Staff

What yardstick should you use to measure your practice against those of your colleagues?

Medical practices have been slow to embrace the "customer comes first" mentality that defines corporate America - an operational oversight they can no longer ignore.

Noteworthy items from February 2011

You love your nonphysician providers and want your patients to love them, too. But patients may be uneasy about not getting to see their doctor each time they visit. Managing expectations and carefully introducing other providers is the key.

Good tech support staff is crucial to achieving successful EHR implementation and other priorities like interoperability. Here’s how to find the health IT support you need.

In-house referrals have the longest tenure and highest satisfaction of all newly hired employees.

Psychiatrist Doug Bey on how his staff helped him and his practice survive and thrive after his two heart attacks.

The future of the direct-pay practice model is bright. Here's how it works, the affect on patients, and where it fits with models promoted by healthcare reform.

Today's practice managers must plan proactively for the new year - finding new ways to cut costs and improve efficiencies.

The cost of staffing can consume as much as 30 percent of operating expenses for a medical practice. However, don't be tempted to cut staff. Instead, invest in your staff so you get and keep highly motivated, productive people on your team.

According to our 2010 Physician Compensation Survey, group size can be a big factor in how much you earn. Find out how your income stacks up to that of your peers.

Taking the time to develop accurate and current job descriptions, schedule annual performance reviews, and make yourself available to employees, will reap rewards for both you as a manager and your practice.

In her MGMA session on the internal checks and balances practices should implement to prevent fraud and embezzlement, Susan F. Childs noted that 75 percent of businesses have a risk of theft or embezzlement. Is your practice at risk? Find out how to assess your practice procedures and prevent theft in your practice.

Workplace negativity can drag down a practice and its staff, hurting both patient care and the bottom line. So what can you do to boost staff morale and encourage teamwork at your office?

With a growing shortage of primary-care physicians, NPs are fast becoming the resource of choice

Chances are you are going to get audited in the next few years. But don’t panic - use our audit guide to get your practice prepared instead.

Effectively controlling costs in a medical practice essentially means controlling personnel costs.

The federal government’s commitment to encourage more health information technology means there is a need for some 50,000 health IT workers in the next five years. One organization answering that call is the Oregon Institute of Technology, which just launched a health informatics degree program.

If you’re confused about the federal incentives to buy an EHR and what meaningful use means, you're not alone. We have the answers in our 2010 Technology Survey.

Advance preparation is your key to successfully managing the ICD-10 conversion. Here’s what your practice needs to know and do to get ready.

Here’s how to skip the drama and hire right the next time at your medical practice.

Like most administrators, your education and experience have given you all the tools you need to help your practice succeed - Not that you’ll get the chance to prove it. When you find that your tasks are overwhelming your projects, that’s when it’s time to hire an assistant.

A sample review form for staff performance.

Consider this template for annual or quarterly reviews of the performance of business managers in your practice. Of course, make sure your review reflects goals set at the beginning of the year or in a job description.

Detailed elements to consider when reviewing workflow in your office. Use this checklist to help define staff responsibilities and best methods to make workflow seamless.

An easy way to find out what patients think of your practice -- and where you need to improve.

Employee fatigue and lack of engagement can be tricky problems for managers to combat. But there are ways to challenge and inspire your staff without breaking the bank. Here’s how to re-energize and recharge your team.

Unfortunately, physicians are not immune to the growing threat of identity theft and data breaches. Check out our guide to keeping your personal information secure.

It’s hard to know how much is enough when it comes to recruiting and paying staff. Wouldn’t it be great if you knew what everyone else was paying their staff and could compare? Now you can. Our staff salary survey returns for a second year of national and regional salary stats, plus expert advice from seasoned veterans.

After many months and much debate, healthcare reform in America is now a reality.