Article

5 Best Practices for Managing a Physician's Office

August 9, 2023
Doctor and front desk receptionist talking to a patient in waiting room
Physicians have a deep understanding of all things related to healthcare, but those skills do not necessarily translate into successfully handling the business side of a non-acute clinic. Managing a doctor’s office, like running any other small business, involves a range of capabilities and business proficiencies.
 
A doctor’s office has many of the same needs and requirements as any other business, such as setting up a location with the right technology, managing cash flow and providing good customer experiences. Non-acute healthcare facilities also have specialized needs, including understanding complex reimbursement requirements, hiring clinical staff and installing the sophisticated equipment needed for patient care.

Bringing all of these components together isn’t easy, especially with rising medical costs, increased competition for talented staff, and pressure for physicians to be more technically savvy with apps and telehealth solutions. Small physician offices often face the additional challenge of needing staff who can perform multiple job duties because the clinic does not have the scale to hire specialists for each department and task.
 
Ensuring ongoing success requires expertise across a range of clinical and business functions. These five best practices can help facilities run a profitable and sustainable business.

1. HIRE THE RIGHT STAFF

Running an office is not a one-person operation. Talent and expertise are needed across all crucial areas of the clinic, from treating patients to booking appointments to ensuring profitability. Having the right employees in key positions is essential—an organization is only as good as its staff.
 
Because each employee represents a different aspect of the clinic, they need the right skill sets to effectively perform their work. Oftentimes, a clinic will have an office manager who serves as a chief of staff to oversee employees and operations, leaving the physicians and medical staff to focus on patient care.
 
Recruiting, hiring and retaining talented staff can reduce risk, improve morale, optimize productivity and grow the business. The employee experience must be a priority with an ongoing focus on providing training opportunities to build new skills.  

2. STAY CURRENT ON TECHNOLOGY

Advanced technology and automation enable new efficiencies, and modernize facilities by implementing digital processes, while also delivering additional benefits. Replacing manual work with technology frees up staff time to focus on higher-value work and can help facilities achieve their digital transformation goals faster. Modern technology is needed for both internal and external operations. 

Externally, the technology enables clinics to interface with patients, such as via telehealth, and delivers modern benefits like electronic health records, automated appointment reminders and digital appointment scheduling.
 
Technology is growing in importance for clinics on the business side. It enables everything from cyber security for protecting patient information to integrating, simplifying and automating processes for procurement, billing, payroll and other business functions.

3. MAINTAIN A CURRENT WEBSITE

Like for any business, a website is often one of the first places someone goes for information. These sites must make a strong and favorable impression. To meet that goal, websites should share basic information, including office hours and services, along with more detailed content, such as biographies and credentials of the healthcare providers.

A clinic’s website can also provide updates on flu shots and COVID-19 boosters, back-to-school sports physicals and wellness advice to drive new business. It should also allow patients to learn about accepted insurance plans and enable online bill payment options.

A doctor’s office website “plays a crucial role in marketing strategies by building trust and growing your medical practice,” according to an article on LinkedIn. “It establishes credibility, enhances visibility, educates and empowers patients, simplifies appointment scheduling, showcases patient testimonials and facilitates patient engagement.”
 
To make their site even more informative and establish their thought leadership, clinics can offer blogs from staff members or short videos to provide health and wellness advice. “The ideal medical website design will set up new patients to learn about your services and initiate care, and help current patients pay bills, get updates on news or events and have their questions answered—and more,” according to Morweb, which offers a website platform.

4.   ENSURE A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT

Clinics must be clean and sanitized for appearances and to prevent the spread of viruses like the flu. Cleanliness extends beyond the exam rooms. The lobby, waiting room and restrooms must also be clean and free of clutter.
 
“Even though staff and patient safety is the top priority, you also want the medical office to be clean and welcoming for patients,” according to Medical Economics. “Having a clean, organized environment makes an immediate impression on patients letting them know you take all their health needs seriously.”
 
Patients notice cleanliness, and it gives them confidence in their provider. Facilities can also share information about their cleaning and disinfecting practices with their patients to give them peace of mind and foster trust. 

“A GPO like Provista can provide proven solutions across clinical and business functions, supporting the clinic’s successful management, established processes and overall growth of the facility. ”

5. ORGANIZE YOUR STOCKROOM FOR EFFICENCY 
The stockroom is the heart of a facility’s inventory management program that helps ensure inventory is well managed and organized. Managing a stockroom requires the right amount of on-hand inventory to meet demand—without having an excess number of products on the shelves that would increase storage costs.

“Identify all locations where the product is stored. Put away incoming supplies, centralizing where possible,” advises a blog from Envi®. “‘Walk’ your shelves and make sure everything is labeled correctly and bin shelf locations are accurate.”

This type of detailed stockroom management enables a clinic to know exactly where products are located and the number of each item in inventory, and it helps ensure products are used before their expiration date. A successful management program also removes obsolete inventory from stockroom shelves. Best practices for stockrooms include maximizing all space, having a plan for how every shelf and bin are stocked, reducing clutter and creating inventory procedures for all impacted staff.  

PARTNER WITH A GPO TO HELP MANAGE THE OFFICE
A group purchasing organization (GPO) like Provista offers a vast range of contracts to help facilities drive savings and efficiencies while managing the office. These include contracts for staffing, cleaning and technical expertise. Contracts also include money-saving opportunities on healthcare essentials, such as medical supplies, pharmaceuticals and diagnostic equipment.
 
With more than 180 purchased services contracts available, Provista offers a full portfolio of supplies and expert services to help facilities improve operations, fill gaps in staffing, purchase medical equipment at industry-best pricing and more. A GPO like Provista can provide proven solutions across clinical and business functions, supporting the clinic’s successful management, established processes and overall growth of the facility. 
 

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