible", "Illegible", and Electronic
In October, 2009 (see FYI article below dated 10/8/09) the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of Inspector General (OIG) clarified that providers
of Medicare services must comply with signature legibility requirements outlined in the Medicare Carrier Internet-only manual, Publication 100-08, Chapter 3, Section 3.4.1.1 B. This section stipulates and CMS has stated that "Medicare requires a legible identifier for services provided/ordered. The method used shall be hand written or an electronic signature (stamp signatures are not acceptable) to sign an order or other medical record documentation for medical review purposes. (The only exception is that facsimiles of original written or electronic signatures are acceptable for the certifications of terminal illness for hospice.)The legible identifier (signature) requirement applies to documentation for any service performed and billed to Medicare. The purpose of a rendering/treating/ordering practitioner’s signature in patients’ medical records, operative reports, orders, test findings, etc., is to support that the services have been accurately and completely
documented, reviewed and authenticated."
On 3/9/10, an article was posted to the Florida Medicare contractor website outlining clarifications from CMS regarding "legible", "illegible", and electronic signatures. It is very important for you to read and comply with these requirements. Record reviews by contractors or other entities, are being very strict in enforcement; AND money will be recouped if signature requirements are not followed.
Click Here to Read the Recent CMS Clarifications
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