Let’s talk staffing levels
Many administrators and physicians struggle to find the optimal staffing level. When patient volume is especially high or an employee has called in sick, it can seem like you’re horribly short-handed. On the other hand, seeing staff idle can make physicians feel as though they are paying for nothing at all – hardly a comfortable thought when profits are being challenged in multiple fronts. Evaluating your ongoing staffing needs in a methodical, evidence-based manner can be a challenge, but it’s well worth the time and trouble. While it’s natural to look to other medical practices to see how you compare, don’t give undue weight to such comparisons. While staffing levels typically fall between 3-6 FTE staff per clinician, it’s underappreciated that the strongest, most profitable practices often have more staff per provider. To the extent staff assists the physicians in working efficiently, they increase the revenue potential of the practice. Every task that a physician does that a staff member could do is a lost opportunity. When we visit our medical practice clients, we almost always notice productivity gains that could be made with existing practice staff. If your practice is like most, you can benefit from looking carefully to see if more tasks can be done by staff generally. And here’s a great little secret: if you have staff who sometimes feel a little bored or underappreciated, simply asking them how efficiency can be improved can yield immediate results. Even after decades of experience, we’re still surprised by how many excellent ideas can come from even the most junior staff. But more than that, staff feels more valued, engaged, and committed to the practice when you recognize their knowledge by asking their opinions. Also keep in mind that there may be tasks staff would be motivated to do during brief down periods that are beneficial to your practice. For example, many practices fail to update their websites and social media on a regular basis. This type of work can be a perfect fit for slow times at the front desk if you have a person who has the enthusiasm