When there's a people issue, especially when the front desk butts heads with the nursing staff, the manager of a Virginia family medicine group office brings it to light via role playing at a staff meeting. Afterwards, staff not only come up with a solution, but also draft and sign a commitment to follow it. The manager organizes the role playing three or four times a year, … [Read more...] about Role-playing turns front and back office staff into one team
Productivity
Resolving employee conflict
Q: Two members of my staff don't get along with each other—at all. The constant bickering and other childish behavior have me at my wit's end. Sometimes I feel like I'm an elementary school teacher as opposed to a manager. This isn't what I signed on for, and it's really affecting my attitude toward the job. Any suggestions you can offer will be appreciated. A: Employee … [Read more...] about Resolving employee conflict
Keep things moving: reduce wait times while still giving patients the attention they deserve
It's the Catch-22 of a medical practice: How do you keep the patients flowing without compromising patient care? There are solutions to the problem, and they aren't all high tech, but they do take a little planning. Preventive care "When patients wait a long time," says Laurie Morgan, partner and senior consultant in San Francisco, California, medical consulting firm Capko … [Read more...] about Keep things moving: reduce wait times while still giving patients the attention they deserve
Surviving seven types of nightmare personalities
They may do good work but their obnoxious personalities spawn resentment and negativity. Don't hesitate to strike hard at negative staffers, says Blaine M. Loomer, a management consultant and author of the book, "Corporate Bullsh*t: A Survival Guide." Let them carry on and the office can get more unpleasant every day—for both management and staff. He lists the seven most … [Read more...] about Surviving seven types of nightmare personalities
5 ways high-performance organizations make meetings effective
By J. Elise Keith bio Every organization has to figure out how to make meetings productive. It's a complex challenge. To be effective, each meeting needs to engage the individual talents of the people involved, work to achieve the organization's specific goals for the moment, and do so in a way that's both culturally relevant and contextually sensitive to the world around it. … [Read more...] about 5 ways high-performance organizations make meetings effective
Are you managing or mentoring your staff?
Good managers manage. If this seems like an obvious statement, consider the many areas of the practice you manage: patient scheduling, billing and collections, purchasing and leasing, office technology, compliance, and others. You also manage a staff. If this, too, seems obvious, ask yourself a question: Have you ever taken the time to think about what "managing a staff" … [Read more...] about Are you managing or mentoring your staff?
Compliance perspective: How to keep an employee from damaging your practice on social media
In the cyber age, protecting your practice from the potential threat posed by employee blogging, tweeting, Instagramming, and other social networking is a business imperative. But how? To find out, keep reading. . . It is your business The starting point is recognizing that social networking by employees is not purely a private matter. Over the past decades, courts and … [Read more...] about Compliance perspective: How to keep an employee from damaging your practice on social media
How can I get my staff to work as a team?
Q: My staff consists of smart, capable individuals, who are great at accomplishing their own tasks. But when it comes to teamwork, especially team projects, results are sorely lacking. What am I doing wrong? A: First, kudos on what sounds like a great staff. "Smart, capable individuals" certainly provide a strong foundation for building a team. But, as you've discovered, … [Read more...] about How can I get my staff to work as a team?
How to handle the 4 most common types of “disconnected” staffers
Why don't those staffers perform the way the manager wants them to perform? To a great extent it's because there's no connection between the staffer and the job. For an employee to do well, there have to be three connectors. They are: fit (or intellectual connection) passion (or emotional connection); and ownership (a sense of having enough importance to think and act like an … [Read more...] about How to handle the 4 most common types of “disconnected” staffers
Three dimensions of medical practice cohesion
By Nick Hernandez bio Cohesion is the intense bonding of employees, strengthened over time, that results in absolute trust. It is characterized by the subordination of self and an intuitive understanding of the collective actions of your medical practice and of the importance of teamwork, resulting in increased productivity. Cohesion is achieved by fostering positive … [Read more...] about Three dimensions of medical practice cohesion