Launching a Mohs Surgery Program.

BACKGROUND: There is a paucity of data or publications in the literature on best practices for opening a new Mohs surgery unit. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this article is to be a "how to" guide for starting a Mohs and dermatologic surgery practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two academic Mohs surgeons share their personal experiences and data from the literature. RESULTS: Topics discussed include picking a location and identifying space, equipment, staffing, regulatory practices, policies and procedures, marketing and outreach, patient experience, building culture, clinic efficiency, and vision. CONCLUSION: Although opening a new Mohs surgery unit is challenging, it can be rewarding to have the opportunity to develop best practices and systems that create a wonderful working environment and allow for exceptional care of patients.

Losing its exemption. Mass. appeals court rules that not-for-profit, hospital-owned clinic is liable for property taxes. Hospitals wonder who's next.

Not-for-profit hospital-owned physician groups may have to pay property taxes, according to a ruling from the Massachusetts Appeals Court. With federal and state officials showing interest in the tax-exempt status of not-for-profit hospitals, the case involving Sturdy Memorial Hospital could have national implications. "This is an issue coming out from under the covers," says healthcare lawyer David Hilgers, left.

Medical leases and patient referrals under Oklahoma law: are they mutually exclusive?

This article discusses the impact of Oklahoma's new patient referral law on leases between medical care providers. The statute appears to ban certain practices that could be quite common, so the article offers some advice on how to avoid running afoul of the statute.

The legal perspective: leasing office space to physicians.

The leasing of space in medical office buildings should be undertaken only after a careful study of the tax, certification-of-need, and reimbursement consequences. Under some circumstances, income from the leasing of space is taxable, and the goal of achieving favorable tax consequences may conflict with the goal of achieving favorable CON and reimbursement results. The question of obtaining public charity status for a freestanding medical office building also should be addressed.