Operations

If you’re trying to go broke, our list of common money-losers will get you there fast! We can show you how to tighten those nuts and bolts, and stem your cash drain.

You didn’t think you could just hang a shingle and wait for the patients to come, did you? Most new practices have to do a little bit of horn-tooting to build their patient base. We’ll show you how.

What Dr. Eckerling sees as innovation, his staff sees as nonstop flux. Can harmony merge with vicissitude?

Robert Lamberts, MD, offers his tips for effective delegation of duties.

Some primary-care physicians love hospitalists; some won’t touch ’em with a 10-foot pole. Here’s what you need to know about the hottest new specialty in medicine.

Surgeon Bhagwan Satiani on why his group’s plan to open a satellite office crumbled.

Every practice can benefit from some professional advice from time to time. Here’s how to hire the right pro.

Family physician Brian Forrest on how his cash-only practice works for him and his patients.

Patient-entered histories can streamline office visits. But can you trust them to tell their stories without you?

Opening Day for your new practice is drawing nearer, and all the little details are starting to bear down on you. Relax: The key to a successful opening - and ongoing profitability - is to know which little details are most important.

Practice partnerships can be like families - and sometimes, family members fight. But when partners know how to fight fair, disagreements between them shouldn’t spell doom for your practice.

As a practice expands, so do its management needs. Here’s how to delegate authority while retaining overall control.

These are the patients that try physicians’ souls. They never pay on time. They don’t respect personal boundaries. They’re demanding and, sometimes, even abusive. What to do with these dark clouds?

Internist Rob Lamberts on his walk-in clinic experiment.

Here’s how to give your staff some scheduling flexibility, while keeping the office sufficiently staffed.

Is your practice operating like Camp Run-a-Muck, where everyone is busy but little gets done? Maybe it’s time for some time management skills.

Incidents of data theft grab media headlines almost daily. How can you ensure that your data remains secure? We give you the best bets for implementing that “ounce of protection” that can protect your patients and your practice.

The latest installment of our series on starting a practice from scratch offers key pointers on hiring the staff you’ll need.

Dispensing corporate cell phones may be a given in your practice, but don’t fall into a money trap.

How often and which practice reports should you deliver to your group’s physicians? The wrong answer could cost you big.

Our series on everything you need to know to open a practice continues with expert advice on equipment and office space. You’ll get one chance only to design the right space for your needs, and you’ll be stuck for years with the equipment you select. Better know what you’re doing.

Overtime pay is expensive. Here’s how to keep it under control.

More physicians are demanding part-time and flex-time arrangements, but these can wreak havoc on your call and patient schedules, and your compensation system. Here’s how to keep everyone happy.

You’ve been handwriting prescriptions for years and are reluctant to change. We understand. But e-prescribing technology is inexpensive, easy to use, and can make your life easier and keep your patients safer. Is it time to dump your Paper Mate?

Change is hard. People don’t like it. If you’ve ever tried to convince a reluctant staff too content with “the old way” to try something new, you understand the size of the challenge. Allow our primer to help you clear the path to transformation.