Part 1 Succession planning

HEALTH & LIFE’S BEST PRACTICE NEWS ALERT CURRENT CIRCULATION: DATE: ISSUE NO:

7469 12th December 2007 153

Welcome to Health & Life’s free email newsletter service. Tell a friend that we would be happy to add their email address to the distribution list. This service is to provide Health and Life’s clients and those who attended our presentations with up to date information on key financial and practice management issues that may affect your practice. Please do not use this as a substitute to seeking professional advice.

Writer in charge: Mr David Dahm BA.Acc, CPA, FTIA, Ffin, FAAPM, GLFG.

Practice Sustainability Series & More

In this edition we have some exciting announcements to make including our new 2008 National Facilitation Partner AAPM Ltd (Australian Association of Practice Managers) and National Media Partner Medical Observer for our very popular national practice management sustainability series called “Can You Find Me a Doctor?” see attached flyer.

In October 2007, David Dahm also accepted the appointment as the new National Board Director on the Australian Association of Practice Managers.

David Dahm was also appointed national financial analyst for the National Primary Care Collaboratives. This involved setting up new national benchmarks to improve patient access and improving quality care and practice sustainability.

We are also proud to announce that Maurice Nistico, our CEO from Health and Life Wealth Management financial planning practice received an Award from the Financial Planning Association of Australia for developing an innovative funding program to improve youth unemployment in Pt Augusta, South Australia.

In this edition we cover: 1. Practice Sustainability 2008 Series – AAPM Facilitation Partner and Medical Observer Media Partner Appointment 2. AAPM National Board Appointment 3. National Primary Care Collaboratives Appointment 4. National Award – Maurice Nistico 5. Merry Xmas and Shut Down Notice 6. Where to from here?

Practice Sustainability Series & More 1. Can You Find Me a Doctor? - Practice Sustainability Series 2008 AAPM Facilitation Partner and Media Partner Medical Observer Appointment Abraham Lincoln once said

"Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe."

We are proud to announce our new national Facilitation Partner the AAPM Ltd (Australian Association of Practice Managers) and the medical journal Medical Observer for our 2008 Practice Sustainability series. The Medical Observer is a highly respected weekly national medical magazine which is distributed to over 22,000 doctors, see www.medicalobserver.com.au .

We are grateful and welcome both organizations for their support to this important program. Attached is a flyer you can send to your local Division of General Practice or healthcare organization if they would like to host this series so you can attend this popular and unique 1-2 day tailored program. This is also an easy opportunity for your favourite association to raise funds for their programs and activities.

This series has received excellent reviews around Australia. It deals with the most challenging issues affecting your practice from successful recruitment retention strategies through to easy buy in and sell out arrangements for practitioners. We will also release for the first time and exclusively from our national database ways on how to improve your practice efficiency by using our Best Practice Indicators. Over the last 15 years we have collated industry averages from over 1200 practices. We will challenge whether your practice has the optimal legal, tax, asset protection and business structures as well as what sort of provider contracts should you have and how to avoid unnecessary vicarious liability claims from providers and practice staff.

We will also cover how you can lose or make money, improve quality and reduce work load stress by using practice nurses and allied health more effectively right through to improving practice efficiencies and implementing healthcare prevention and integration activities. Using team based profit sharing activities and effective practice motivation techniques where your staff becomes your “eyes and ears” for you.

If you are interested in attending this series, simply email the attached flyer to your local healthcare industry association and ask them to contact us for further information. We will handle the rest from there. PS, do not forget to copy us into to your email so we can follow up you interest on your behalf and we will let you know what has been organised.

Part proceeds will go to fund AAPM’s practice manager scholarship and education programs.

2. David Dahm - AAPM National Board Appointment

David Dahm is proud to accept a national Board position to The Australian Association of Practice Managers (AAPM). His directorship was announced at the Associations recent national AGM in October 2007.

To deal with some of the greatest industry challenges ahead, David is a strong believer in education and the need for practices to have access to the most relevant and up to date training and education programs in Australia. David believes AAPM is well positioned to meet these challenges and unite a diverse healthcare industry by working closely with all speciality Colleges, Associations and Divisions of General Practice.

AAPM is a progressive organisation which deals with the business end of healthcare industry by assisting and promoting a sustainable and socially responsible healthcare system.

