MGMA In Practice blog

By Kenneth T. Hertz, CMPE
Principal, MGMA Health Care Consulting Group

Medical practice administrators tell me that it's becoming more difficult to recruit and retain competent staff.  I've no doubt that is true; however, there are steps you can take that will mitigate these challenges. Now is the time to focus on strengthening your staff – training, education, mentoring – both in a professional and personal way, if you want to attract better staff and retain those you currently employ.

I realize that money for training falls by the wayside with increased financial pressures. And reductions in personnel make it difficult to find time. This is where your creativity comes into play. The only factor that limits strengthening and growing your staff is your imagination.

Here are six creative ways to make an investment in your practice's staff:

1. Throw a lunch and learn.
   Tried and true, this is a great way to build camaraderie and provide training at the same time. Dial into a Webinar or bring in a speaker. MGMA on-demand Webinars are a great place to start.
2. Form a journal club.
   Several practices I've consulted with have done this recently. Select articles from various healthcare, business or management publications, like the MGMA Connexion, and provide them to your management team. Have the team read the articles and discuss them on a weekly or biweekly basis. It's up to you to facilitate the conversation, but many great ideas can arise from these team discussions.
3. Teach conflict resolution as situations arise.
   So two front desk staffers are arguing over the lunch schedule. Each comes to you complaining about the other. Use this as a "teachable moment" to bring the two staffers together and coach them through resolving this conflict. This approach will "teach them to fish" rather than "giving them a fish," helping them mitigate future problems themselves.
4. Provide financial counseling.
   Let's face it: Everybody is under some sort of financial pressure these days. Your staff members are no different. Show them that you care about them as people by arranging private financial advice or even debt counseling for them at the practice. If you can lessen the stress at home, you can improve the performance at work.
5. Promote health and wellness.
   Why not make special arrangements for your staff to join a local athletic club or gym at a reduced rate? This is a great way to show them that you care about their well-being. Plus, healthy employees mean fewer sick days – great for you and your employees!
6. Step away from your desk.
   One of the best things you can do for your employees is to interact with them in the workspace. Managing by walking around (MBWA) is perhaps more appropriate today than ever; in Engaging Physicians: A Manual to Physician Partnerships, Stephen Beeson, MD, calls it "rounding on the staff." It helps open communications between administration and staff and allows you to assess needs, recognize good work and build stronger bonds.

If you take the time to develop and enrich your staff, your employee satisfaction will grow, patient satisfaction will increase and the workday will become far more enjoyable – even in these trying times.

Looking for tips on recruiting, interviewing and hiring staff? Check out the latest issue of Directions, the MGMA Health Care Consulting Group's free e-newsletter.