Business of Medicine Modules

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Knowledge about the business aspects of medicine is necessary for physicians to run a successful or profitable practice and to avoid committing fraud by incorrectly coding and billing. However, teaching this knowledge can be challenging due to time constraints, perceived tedium of the topics, and the vast nature of possible teaching areas. This self-directed curriculum was designed to lessen some of these challenges. Methods This resource consists of eight self-instructional modules, each with an accompanying worksheet that can be answered appropriately after completion of the module. Also included are a user's manual, a pretest/posttest, and a questionnaire designed with a 5-point Likert scale to assess the residents' experience with the modules. Results Our data showed the residents in all three years increased their knowledge in several areas of the business of medicine and the level of training did not influence the results. The questionnaires revealed that the residents found the modules useful and that they increased their comfort level with all aspects of medical economics taught. Discussion We plan to expand the number of modules available to the residents over time as this self-directed format appears to be a useful way to teach the business of medicine to pediatric residents. We would also encourage residency programs outside of pediatrics to adapt these modules to suit their particular specialties. Whether or not to teach the business of medicine is no longer a relevant question; it must be taught. How best to teach the business of medicine is our current challenge, regardless of specialty.

Keywords

• Practice Mangagement
• Profitable Practice
• Successful Business