Practice Resources
Advertising
Advertising
Medical Legal Guideline
What may and may not be advertised according to the Medical Practice Act of 1987.
Truth in Advertising
Medical Legal Guideline
Physician responsibilities under the Truth in Health Care Professional Services Act.
AHP Scope of Practice
Advanced Practice Nurses' Authority to Diagnose and Prescribe
Medical Legal Guideline
This publication helps you understand the current regulatory requirements for health care team relationships.
APRN and PA Licensure Checklist
Medical Legal Guideline
This document outlines what should be collected upon hiring or signing a written collaborative agreement with an APRN or PA
Medical Assistant Scope of Practice
Medical Legal Guideline
Understand what medical assistants are and what tasks they can perform.
Physician Assistants' Authority to Diagnose and Prescribe
Medical Legal Guideline
This publication focuses on a PA's authority to diagnose and prescribe in hospital and private practice settings.
Billing
Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace
Patient resource about accessing health insurance coverage through the ACA Marketplace
'Incident To' Explained
Issue Brief
Understand why incident to is important, how Medicare sees it, and what scenarios it does and does not apply to.
Letter to Dissatisfied Patient - Billing
Medical Legal Guideline
A letter template for a patient dissatisfied with a billing outcome.
Why am I Being Charged for Services That Were Part of My Annual Visit or Preventive Care?
Issue Brief
Preventative versus diagnostic services and why they may be charged differently.
Surprise Billing
Issue Brief
An Overview of the Federal No Surprises Act and its Interaction with Illinois’ Law.
Business Resources
Boycotts and Restraints of Trade
Medical Legal Guideline
Examples of Federal Trade Commission actions against healthcare professionals or healthcare facilities.
A Physician's Guide for Departing or Closing a Medical Practice
Medical Legal Guideline
Advance planning considerations, notifying patients of departure, medical record retention, liability, and more.
Entering Into Private Practice - A Quick Reference Guide
Medical Legal Guideline
This guide helps you identify the key terms of your employment contract and how to navigate them successfully.
Medical Office Safety and OSHA Compliance
Medical Legal Guideline
This documents covers the OSHA standards requirements for physicians' offices.
New Federal Overtime Rules: Understanding the Change and Successful Compliance
Issue Brief
Beginning on December 1, 2016 nearly 200,000 Illinoisans will be newly eligible for overtime pay.
Recruiting Physicians to Rural Areas
A study of six states and how they address workforce shortages and recruit physicians to rural areas.
Tips when Sharing Office Space, Staff, and Practice Resources
Medical Legal Guideline
Liability and compliance considerations for sharing practice space, staff, and practice resources.
Controlled Substances/Opioids
The Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program
Issue Brief
An overview of the Illinois PMP, including recent legislative changes and information on how to register.
HIPAA
HIPAA Breach Notification Requirements
Federal reporting requirements for breaches of personal health information (PHI) as of 2017.
HIPAA Model Privacy and Security Policies and Procedures
These HIPAA documents available to ISMS members for copying/pasting when updating your practice's materials.
Interpreters
Foreign Language Interpreter Requirements
Medical Legal Guideline
Recipients of federal funds have certain obligations to persons with Limited English Proficiency (LEP).
Mandated Use of Interpreters for the Deaf
Medical Legal Guideline
Situations where a licensed interpreter is not required.
Patient Care Resources
Mandatory Reporting Checklist
Medical Legal Guideline
A quick-reference checklist for actions to complete in various scenarios from birth to death.
Model Emergency Room Referral Form
Medical Legal Guideline
A sample emergency room referral form for physician use..
Model Pain Management Agreement
Medical Legal Guideline
Physician-patient model pain management agreement.
Overview of Legal Requirements in Mental Health
Medical Legal Guideline
This document covers inpatient and outpatient guidelines as well as confidentiality and mandatory reporting.
Referral Notice to Patients Receiving Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Athletic Trainer and G
Medical Legal Guideline
A sample letter when referring a patient to a provider within a financially-integrated practice.
Patient Communications and Forms
Mandatory Referral Notice to Patients
Medical Legal Guideline
Receiving physical therapy, occupational therapy, athletic trainer and genetic counselor services.
Patient Discharge Model Letter - After Discussion
Medical Legal Guideline
A sample discharge letter when the physician is terminating the physician-patient relationship.
Patient Discharge Model Letter - General
Medical Legal Guideline
A sample discharge letter when the physician is terminating the physician-patient relationship.
Physician-Patient Relationships: Withdrawal or Termination
Medical Legal Guideline
Five circumstances where a physician-patient relationship can be ended without liability, and notification forms.
Practice Closure Model Letter - Physician Death
Medical Legal Guideline
A patient notification letter regarding a physician’s death and a release of confidential health information form.
Practice Closure Model Letter - Physician Retirement
Medical Legal Guideline
A patient notification letter regarding a physician’s retirement and a release of confidential health information form.
Patient Education
Protective Orders
Medical Legal Guideline
Understand what protective orders are and what health care practitioners need to know to stay compliant.
Self-Administration of Asthma Medication in School
Medical Legal Guideline
What the law say about the self-administration of asthma for students in school.
Payment/Medicaid
Changes Ahead for Office-Based and Other Outpatient Evaluation and Management Codes
Issue Brief
Top 5 changes to the E/M coding guidance issued in the CPT 2021 code set.
'Incident To' Explained
Issue Brief
Understand why incident to is important, how Medicare sees it, and what scenarios it does and does not apply to.
Modifier-25: Billing separately identifiable E/M services at the same encounter as a minor procedure
Issue Brief
Understand how to properly code and document E/M services provided on the same day as a procedure.
Ransomware
Privacy Protection in the Digital Age: The Threat Posed by Ransomware
Issue Brief
New reporting requirements for ransomware attacks and how you can protect your practice.
Social Media
Social Media Guidance for Physicians and their Practices
Medical Legal Guideline
This document contains five social media policies and sample scenarios a physician practice may encounter.
Social Media Guidance forms
Medical Legal Guidelines
Sample communication policies of social media guidance for physicians and their practices.
Telemedicine
Telemedicine in Illinois: Emergency Measures Made Permanent
Issue Brief
Top 5 highlights from the new telemedicine law that physicians need to know.
Telemedicine in Illinois: Q&A
Issue Brief
ISMS Issue Brief answering frequently asked questions regarding the new telehealth law.
Telemedicine Principles
Issue Brief
ISMS’ 10 principles related to the expanded adoption and use of telemedicine.
Telemedicine Tips
Medical Legal Guideline
Understand telemedicine best practices, reimbursement, privacy and documentation, and what the law says.