The Guidelines for Education in Practice Management were prepared by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Ad Hoc Committee on Practice Management in Audiology and approved by the ASHA Executive Board (EB 2-94) and 1994 Legislative Council (LC 8-94). Members of the committee who prepared the guidelines include Holly Hosford-Dunn, chair; Jane H. Baxter; Evelyn Cherow, ex officio; Alan L. Desmond; Gary Jacobson; Jean L. Johnson; and Patty F. Martin. Diane L. Eger, vice president for professional practices (1991–93), served as monitoring vice president. These guidelines are an official statement of ASHA. They provide guidance on the use of specific practice procedures but are not official standards of the Association.
These areas are directly related to practice management and are suggested for inclusion in a model curriculum for a graduate level course in practice management in audiology. They are considered the minimum requirements for providing an adequate base of knowledge for managing a practice. Students should be encouraged to take additional classes in cognate areas such as accounting and marketing. Persons managing or directing audiology services should demonstrate knowledge of, and skills in, the following areas:
Basic Management, including:
Preparation of feasibility studies, market surveys, business plans
Account management, budgeting, billing & collections
Knowledge of financial reports (balance sheet, income statement)
Human resource management/staff recruiting
Knowledge of health care models (e.g., PPO, HMO, fee for service, sliding scale)
Marketing
Contracts and negotiations
Financial planning/retirement plans
Service Planning
Physical plant
Site selection
Equipment selection
Leasing space and/or equipment
Automation
Service structure
Record keeping
Establishing referral networks
Scheduling patients
Fee setting
Practice, Business, and Government Rules
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility considerations
Federal employment laws
Accreditation requirements (e.g., Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations [JCAHO], ASHA Professional Services Board [PSB], Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities [CARF])
Antitrust regulations
Business entities: tax implications and government reporting regulations
Requirements for nonprofit status
Ethical codes of practice
Licensing requirements
Computers and Office Automation
Diagnostic applications
Data storage/access
Tracking patient outcomes and consumer satisfaction
Professional correspondence
Scheduling and billing
Marketing applications
Quality Improvement Issues
Personnel/leadership training
Client satisfaction/functional assessment
Supervision
Multicultural issues
Professionalism (interactions with competitors, colleagues, associates, agencies)
Risk Management and Professional Liability
Insurance
Best practice guidelines and preferred practice patterns
Malpractice trends in the professions
Infection control requirements
Index terms: curriculum, practice management
Reference this material as: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (1995). Education in audiology practice management [Guidelines]. Available from www.asha.org/policy.
© Copyright 1995 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. All rights reserved.
Disclaimer: The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association disclaims any liability to any party for the accuracy, completeness, or availability of these documents, or for any damages arising out of the use of the documents and any information they contain.
doi:10.1044/policy.GL1995-00009