2:00 – 3:30 pm

Coding 101 - Teresa Thompson, CPC CCC CMSCS
Covers the basic principles of medical coding and is designed specifically for FITs, new allergists and managers/administrators who have had minimal exposure to coding terminology and theory.

3:30 – 4:00 pm

Coffee break and exhibits

4:00 – 5:30 pm
(choose one)

Choosing Your Correct Career Path – Becky Buelow, MD; Amber Patterson, MD FAAAAI
A primer for getting started in practice, from preparing for interviews to contract negotiation strategies. The presenters will cover the pros and cons of both private and academic practice. Bring your questions!

Benchmarking Basics: Key Indicators For a Healthy Practice – Nick Hernandez, MBA FACHE; Tessie Adams
Your revenue and expense streams are vital to ensuring your practice’s profitability. This session will help you determine which metrics to track and how you can spot problems before they become severe.

7:00 – 8:00 am

Continental breakfast

7:00 – 7:45 am

Personal Finances and Investing For the Physician: A Boglehead’s Approach – Vinay Mehta, MD FAAAAI
This non-CME session will provide an overview of how to best save and invest in a sensible, low-cost manner with or without the help of a financial advisor. Content is based on the speaker’s personal experience.

8:00 – 10:00 am

Coding Strategies for 2018 and Beyond – Teresa Thompson, CPC CCC CMSCS
This always insightful overview of current hot topics in coding has been expanded to two hours to include extra time for questions.

10:00 – 10:30 am

Coffee break and exhibits

10:30 am – 12:00 pm

(choose one)

A Step By Step Guide to Surviving Practice Financial Audits -- Mohamed Yassin, MD FAAAAI; Shannon Ficker
Today, allergy practices are faced with frequent federal, state and sales tax audits, which can result in a big headache and expense for your practice. This session will prepare you to recognize audit triggers, explain your legal rights when responding to tax audits, and provide a roadmap to executing allergy practice financial audits.

Physician Wellness: Avoiding Burnout, Finding Balance – Priya Bansal, MD FAAAAI; Michael Rupp, MD FAAAAI
Burnout continues to be widespread in medicine. This session will help you recognize the symptoms of burnout and provide practical tips for both combatting burnout and keeping it at bay.

Advanced Coding Workshop: E/M Chart Audit – Teresa Thompson, CPC CCC CMSCS; Weily Soong, MD FAAAAI
Utilizing several case studies, this session will walk your through key E/M coding issues in allergy practice.

Making Sense of Government Regulations: Practical Strategies – Emily Graham, RHIA CCS-P; Tessie Adams
Allergy practices are impacted by a wide range of regulations, from quality measures to compounding to MACRA/MIPS. Get the latest updates on key regulations followed by practical steps your practice can take to ensure you’re in compliance.

12:00 – 1:30 pm

Lunch, dessert reception and exhibits

1:30 – 3:00 pm

HR Legal Primer: Strategies for Allergy Practice -- Penelope (Penny) Phillips, JD
Your staff is the lifeblood of your practice. A seasoned labor and employment attorney will walk you through key aspects of employment and HR law affecting your practice including hiring and firing, employee handbooks, and more.

3:00 – 3:30 pm

Coffee break and exhibits

3:30 – 5:00 pm

(choose one)

Case Studies in HR -- Mohamed Yassin, MD FAAAAI; Shannon Ficker; Penelope (Penny) Phillips, JD
The ugly side of running a medical practice is dealing with human resources issues including hiring, retention, disciplinary acts, sexual harassment claims, fraud and embezzlement. The panel will present case studies, advice and answer the difficult questions.

Beyond Correct Coding: Getting Paid For What You Do and Avoiding Billing Blunders – Teresa Thompson, CPC CCC CMSCS; Tessie Adams
Frustrated by claim denials or struggling to prepare effective appeals for denied claims? This session will review proven strategies for combatting these time wasters. You’ll also get tips on how to identify coding mistakes and make corrections before you’re audited or penalized.

Building Patient Connections With Technology and Social Media – Priya Bansal, MD FAAAAI; Amber Patterson, MD FAAAAI
Your patients want to connect with you online. Are you leveraging the right online tools to maximize patient engagement and satisfaction? Presenters will show you how your website, Facebook page, patient portal, text messaging and other tools can help you more fully connect with your current and future patients.

Demonstrating the Value of the Allergist in Academics and Private Practice -- Nick Hernandez, MBA FACHE; Aidan Long, MD FAAAAI
The healthcare and regulatory environment that physicians operate in is evolving rapidly. Reimbursement for physician services is changing, and compensation for employed physicians is increasingly based on outcomes prioritized by the healthcare organization. In this environment, how can you demonstrate the value of allergy services to your organization, payers, referring physicians and the public? This session will explore ways the allergist in private or academic practice can begin meeting these challenges.

5:00 – 6:00 pm

Wine and cheese reception and exhibits

7:00 – 8:00 am

Continental breakfast

7:40 – 8:00 am

Report on the Summit for the Future of Allergy and Immunology – Andrew W. Murphy, MD FAAAAI

8:00 – 9:30 am

Expanding the Scope of Practice – Priya Bansal, MD FAAAAI; Douglas Jones, MD FAAAAI; Michael Rupp, MD FAAAAI; Jennifer Shih, MD; Weily Soong, MD FAAAAI; Mohamed Yassin, MD FAAAAI
New therapies and procedures – telehealth, HAE therapies, oral food challenges/oral immunotherapy, IVIG and biologics – are the focus of this unique session. Utilizing a “speed dating” format, attendees will rotate to a different station every 20 minutes to learn about the management issues associated with each technique, including coding, staffing patterns, and revenue cycle management.   

9:30 – 10:00 am

Coffee break

10:00 – 11:30 am

(choose one)

Advanced Coding Workshop: Allergy and Pulmonary Procedural Coding – Teresa Thompson, CPC CCC CMSCS; Shannon Ficker
 This session will draw on some of the most frequently-asked coding questions received through the AAAAI website to demonstrate proper coding for specific procedures.

Telehealth in Allergy Practice – Nick Hernandez, MBA FACHE; Jennifer Shih, MD
Use of telehealth is expanding due to changing patient demographics and has been shown to increase access to care, reduce costs, improve outcomes, overcome geographic barriers, and increase patient satisfaction. This session will walk you through the opportunities and barriers of telehealth, and you’ll hear how one allergist incorporates it into her practice.

Utilizing Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants in Allergy Practice – Karen Gregory, DNP APRN-BC AE-C; Vinay Mehta, MD FAAAAI; Angela Moser, PA-C
While there is a growing shortage of allergists in the United States, demand for allergy services is projected to increase. To keep pace with the growing demand, many practices are turning to non-physician practitioners. This workshop will review the scope of practice of nurse practitioners and physician assistants and offer insights on how to best incorporate them in an allergy practice.

Making Sense of Government Regulations: Practical Strategies -- Emily Graham, RHIA CCS-P; Tessie Adams
Allergy practices are impacted by a wide range of regulations, from quality measures to compounding to MACRA/MIPS. Get the latest updates on key regulations followed by practical steps your practice can take to ensure you’re in compliance.