Medical Office Manager

Technology

Protecting your medical practice during uncertain times

By John W. McDaniel bio Given the recent disruption and decreased demand for physician office services, coupled with the foreboding predictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, both hospital- affiliated and private medical practices are having to adjust their operations in order to provide billable patient care services while salvaging the cash flow/liquidity of the … [Read more...] about Protecting your medical practice during uncertain times

Should you notify applicants they didn’t get the job?

Open positions, especially those advertised, often generate many applications. If your practice is located in a major metropolitan area or large town, you may receive a huge pile of applications, electronic or otherwise, in response to a job posting. Fortunately, not all job applicants will have the appropriate qualifications—otherwise, interviewing would become your full-time … [Read more...] about Should you notify applicants they didn’t get the job?

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

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!

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

7 best practices for optimizing your collections

By Ranadene (Randi) K. Tapio, MBA, CMRS, CMC, Guest Contributor  bio Collections isn't the most glamorous part of running a practice. Perhaps the only thing worse than making collections calls is receiving them! Unfortunately, collections is necessary and if done correctly, it will allow you to collect on accounts that have sat stagnant for months, sometimes years. In … [Read more...] about 7 best practices for optimizing your collections