In Getting to Yes, his classic book on negotiating, Roger Fisher writes: “Like it or not, you are a negotiator. Negotiation is a fact of life. You discuss a raise with your boss. You try to agree with a stranger on a price for his house. . . . Everyone negotiates something every day.”

Fisher, who founded the Harvard Negotiation Project, was right. When you stop and think about it, you realize that you are probably negotiating for something every day . . .

-     Can you work on a flextime basis, instead of logging in and logging out at regular hours?

-     Would your company consider setting up an in-house daycare center for employees’ children?

-     Will your husband or wife cook dinner for your family tonight, so you can go to the gym on the way home?

-     Can you take on a bigger job – the one that a departing colleague just vacated?

When you are about to discuss questions like those, it is tempting to think that you are about to enter into conflict, not into conversation. According to Fisher, that is a mistake. He writes that it is better to practice something that he calls Principled Negotiation – an approach in which both parties look for areas of mutual gain.

Here are the four principles of Fisher’s approach . . .

-     Separate the people from the problem. For example, set aside the fact that you don’t like your office manager and that you want to score a win against her. Remember that when you negotiate, you will come to a better agreement if you focus on issues, not personalities.

-     Focus on interests, not positions. Instead of saying, “I need flextime, period,” discuss your underlying reasons for needing it and invite the other side to express its interests too. When you strive to make a situation better for both sides, you are more likely to make progress toward your goals.

-     Generate a variety of options before coming to an agreement. Yes, it is tempting to seize upon the first agreement that you and the other party find. But is it really the best solution? According to Fisher, you need to do the hard work to develop several solutions to any negotiating problem – and then pick the best of them. After all, it is possible that the third solution you hit upon will be the best.

-     Make sure that your agreement is based on objective criteria. You will stick with your flextime schedule after a month of evaluation to make sure your productivity remains strong, for example. Or your promotion will become permanent if you improve your department’s output by 10 percent. When you develop objective ways to evaluate the results of your agreement, you make it more attractive for the other side to agree to what you want – and you keep the door open for later negotiations of the agreement does now work out as well as you hoped it would.

Medical Billing and Coding Blog is sponsored by Ultimate Medical Academy (UMA), a leading healthcare career school. UMA has campus locations in Tampa and Clearwater, Florida, as well as a national online program.  For more information about UMA please visit our website at www.ultimatemedical.edu

Not too many years ago, workers who needed an energy boost at work would reach for coffee, tea or maybe a can of cola. With the arrival of energy drinks, all that has changed. Now many workers with sagging energy are popping open cans of these new beverages.

How safe are these beverages? Opinions vary, but according to Edward R. Laskowski, M.D., a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at the Mayo Clinic, overconsumption of caffeinated energy drinks can have negative effects. Here are some that he cites in a post on the Mayo Clinic’s Fitness blog:

-     Restlessness and irritability.

-     Headaches, tremors, nausea and insomnia.

-     Increased blood pressure.

-     Quickened heart rate, especially if the consumer also drinks alcoholic beverages.

-     Weight gain, especially if the energy drink contains sugar. (Some energy drinks boast that they contain very little sugar.)

Suppose you want to boost your energy using natural foods? According to nutritionist Jennifer Newell who writes on the HealthNews blog, there are ways to boost energy without relying on energy drinks. Ms. Newell writes . . .

“The most consistent energy booster is regular exercise, proper sleep, a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, and the consumption of a minimum of eight glasses of water per day. This type of regimen will allow for sufficient energy to face each day, and when that extra burst of energy is required, an all-natural fruit drink or glass of tea might be enough to do the job.”

If you really like energy drinks and intend to keep drinking them, how can you find out what’s in yours? Of course, you can read the contents that are listed on the label. But we also found a blog, Energy Drink Ratings, that you might want to check out. Some of its reviews cover low-calorie energy drinks that contain little more than vitamins, fruit juice and tea.

A whole blog that does nothing but rate drinks with names like Speed Stack and BooKoo Citrus Shot? Well, it’s a brave new world out there. And apparently, it’s an energized one too.

Medical Billing and Coding Blog is sponsored by Ultimate Medical Academy (UMA), a leading healthcare career school. UMA has campus locations in Tampa and Clearwater, Florida, as well as a national online program.  For more information about UMA please visit our website at www.ultimatemedical.edu

“I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back…”

- Maya Angelou, in an interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Is it possible to manage workflow that comes to you from two, three or more bosses?

