Proposal appropriate for submission to this topic area include all aspects of running and managing an SLP practice in any setting. Topics may include reimbursement, coding, billing, business development, employee management, regulatory requirements, and advocacy in speech-language pathology. Additionally, proposals addressing service delivery models should also be submitted to this area. Interprofessional education, practice, and/or research that addresses the implementation of interprofessional competencies within curricular or practice models, or the evaluation of collaborative care outcomes, should be included in this topic area.

Research

• Translational, applied, or implementation research related to SLP business practices and management considerations

Professional Education

• Service delivery models/systems
• Business efficiency strategies
• HIPAA compliance
• Human resource policy and procedures
• Employee management
• Business development (e.g., policies, procedures)
• Utilization of assistants and support personnel in business
• Interprofessional team development and management
• Licensure, independent provider status, and licensure compact
• Marketing and consumer relations
• Risk management and quality control
• Outcomes measurement
• Documentation
• Budgeting and financial management
• Billing and reimbursement: coding, managed care, Medicare, and third-party reimbursement
• Denials and appeals
• Government regulatory and compliance issues
• Accreditation issues related to Joint Commission, OSHA, CARF, CHAP, Department of Education, etc.
• Government regulatory and compliance considerations
• Accreditation considerations (e.g., Joint Commission, OSHA, CARF, CHAP, Department of Education)
• Legislative and regulartory advocacy
• Project management
• Ethical considerations in business management
• Technology in business and practice management for SLPs (e.g. productivity apps)
• Legal matters, including expert witness testimony
• Employee recruitment and retention

Related Topics

Proposals that include this topic but have a primary focus on:

• The use of telepractice in the delivery of service that includes technology-based approaches and outcomes at the system level should be submitted to the Telepractice topic area unless the primary focus is on business models of telepractice.
• Supervision of assistants should be submitted to the Supervision and Precepting topic area unless the focus is specifically on practice management or business concepts.
• Cultural considerations, health disparities and access to services related to business and practice management for speech-language pathologists should be submitted to the Equity, Inclusion, and Cultural–Linguistic Diversity topic area.