Medical Office Manager

Managing staff

The myth of multitasking

It's a typical day at work. You're on the computer, entering data, while you're talking on the phone. A staff member comes to your office door, stack of papers in hand, and you motion for her to come in and put the papers on your desk. You continue your phone conversation, momentarily removing your hands from the keyboard in order look through the papers. You're a multitasking … [Read more...] about The myth of multitasking

Mind-map your way toward creating a great employee handbook

Sitting down with pen and paper and freely jotting down ideas may not sound like the best path toward creating a well-crafted employee handbook, but it's a great place to start. That free-flowing process, called mind-mapping, unleashes the creative part of your brain and is far more effective than writing a content outline for your handbook, according to writing coach and … [Read more...] about Mind-map your way toward creating a great employee handbook

Are you “aggressive” or “assertive”? Take this quick self-evaluation and find out

To manage people, a manager has to be assertive. But be aware that there's a strong difference between being assertive and being aggressive, says Judy Belmont, MMF, LPC, a psychotherapist and workplace wellness trainer in Philadelphia. The assertive manager sets limits and enforces standards. Every manager has to do that. If the rules aren't enforced, or if there are no … [Read more...] about Are you “aggressive” or “assertive”? Take this quick self-evaluation and find out

5 purchasing tips that can save money for your medical practice

Cutting purchasing costs doesn't have to be difficult. Here are five approaches to purchasing your medical practice should consider. 1   Join other offices and take advantage of group discounts. Because the group represents a lot of business, it can tell a vendor it will use it exclusively in exchange for an overall, sizeable discount. The group can also get individual … [Read more...] about 5 purchasing tips that can save money for your medical practice

Creating a peaceful office environment

It goes without saying that office conflict, poor attitudes, and negative staffers undermine peace and tranquility. But any bad behavior you bring to the workplace also impacts harmony. Who, you? Yes, it's all about the people and you're one of them. To the mirror Your negativity or bad mood greatly affects others. "We engage in emotional contagion," says Sigal Barsade, a … [Read more...] about Creating a peaceful office environment

Should you ‘friend’ your coworkers on social media?

Do you "like" the idea of office friendships crossing over into social media? More than seven in 10 professionals (71 percent) polled by staffing firm OfficeTeam said it's appropriate to connect with colleagues on Facebook. Slightly fewer feel it's okay to follow coworkers on Twitter (61 percent), Instagram (56 percent) and Snapchat (44 percent). In contrast, less than half of … [Read more...] about Should you ‘friend’ your coworkers on social media?

Trap to avoid: Asking employees about their latex allergies

"Are you allergic to latex?" It seems like a perfectly legitimate thing to ask, especially to an employee who's expected to wear latex gloves on the job. The problem is that asking the question may expose you to risk of liability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Risk The ADA bans employers from discriminating against individuals with disabilities. EEOC … [Read more...] about Trap to avoid: Asking employees about their latex allergies

Weekly applause sheet creates positive attitude among staff

Any office experiences negative feelings among staff. But Sharon Hunter, manager of Granbury Internal Medical Associates in Granbury, TX, found a positive and lasting solution to the problem. It's what she terms an "applause sheet." At the top of the page is the name of one staffer, and the directions are to write down "the most valuable qualities that person has." The answers … [Read more...] about Weekly applause sheet creates positive attitude among staff

Illinois manager challenges the status quo, creates taskforce committee

A new manager comes to a medical practice with enthusiasm and new ideas. But it's easy to allow both to get sidelined by a staff comfortable with routine. "When I started as practice manager three years ago, I constantly heard from people, 'that's not the way we've always done it,'" says Mary L. Banks, CPC, CHISP, practice administrator at AOS (Associates in Orthopaedic … [Read more...] about Illinois manager challenges the status quo, creates taskforce committee