The Association is a unique multi-disciplinary organisation with practice managers and consultants working in all areas within the healthcare industry from general and specialist practices right through to allied health and public hospitals. It has been represented in over 16 Federal Government Committees and related national organisations dealing with difficult and high profile issues such as Informed Financial Consent, Inappropriate Practice Legislation, Medicare Reference Panel, Easyclaims, the 90 Day Doctor Payment program and the National Privacy Laws just to name a few. AAPM also has a university backed Fellowship program for practice managers and administrators seeking to turn their jobs into a professional career through the University of New England Partnership program.

AAPM is a national organisation that promotes excellence in practice management.

Founded in 1979, this non-profit, national association is recognised as the leading professional body dedicated to supporting effective practice management in the healthcare profession. If you are interested in becoming a member or your practice wishes to join and learn the latest and the best ways of running your practice as well as be part of a national network for more information go to www.aapm.org.au.

There is a local branch in every State. The membership will save you a lot in time and money when you know you can just pick up the phone and consult a member who may have just solved the very same problem you have been worrying about for a very long time anywhere and in any discipline across the country.

3. National Primary Care Collaboratives Appointment David Dahm was appointed in September as the national financial analyst consultant for the federal program National Primary Care Collaboratives with the Australian General Practice Network. This general practice longitudinal study conducted by the Flinders University in South Australia involved setting new benchmarks to improve patient access without compromising quality of care and practice viability.

4. Value of Advice Awards 2007– Maurice Nistico Our CEO of Health and Life Wealth Management Maurice Nistico was recognised for his efforts in finding work for Port Augusta youth. He founded a public offer master trust superannuation fund administered by Statewide Super, with brokerage fees funding youth employment programs.

The Financial Planning Association’s National Value of Advice Awards 2007 recognise the skills, dedication and hard work of members for their clients, and the value of the advice they have provided. The awards are also important in promoting the professionalism of FPA members.

Congratulations Maurice from all of us!

5. Merry Xmas and Shut Down Notice We thank all our clients and readers for their continued support and well wishes during the year. We have enjoyed bringing to you our Best Practice News Alert Series for 2007.

We wish all of you, your family and friends a Merry Xmas and a safe and Happy New Year.

Our practice will be closed from the 22nd December 2007 and will re-open on 2nd January 2008. For any emergency enquires please contact David Dahm on 0407 620 120.

Instead of sending Xmas cards this year to clients we will donate money to the Adelaide Women’s and Children’s Burns Unit.

6. Where to from here?

1. If you are not sure about any issues raised in this broadcast contact David Dahm on 1800 077 222 for an initial free no obligation consult, or email us at pa@healthandlife.com.au. Health and Life provides comprehensive practice consulting, accounting, taxation and financial planning advice for group practices and individuals.

Which topics would you like to be covered?

If there is a particular topic that you would like covered in one of our future News Alerts, please email pa@healthandlife.com.au and let us know what it is. We will then endeavour to cover your requested topic.

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It is apparent in feedback we are receiving that there are persons receiving this regular email who are not on our email list. If you are receiving this email ‘second-hand’ from another source, we would be delighted to receive your email address and we will add you to our list so that you can receive it first-hand on the day that it is sent. This invitation is open to all medical practices. Please send your email address to pa@healthandlife.com.au Do you wish to unsubscribe from our list?

Please email pa@healthandlife.com.au if you wish to be removed from our distribution list Copyright Notice This email, including any attachments, is for the personal use of the recipient(s) only. Republication and redissemination, including posting to news groups or web pages, is strictly prohibited without the express prior consent of Health & Life Pty Ltd. Disclaimer Notice Health & Life Pty Ltd’s Best Practice News Alert is designed as a comprehensive and up-to-date Accounting and Practice Management news service to alert readers to the latest in practice and related developments affecting the medical, dental and allied profession as they happen. It is published when there is news to report. No responsibility can be accepted for those who act on its content without first consulting us or obtaining specific advice.

Health and Life Pty Ltd Accounting & Practice Management Services.

“Looking after your future” PO Box 8145 Station Arcade, ADELAIDE SA 5000 Telephone

(08) 8415 5400

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(08) 8231 6767

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pa@healthandlife.com.au

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