With all its staff – front desk, billing, and clinical – working as a financial team, a North Little Rock, AR, surgery practice has increased its pre-surgery payments by 25 percent. “It’s not rocket science,” says Linda Atkins, manager of Neurological Surgery Associates. “It’s just common-sense things.” Every staffer “looks at the money picture” and has a role in it, she says, … [Read more...] about Staff work as a financial team and increase the up-front payments
General
Dealing with the cell phone abusers, the smokers, and the too-jolly staffer
Here are three people questions. They cover the cell phone and Internet users, the smokers, and the staffer who wastes time entertaining everybody. They are answered by Jonna Contacos-Sawyer, SPHR, CCP, CMC, president and consulting principal of HR Consultants, a management and human resources firm in Johnstown, PA. • What’s the most effective way to limit personal use of … [Read more...] about Dealing with the cell phone abusers, the smokers, and the too-jolly staffer
What every office manager needs to know about ‘at-will’ employment
What does at-will employment mean? It means that either the employer or the employee can end the relationship at any time and for any reason or for no reason at all – unless there is a contract for a term of employment. So why should a manager be concerned about that? Because most states say yes, there can be an implied contract of employment and no, that contract doesn't … [Read more...] about What every office manager needs to know about ‘at-will’ employment
Avoid these 3 deadly age discrimination traps
Age discrimination has become today's big employment law issue. And it's because people live longer than in the recent past and also work longer. Some work longer by choice; others have seen their retirement funds obliterated and are forced to continue working. It's yet another danger spot managers need to watch. Older job applicants and employees have strong protection under … [Read more...] about Avoid these 3 deadly age discrimination traps
Paid time off can be anything under the sun, even unlimited vacation
Time off isn’t required by law, “but it’s so commonplace that employees expect it,” says Vanessa G. Nelson, SPHR, CLRL, president of the human resources consulting firm Expert Human Resources in Flint, MI. And for employee morale and retention it’s a necessity. How the office sets up its time off policy is its own business, says Nelson. However, there are a lot of elements it … [Read more...] about Paid time off can be anything under the sun, even unlimited vacation
Avoid these 5 deadly personality traits when hiring staff
Just as important as being able to do the work and being willing to do the work is having a personality that fits the job. Five traits can spell disaster in medical office staffing. Those five traits can cause severe friction within the staff. They can stymie the work. And they can undermine the manager. Here's a definition of each plus the detection questions to ask and … [Read more...] about Avoid these 5 deadly personality traits when hiring staff
Use contract employees and temporary workers to solve difficult staffing issues
If your medical practice is like most, it's difficult to make a case for adding full-time office staff. And it's no wonder. The benefits associated with a full-time employee in the health care industry — including Social Security, 401k/403b contribution, disability insurance, health insurance, pension plan, and paid time off — add approximately 40 percent to an employee's … [Read more...] about Use contract employees and temporary workers to solve difficult staffing issues
How to keep the cash coming in
When the office is busy but the cash flow is slow and the work isn't translating into net income for the physicians, look first to the billing and collections work. Almost always, that's where the failing lies. To keep the cash flowing, the office has to keep constant tabs on those two operations. Yet most offices don't. They just wait until they run out of cash. Here is how … [Read more...] about How to keep the cash coming in
Turn staff from ‘critters’ into smart thinkers with ownership in their jobs
The brain has two states. One is the “critter state.” That’s the point at which a person responds like a raccoon or a skunk or any other critter. The focus is survival. It’s fright-freeze-fight-flight thinking. The other is the “smart state.” And that’s the point where a person is a human being: innovative, creative, collaborative, and emotionally engaged. In the critter … [Read more...] about Turn staff from ‘critters’ into smart thinkers with ownership in their jobs
How to investigate an employment-related complaint from a staffer
Got a complaint from an employee? Investigate it. If that complaint turns into a legal claim, part of the allegation of wrongdoing may well be that the office "didn't take it seriously and failed to investigate," says employment law attorney Ingrid Culp of Fredrikson & Byron in Minneapolis. The law doesn't require that an employer investigate a claim, she says. But it is … [Read more...] about How to investigate an employment-related complaint from a staffer