Ergonomics is good economics. When the work areas are in sync with the people spending their days in them, there’s no time lost to sick days and no money lost to low productivity, says Hayley Kaye, a certified professional ergonomist with HLK Consulting in New York City. Achieving that calls for attention to the desks, the telephones, and the chairs. But it also calls for … [Read more...] about Better productivity and a happier staff happen as ergonomics steps in
Managing the office
How to assess the overall health of your medical practice
By Nick Hernandez bio How do you know that your overall business is healthy? How do you know that the business processes you perform are working properly? Now, how would others in your practice know? Metrics are important for a number of reasons. For starters, if you don't know how well you are doing, how do you know what to keep doing and what to change? Words without … [Read more...] about How to assess the overall health of your medical practice
Six steps to prepare for an active shooter event in the workplace
Active shooter events are devastating and unpredictable, says Melissa Gonzalez Boyce, a legal editor for XpertHR. She also points out that, unfortunately, the frequency of these incidents has increased, and often occur in a place of business. "Due to recent events, I believe more organizations are seeing the need for policies to prepare their employees for such an … [Read more...] about Six steps to prepare for an active shooter event in the workplace
The plain and practical side of medical office managing
Equally as important as regulations, revenue, coding, and Medicare are the day-to-day issues of running the office and managing people. Here are solutions to many of the ongoing and aggravating issues managers face every day. They don't come from management school. They are the wisdom of consultants and of managers in medical offices. And they are all simple, workable … [Read more...] about The plain and practical side of medical office managing
Easy ways to make your medical office healthier
A medical practice focuses on patient health and well-being. Yet, too often, the workplace doesn't promote staff health and well-being – and, in fact, detracts from it. Why does it matter? A healthy workplace encourages staff engagement and productivity, which has a direct impact on the profitability of the practice. To evaluate your workplace, and make necessary … [Read more...] about Easy ways to make your medical office healthier
Missouri staff train each other on solving the day-to-day issues
The best staff training, says a Missouri medical office manager, is the training staff give one another. At the OB/GYN office, staff do just that. They hold training sessions for one another on a "when-needed, what's-needed, and who-needs-it" basis. The office has four physicians and 25 staff. There's no set routine. The manager simply schedules an in-service whenever she sees … [Read more...] about Missouri staff train each other on solving the day-to-day issues
Separate room for schedulers calms front office chaos
A few years ago, a North Carolina pediatric practice realized that the front desk is not the best place to check people in, make return appointments, and schedule new appointments – all at the same time. With staff constantly having to answer phones, the area was too busy and too noisy to give waiting patients the attention they deserved. People were waiting in line only to … [Read more...] about Separate room for schedulers calms front office chaos
How to conduct fair and effective performance reviews
It may be the most common target for Dilbert cartoons, but the performance review is an ethical obligation for a manager. Every employee in every job setting wants to know two things: What do you expect of me? and How am I doing at meeting your expectations? A manager has an obligation to answer those questions, says Dick Grote, a management consultant specializing in … [Read more...] about How to conduct fair and effective performance reviews
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
Staff name badges help patients feel comfortable
A seemingly simple, easy-to-implement change can have a positive impact on your practice. Staff name badges make patients feel at ease and help facilitate friendly relationships between medical workers and patients. A recent nationwide survey finds four out of five patients say it is important to identify the name and specialty of medical personnel when being treated. … [Read more...] about Staff name badges help patients feel comfortable