Successful medical group integration: it's about more than the numbers.

Key aspects of integrating a medical group into a health system include: Performing due diligence. Developing a culture of trust. Onboarding new physicians and groups.

You can be a wizard of IDS. Is your practice ready to form an integrated delivery system?

To combat declining reimbursement and strengthen their positions in a highly competitive provider environment, leaders of large medical groups may consider forming an integrate delivery system (IDS) to gain a business advantage. Managing the array of organizational, operational, financial and human relationships affected by an IDS requires careful planning, good timing and a bit of luck. This article, the first of a two-part series, examines what questions physician practice leaders should ask--and answer--before formiing an IDS.

It takes more than a smile to smooth rough edges. Manage risk by focusing on customer service.

Good customer service is much more than smiling and being friendly with your patients. Clinical operating risk can fluctuate with the demand for care and variations in staffing, resources and technology. By making patient safety part of your customer service training and business practices, you can mitigate risk and create happier patients.