Big Ideas to Help Your Practice Thrive -- Family Practice Management

malpractice insurance premiums, HIPAA compliance deadlines, ongoing reimbursement struggles and questions about the future of family medicine, the editors of Family Practice Management decided enough was enough. Determined to counter the tumultuous times, we issued a reader challenge – a call for big ideas that have energized and strengthened family physicians’ practices. One year later, we offer this issue filled with our 18 finalists. These ideas demonstrate that innovation doesn’t have to be excruciatingly scientific to have value. In fact, simple, everyday innovations centered on big ideas, designed to solve practical problems, rooted in common sense and carried out with conviction are often the seedlings for greater change. What’s more, this issue’s big ideas remind us that family physicians are resilient and resourceful individuals who care deeply about what they do and are dedicated to finding better ways to practice medicine. These big ideas are just a sampling of the solutions waiting to be discovered in family practices all across the country, and they offer hope that the larger transformation of health care is indeed possible. The finalists The top three finalists in our reader challenge, as selected by our panel of judges, are featured on pages 39, 45 and 51. You’ll find other big ideas sprinkled throughout this issue and the remaining baker’s dozen presented below. We hope they inspire and challenge you to build a practice you can be proud of and to accomplish big things in your corner of the health care system. ➤