Running a medical practice is hard work. And with various forms of healthcare consolidation potentially affecting virtually any practice, managers are under pressure to not just keep their jobs amid new governance but also to help such ventures succeed.
To make the most of opportunities for their practices and careers, practice managers must pay special attention to honing the following skill sets:
Strategizing. Because physician practices are so dynamic, their managers rarely have the luxury of working on just one task at a time, noted a recent post from Physicians Practice. Therefore, managers must be ready to anticipate needs, set priorities, plan tasks and implement strategies to accomplish goals on an ongoing basis. "Last-minute preparations rarely camouflage the lack of a routine approach to tasks," said blogger Nick Hernandez. "A methodical daily effort will produce well-qualified and motivated team members as well as an efficient practice," he said.
Motivating. Practice managers must be able to rely on their employees to execute on the plans they've put in place. But delegating tasks is only a piece of leading a team, according to Hernandez. Great managers also inspire others to perform at their best, by setting an example of hard work and giving staff continuous feedback on their effectiveness.
Helping. When practices merge with or are acquired by other entities, managers that want to stay must help the process, not impede it, according to an article from MGMA Connection. Kenneth T. Hertz, a principal consultant with the MGMA Health Care Consulting Group shared insight from a recent acquisition he helped facilitate. "There were some issues with the practice manager [and] as they began the process with the hospital system, the administrator set up roadblocks--didn't deliver information on time and didn't provide accurate or thorough information," he said. "The doctors thought she was trying to protect the practice from being acquired." When managers are willing to share and communicate about practice operations, however, they're more likely to secure their current role or even a new one managing multiple offices in a system, according to the article.
To learn more:
- see the post from Physicians Practice
- read the article from MGMA Connection