Question: Two women who work at our practice have recently become romantically involved—with each other. My problem isn't with the fact that they are both women, but that they are coworkers. How should I handle the situation? Answer: Workplace romance is a difficult topic for a manager to broach because it seems as if it's an intrusion on employees' personal lives. On the … [Read more...] about Two female employees in a romantic relationship
General
By following strict procedures, New York office has ‘a stellar year’
A three-physician New York City surgery practice had a stellar year. It attributes its success to the fact that everybody follows strict and detailed procedures. Procedures produce efficiency, says Veronica L. Mogerman, administrator at Manhattan Surgical Associates. And efficiency means the office operates at top capacity and staff give patients top quality service, which … [Read more...] about By following strict procedures, New York office has ‘a stellar year’
Five realities of effective leadership
By Shane Carter bio In order to succeed, medical office managers must be capable in leading people. Leadership is a learned skill that when polished over time can turn managers into exceptional leaders. Polishing this skill will require your time, effort, and an understanding of five realities of effective leadership. Leadership is an action word; it's an activity … [Read more...] about Five realities of effective leadership
Look back to lead forward
By Cheryl Toth, MBA bio Every autumn, it's easy to get bogged down with next year's budget crunching, fret about the unveiling of Medicare's new conversion factor, or worry about the amount of this year's physician bonuses. Because in the harried life of a practice manager, it's easy to focus on what hasn't been done and forget just how many things have. So that's exactly … [Read more...] about Look back to lead forward
An inexpensive organizational fix: communication
By Dr. Steve M. Cohen I've found that most organizations can benefit significantly from a simple, low-cost change in their operations: more two-way communication. For busy medical office managers, time can be among their most valuable commodities so I don't make this recommendation lightly. But even a few minutes each day to foster better communication with your staff can pay … [Read more...] about An inexpensive organizational fix: communication
Terminating a relationship with a disruptive patient
What can you do if a difficult patient has exceeded the definition of difficult and has, in fact, become disruptive? You can terminate the relationship with the patient. Indeed, disruptive patient is the number one reason practices end relationships, according to Steven M. Harris, a nationally recognized health care attorney and member of the law firm McDonald Hopkins … [Read more...] about Terminating a relationship with a disruptive patient
Office predators can take many forms
By Steve M. Cohen bio Although human behavior covers a huge range, it can often be categorized into several general areas. One of these categories is "opportunistic" and could even be described as predatory. With this kind of behavior, the individual sees an opportunity to take advantage of a person or a situation and then does so. For example, I overheard two … [Read more...] about Office predators can take many forms
How to deliver a great presentation on any topic
To grow in the job, a manager has to communicate ideas and visions and recommendations. And the presentation of them counts. "It doesn't matter how good the idea or how brilliant the insight," if it isn't well articulated, it fails, says Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE, a San Francisco executive speech coach. Worse, the manager's career can fail right along with it. Here are the … [Read more...] about How to deliver a great presentation on any topic
Double standards never work at work
By Steve M. Cohen bio An overly hard and arbitrary management style is rarely a good idea, but when it's directed at one employee or even one group of employees it's almost guaranteed to be a problem. I dealt with one manager who frequently resorted to a style that was harsh, arbitrary, and capricious behavior when dealing with one employee. The worker was … [Read more...] about Double standards never work at work
Family and business: not always the best mix
By Steve M. Cohen bio In my experience, nepotism often brings a range of personal and organizational issues that are worth noting. First, let me acknowledge that there is clearly a place in many offices where related people work together. The classic case is a small office, but even some larger organizations can avoid problems if they are careful. But there are … [Read more...] about Family and business: not always the best mix