It can be done, but it can also be a challenge. Consider these words from a medical biller and coder who works for a small group of physicians:

“Each doctor thinks that his or her work is priority one,” she states. “And since I am not really in a position to say no to any of them, I feel like I am being pulled in all directions while my in-basket piles higher and higher.”

So, how can you manage workflow from multiple bosses? Here are some suggestions from a variety of experts.

Suggestion One: Let Your Bosses Decide what Comes First

Get conflicting bosses into one room and let them help set your priorities. But don’t use this tactic if both bosses are already fighting aggressively for your time – you could end up with an even bigger pile of work and no resolution.

Source: Adapted from the book Managing Multiple Bosses: How to Juggle Priorities, Personalities & Projects – and Make It Look Easy by Pat Nickerson (AMACOM books, 1998).

Suggestion Two: Keep a Time Log

Simply keep a calendar for three or four days where you log exactly what you worked on, in 15-minute increments. If certain bosses are claiming an unbalanced share of your time, your time log should provide documentation that things are not being handled fairly.

Source: Adapted from the book How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life by Alan Lakein (Signet, 1989).

Suggestion Three: Schedule Individual Meetings with Your Bosses

Schedule time with each one. Explain that you want to handle everyone’s work more effectively, explain the workload you are dealing with, and ask them to make suggestions. Asking for help in this way is more effective than saying no to new work.

Source: Management consultant Jennifer B. Kahnweiler writing on AMANET.com.

Suggestion Four: Ask Your Bosses to Assign a Number Priority to Each Piece of Work

If you get your bosses to assign a priority rank to each piece of work they give you, you then have a system in place that helps you first tackle the work they say is most important.

Source: Advice on Monster.com’s AdminSecret blog.

Suggestion Five: Make It All Visible

Set up a different inbox where each of your supervisors should place work that is being delegated to you. Make sure to set up this area so that all delegators can see how their demands compare to those of other delegators.

Source: Barry Lenson, contributing editor to this blog. Barry was senior editor at the National Institute of Business Management for more than 10 years.

And another tactic . . .

Saying “can you help me set priorities for the work you are giving me?” can be a subtle, yet effective, way to get your bosses to accept the fact that not every piece of work they give you is your #1 priority. As Maya Angelou implies in the quote that opens this post, you sometimes have to set up boundaries on the work that others give to you.

Medical Billing and Coding Blog is sponsored by Ultimate Medical Academy (UMA), a leading healthcare career school. UMA has campus locations in Tampa and Clearwater, Florida, as well as a national online program.  For more information about UMA please visit our website at www.ultimatemedical.edu

If you are starting your own business as a medical biller and coder, what kind of insurance do you need?

It might be tempting to say “not much,” especially if you are setting up a computer in a home office and working part time. But then you start to think. What would happen if your computer was lost or stolen and you were not able to keep working for a period of time? What would happen if a client who stopped by to see you slipped on your front steps and got injured?

According to the U.S. government’s Small Business Matters resource for small businesses, here are some kinds of coverage that you would be wise to consider before starting a small business of your own:

-     Home-Based Business Insurance – According to Small Business Matters, homeowners’ insurance policies generally do not cover home-based business losses. While you may be able to add property damage riders to your policy, you may need to purchase additional policies to cover other risks, such as general and professional liability.

-     Commercial Property - This covers losses and damage of company property due to fire, smoke, severe weather, vandalism, and other events. It can cover lost income, business interruption, buildings, computers, company papers and even money that you have on hand.

-     General Liability - This insurance can provide protection against accidents, injuries and claims of negligence.

-     Professional Liability - If you provide a service, this insurance protects against malpractice, errors, and negligence in the services you provide to your customers. (Let’s say, for example, that a client incurs a loss because of errors you made.) Some state governments require certain professions to carry such a policy. To check your state’s requirements, click here.

Where can you find out more about the coverage you need? Speaking with an insurance agent in your area can be a good place to start, since local agents are likely to be aware of state and local laws and legal precedents. The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, a not-for-profit professional organization, offers a “find an agent” service that you can search online.

