One more way to ensure your medical practice is running efficiently is to maximize staff members' licenses and abilities, says Auren Weinberg, M.D., in an article on Physicians Practice.
It' a common mistake for practices to have staff members work below their licenses and abilities--in other words they need to work up to the tasks that their licenses and abilities allow, says Weinberg, owner of Lower Bucks Pediatrics and Measures of Wellness in Yardley, Pennsylvania.
"As a result, productivity increases, staff satisfaction increases, and providers have more time to spend with patients," she writes.
Running a profitable practice is a challenge and personnel represents the largest expense, as FiercePracticeManagement previously reported. That makes it critical that practices get the most from their employees. For instance, Weinberg says, have medical assistants rather than nurses answer routine medical questions from patients over the phone. You can prepare appropriate advice in advance for the most common patient questions. A nurse or provider can step in if the medical assistant can't answer a question.
If your office does certain procedures or treatments consistently for specific complaints, you can also create standing orders and train nurses to initiate them without having to check with a provider first, Weinburg says.
One of the keys to keeping your practice running at its prime is to keep employees motivated to perform at their best. As veteran practice administrators told FiercePracticeManagement, you can motivate staff members by encouraging their input and expressing appreciation for their work. To keep your bottom line healthy, you should also right size your office staff, making sure employees add value to the practice.
To learn more:
- read the article
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