Pediatric Medical Group of Santa Maria, located in Santa Maria, CA, has found a way to quadruple the amount of well child and well baby exams at its office. "In the past, we always ran a recall report and had our staff call patients that were due for well exams," Camille Gamble, practice manager, tells Medical Office Manager. Although the process seemed to work okay, … [Read more...] about Employee incentive program increases number of patient well exams—and practice revenue
Managing the office
5 easy ways to boost employee morale
How can the manager improve morale? Here are five morale-boosters to try in your office: 1 Clinical education One of the most effective morale builders is education in the clinical work the doctors do. At one practice, the doctors give staff regular instruction on the diagnoses they see and the procedures they perform. In another office, the manager sets up sessions at … [Read more...] about 5 easy ways to boost employee morale
Don’t put your vendor contracts on autopilot
It's easy, to say nothing of convenient, to get comfortable with business relationships and not to question what the vendors are doing. But in the meantime those vendors have every ability to slip in added costs the manager does not notice. Don't just renew vendor contracts automatically. The practice can often save money and get better service by putting those contracts out … [Read more...] about Don’t put your vendor contracts on autopilot
These 7 ergonomic basics can make your staff healthier and happier
Ergonomics is good economics. When the work areas are in sync with the people spending their days in them, there's no time lost to sick days and no money lost to low productivity, says Hayley Kaye, a certified professional ergonomist with HLK Consulting in New York City. Achieving that calls for attention to the desks, telephones, and chairs. But it also calls for teaching … [Read more...] about These 7 ergonomic basics can make your staff healthier and happier
Do you have the ‘right stuff’ to be a successful medical office manager?
As the office manager of a medical practice, you have an opportunity to learn, grow, and make a valuable contribution. "You really get the chance to be a part of a small business and to wear a lot of different hats," says Mary Pat Whaley, co-founder and president of Manage My Practice, a medical practice consulting firm. What's more, because most physicians are not business … [Read more...] about Do you have the ‘right stuff’ to be a successful medical office manager?
What? Not another upgrade!
How to ensure a smooth transition when you upgrade your EMR software or install a new system Just when everyone is trained and comfortable with your EMR system, along comes an upgrade. Keeping up with the demands of meaningful use and changing regulations has software vendors sending out upgrades with alarming frequency. This means that you may be spending far more time and … [Read more...] about What? Not another upgrade!
Asking for a raise
One of the most frequently asked career questions is, "What is the best way to ask for a raise?" Not surprising, a frequently asked management question is, "What are best practices when it comes to employees asking for a raise?" Answers to these two questions actually have a lot of overlap. Think about the times staff members approached you for a raise. When did they make a … [Read more...] about Asking for a raise
Use weekly meetings with doctors to keep office running smoothly
Meeting every week with the doctors makes a tremendous difference in how smoothly – and also how successfully – an office operates, says the manager of a pediatrics practice in Colorado. For her office, it's an 8 a.m. meeting every Monday, a good time, because it sets the tone for the week. It also keeps everybody on the same page. And it ensures that the doctors know all the … [Read more...] about Use weekly meetings with doctors to keep office running smoothly
In California office, the training starts on day 1 and never ends
No manager can set expectations without giving staff the tools to achieve them, says a California administrator. And the main tool for it all is never ending training. At Santa Barbara Cardiovascular Medical Group, Patricia Board starts the training on the first day a staffer comes in. She gives the newcomer a check-off list of both job and office basics and spends several … [Read more...] about In California office, the training starts on day 1 and never ends
Do you make this costly interviewing mistake?
Don't focus a job interview on whether the candidate can do the job. The purpose of an interview is not to evaluate hard skills or job experience or training. Anybody who makes it to the interview already meets the requirements. Look instead for the behaviors of the person. The interview is the time to find out the motivators, the personality, and the soft skills of self … [Read more...] about Do you make this costly interviewing mistake?