Which office chairs provide the back support you need during long workdays at your desk? Here are some must-have features that are recommended by Chiropractor Dr. Rodney K. Lefler on Spine-Health.com:

• The seat height should adjust easily, allowing you to sit with your feet flat on the floor and your arms even with the desk surface.

• The seat should tilt, and should be deep enough to let you sit with your back against the backrest.

• There should be a lumbar support that adjusts for both height and depth, so you can find a setting that supports the inward curve of your lower back.

• The backrest should be adjustable for both angle and height.

• The fabric should be breathable, and padding should be thick enough to provide comfort during long periods of use.

• Armrests should be adjustable up and down, so your arms can rest comfortably on them while your shoulders are relaxed.

• Swiveling should be easy, so you can turn easily to reach different articles in your work area.

For more information on picking the desk chair that is best for your back, watch Watch Your Back, a video from Spine-Health.com.

Those are the basics. But which chairs fill the bill? You’ll find reviews of popular models online at ConsumerSearch.com and at Galt Home.

Buying a good chair for a great price . . .

Consider buying a used desk chair. Due to the current wave of company downsizings, lots of used office furniture is currently available – some at liquidation prices. To find a company that sells used office equipment in your area, visit the Yellow Pages online or search online for “used office equipment.”

This is a wonderful and exciting time to be entering the allied health field.  No matter what work setting you are in, allied health professionals are in demand.  As costs continue to rise, there are greater demands for improved quality and safety in patient care.  To tackle these problems, the U.S. healthcare system is turning to technology.

Why do allied health students need to know about electronic medical records? The answer is simple – because you will use electronic health records to accomplish tasks once on-the-job.  The transition from paper records to electronic health records affects everyone working in health care today.  Consider just a few examples of the changes electronic health records bring to these jobs:

• Medical assistants enter patient information, such as vital signs, into the electronic health record.
• Coding professionals review electronic documentation in the electronic health record to determine the appropriate code for an encounter.
• Technicians working in blood and chemistry labs, radiology, nuclear medicine, cardiovascular medicine and other areas respond to electronic orders and send test results electronically using an electronic health record.
• Billing professionals use information in the electronic health record to prepare insurance claims and patient statements.

As you can see, many allied health careers require the use of computers, and because of this, there is great demand for graduates to have a background in healthcare as well as experience with computers.  In addition, employers are seeking individuals who are capable of operating within a constantly changing work environment.

To be successful, workers must be willing and able to learn new things throughout their career.  In addition to education, certification from a nationally recognized organization, such as the American Academy of Professional Coders, brings more employment and advancement opportunities.

Are you currently working or planning to work from home? Are you concerned about the huge amounts of data that are piling up on your home computer? Billing and Coding Blog has outlined some of the best data backup systems, and their benefits for home-workers.

Carbonite – This online data backup system installs a small application on your computer that automatically backs up data on your computer for only $54.95 per year. This price remains the same regardless of how much data you need to back up! Carbonite goes to sleep when you are active on your computer, and the software only works while your computer is idle; this ensures that you never lose any speed or functionality while you work! Click here for more information and to start your free trial.

Other online storage services to consider: VaultLogix, Data Deposit Box

External Hard-Drives – These serve as extensions of your computer’s hard drive and are available in a variety of sizes and prices, depending on how much data you need to backup. Depending on the speed of your computer, and the size of your hard drive, backing up your data could be a time consuming process. Also, if you lose the hard drive – which can be as small as a wallet – all your data will be gone.

Click here to read PC World’s list of the Top 10 External Hard Drives

CD/DVD – This is the cheapest available option, and since most PCs are now equipped with CD burners, there are few obstacles in getting started. Since this is the cheapest option, however, there are some concerns; it can take considerable time and discs to backup large drives, and CDs can be easily scratched and ruined without proper caution. If you only need to backup a little bit of crucial data, and are confident in your care for the discs, then CD/DVD may be your best option for data backup.

Do you have any advice on the best data backup options? Please leave us a comment and let us know what has worked for you!

According to a December 30, 2009 article in the NY Times, entitled “Bonus Planned for Digital Medical Records”, Medicare officials have outlined a plan to reward medical offices and hospitals that maintain systems of electronic medical records. Under the proposed stimulus, billions of dollars will be handed out across the country to healthcare providers that keep updated digital medical records of their patients. The announcement is just a proposal, however, and the plan does not expect to be completed until the spring.

