Nine in 10 working Americans believe they should be investing for retirement, but only three quarters (75 percent) are taking any action, with many prioritizing other goals, like weight loss and travel, over increasing their retirement savings, according to the 2016 Financial Freedom Survey from brokerage firm Capital One Investing. The annual study, which measures current … [Read more...] about Travel and weight loss take priority over retirement savings
Managing the office
This year’s unused sick days become next year’s personal days
Experience is often a manager's best education. Such is the case for a two-physician, six-staff orthopedic surgery practice in Rhode Island. The manager, who has been with the office for 20 years, has found that the best way to prevent the last-minute sick calls is to allow staff to carry their sick days over to the next year. But instead of transferring as sick days, the time … [Read more...] about This year’s unused sick days become next year’s personal days
Your biggest job? Motivating your staff
By Steve M. Cohen bio There are a lot of tough jobs associated with managing a medical office. One of the most difficult is motivating your staff and keeping them motivated. This area is difficult for several reasons. It's intangible—you can't always see the results, at least not immediately. What works for one person often won't work for another. Worst of all, it's … [Read more...] about Your biggest job? Motivating your staff
Make your job easier by delegating more
To be an effective manager, learn the art of letting go. Learn how to delegate. Without delegation, any manager ends up doing everybody else's job and drowning in the work. But just as bad, staff never grow beyond the basics of their jobs. They never develop a sense of pride in their work, and they never experience a challenge. All they can do is become passive clones. Good … [Read more...] about Make your job easier by delegating more
Cybersecurity and social media top compliance concerns
Cybersecurity is a top compliance concern according to a survey of compliance professionals conducted by Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA) and the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE). In January 2016, HCCA and SCCE surveyed 900 individuals, suggesting 38 potential compliance issues and asking them to pick no more than 10 in answer to the question: "What … [Read more...] about Cybersecurity and social media top compliance concerns
Diversity in the workplace improving, but gaps remain
Recent research offers a lens into the drivers, limitations, and tactics of workplace diversity and inclusion. A survey from XpertHR, a leading resource for HR professionals, findings that companies of all sizes demonstrate progress, yet continue to face challenges with the diversity of their workforces. XpertHR's Diversity in the Workplace Survey of more than 600 companies, … [Read more...] about Diversity in the workplace improving, but gaps remain
There are no easy steps to better office management
By Steve M. Cohen bio I always enjoy it when people publish articles entitled something like, "Ten Easy Steps to Medical Office Management." I enjoy this, but I definitely don't agree with it. The word "easy" is usually so far removed from office management that headlines like this are good for a laugh. But the information that follows may or may not help. … [Read more...] about There are no easy steps to better office management
Michigan office uses online payments to increase revenue
A Michigan medical practice that added online bill payments to its website is seeing a substantial increase in revenue. To introduce the new process, the office put signs in the waiting room and a notice in statements. The company's practice administration said it took awhile to catch on but it worked because patients are already comfortable with online payments. They … [Read more...] about Michigan office uses online payments to increase revenue
Adding to your team: prepare and prepare some more
By Steve M. Cohen bio Onboarding—hiring and orientation of new office staff—is one of my favorite topics. I say favorite, but it's often a seriously frustrating experience because onboarding is done badly so often, even horribly. As a result, we end up examining it a great deal or spending time and resources undoing the problems that result. One point I make … [Read more...] about Adding to your team: prepare and prepare some more
Health IT offers career growth opportunities, according to new survey
The first of its kind survey about health IT professionals—an evolving field that links information technology, communications, and health care to improve the quality and safety of patient care—addresses new data correlating education and experience with salary and job satisfaction in the field. The survey, from Bisk Education, a leader in online education, and USF Health … [Read more...] about Health IT offers career growth opportunities, according to new survey