By Nick Hernandez bio The shortage of physicians was already an issue in the United States ... and then came the Affordable Care Act, which exacerbated the problem immensely. In fact, the Association of American Medical Colleges now estimates that there will be a shortage of 91,500 doctors by 2020. This added demand for healthcare means physicians will simply have … [Read more...] about Concierge Medicine vs. Direct Primary Care
Managing the office
Tattoos and piercings: what’s your policy?
If ink and body jewelry seem more prevalent than they once were, it's not your imagination. Tattoos and piercings have become commonplace, especially among people of a certain age. Consider these numbers from Statistics Brain, a website that aggregates research data. Taking into account all age groups, 23 percent of American women and 19 percent of American men have one or … [Read more...] about Tattoos and piercings: what’s your policy?
Nightmare on Main Street: Scary commutes
As the spookiest day of the year approaches, staffing firm Robert Half highlights the cities with the most hair-raising commutes. Last month, the company surveyed more than 2,700 workers from 27 major U.S. cities to determine how long they spend commuting to and from the office and which cities have the most stressed-out commuters. Here are the results: Average round-trip … [Read more...] about Nightmare on Main Street: Scary commutes
Defuzzifying dangerous company cultures
By Rex Conner bio Google's recent events have called into question its company culture, and the cultures of others in Silicon Valley. The questions swirling around the company culture will continue long after the current situation is resolved. With that news and other high-profile company cultures in the spotlight, it's strange that no one is talking about the roots … [Read more...] about Defuzzifying dangerous company cultures
Preventing an active shooter tragedy and saving your life
By Lynne Curry bio According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, workplace homicides are on the rise. Forty-four or 69.8% of the sixty-three incidents for which analysts have determined the incident's duration ended in less than five minutes. Twenty-two incidents ended in less than two minutes. Sixty percent of the incidents ended before police arrived on the … [Read more...] about Preventing an active shooter tragedy and saving your life
Specific acknowledgement, specific recognition create a happy, productive staff
What's the one element that makes people pleased to come to work every day? Appreciation from the boss. Appreciation is so important that the Department of Labor cites lack of it as the No. 1 reason people leave their jobs, says attorney and business coach Nora Riva Bergman of Real Life Practice in Tarpon Springs, FL. And appreciation goes a long way, because it gets staff … [Read more...] about Specific acknowledgement, specific recognition create a happy, productive staff
The link between pre-employment tests and better patient outcomes
Imagine knowing before it happened that a nurse was likely to mistakenly give a patient the wrong medication. Or imagine being able to predict that a nurse's aide would be the one who caught an incorrect doctor's order before a procedure was performed. Or imagine knowing which of two candidates for a physician's assistant would make a career at your medical practice and which … [Read more...] about The link between pre-employment tests and better patient outcomes
Strong practice leaders understand the competition
By Nick Hernandez bio Practice managers must be keenly aware of what competing practices are doing as well as practices outside of their catchment area. Practice management requires a firm focus on the competition; identifying its strengths and vulnerabilities is crucial. Since managing a successful practice requires decision and action based on situational … [Read more...] about Strong practice leaders understand the competition
A dozen cybersecurity tips for mobile device users
The vast majority of Americans—95%—now owns a cellphone of some kind, and the percentage of Americans with smartphones has risen to 77%. Navigating the waters of security in the wake of this expansive usage of mobile devices presents serious challenges for families and businesses alike. In recognition of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the Illinois Bankers Association, … [Read more...] about A dozen cybersecurity tips for mobile device users
Involving staff in marketing generates good ideas and sense of teamwork
An office manager looking for ways to encourage a team atmosphere decided to ask staff to help market the Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) practice where they all work. The goal was to help staff see that everyone plays a key role in the four-physician, 22-staff practice. The office manager began by holding a meeting focused on the important role everyone plays in marketing the … [Read more...] about Involving staff in marketing generates good ideas and sense of teamwork