The article features a quote from David Blumenthal, the national coordinator for health information technology, who says that “Widespread adoptions of electronic health records holds great promise for improving health care quality, efficiency, and patient safety”.

The proposed plan will provide bonus payments to health care professionals who use electronic medical records for at least 80 percent of their medical instructions. These incentives will facilitate America’s full transfer to electronic medical records, which President Obama has promised by 2014.  According to Obama administration officials, using digital health records will reduce costly medical errors and duplicate testing.

The national implementation of electronic medical records will also result with a high demand for healthcare technology professionals, such as medical billing and coding specialists, who can help medical offices and hospitals maintain these systems of electronic medical records.

Last Monday’s post covered some strategies for making the transition to working at home.  This week, let’s explore some of the same concepts in more depth, with an emphasis on staying focused when you are working and studying alone.

• Work in dedicated time blocks. Don’t check your email or send text messages during your working or studying period.  Work time should be work time.

• Explain to family members that you should not be interrupted.  A student who is also a mother explains, “I took me a week to train my kids not to interrupt me. I told them they could only knock on the door if somebody was dying.”

• Get away to a quiet place. Many students report that their concentration is best in a public library,  on a park bench,  or in a vacant conference room at work.  So try to get away from it all.

• Beware of “crash” foods. A cup of high-test coffee or a bowl of sugary cereal might start your day on an energy high, but you will probably crash afterwards.  Many students and home workers report that solid foods like almonds, granola bars, or fruit do a better job of sustaining energy. Try eating them in small quantities throughout your working and studying hours.

• Get rid of eye strain in your work area. One simple strategy is to place your computer so it is not between you and a bright window. In that position, you have to squint to see your screen, which causes fatigue. Better: Sit with your back to the window and your computer in front of you.
• Also: Turn off your computer and look at your computer screen.  If you see bright reflections on it from windows or lights, move your computer to eliminate them.  They are contributing to eyestrain and fatigue.

And then there’s the greatest fatigue-fighter of all . . .

Make sure you are getting enough sleep. Sounds logical, right? But how much sleep is enough?  To find out, read Sleep, Performance and the Workplace, a report from the National Sleep Foundation.

CNNMoney.com released an interactive slideshow that provides several different key factors in locating and getting hired at the job that you want. The presentation, created by Jia Lynn Yang in April, 2009, is called “How to Get a Job”, and is “an interactive guide to navigating the worst job market of your lifetime”.  We have broken down the guide into five major points that you should follow in locating, and securing, the right job for you.

Target Your Search

When searching for a job it is very important that you narrow down your options so that you are applying to positions that best fit your skill set. You should apply to places at which you are well-suited and will thrive, making you an obvious choice for the position.

Leverage Your Networks

After you locate a potential employer, reach out to anyone you know who can prepare you for the interview. The more advice you get from people in, or with knowledge of, the industry, the better off you will be. Do your own research as well, so you enter the interview as prepared as possible to impress the interviewer, and convince them that you are right for the job.

Match Your Skills to Their Needs

Once you familiarize yourself with your potential employer, and what they are looking for in an applicant, make sure you cater your resume and experiences to meet their specific needs. If you are applying for a job as an administrative assistant in a medical office (like many billers and coders do), be sure to focus your discussion on your strong organizational and administrative skills. Optimizing your selling points and resume to meet the needs of your employer will go a long way in getting hired.

Be Creative and Offer Solutions

There is no better way to prove your value to a potential employer then to enter the interview with strong knowledge of their business, and talking points on how you would improve it. This shows that you have done your research on the company, and are confident enough to offer a creative solution. Your goal is to impress your potential employer and to stand out in their minds; this will distinguish you from your competition, and could be a huge factor for you in getting the job.

To be a Professional, You Must Act Like a Professional

You can follow all of the advice listed above, but if you don’t appear professional, composed, and confident during the interview, then you still won’t get the job. Make sure that your shirt is ironed, and your hair is combed, and look the interviewer directly in the eyes while you speak. The interview is your audition, and if you don’t look and act like a professional, then you will not get hired.

Is there anything that we have left out? Please let us know of any other advice that you would give to someone who is trying to get the job they want!