Starting a Medical Practice: Hiring your first staff – PART 1
Now you are getting close to opening your doors for business. Your company is formed, medical office vendors are lined up, attorneys and accountants are ready. It is time for you to hire your medical staff. First you need to determine how many employees you are going to need. So let us review the flow of a medical office in sequence. If any of the work in the sequence can be handled by you, then for the time being you may not need that staff.
1) Patient enters the medical office (No staff needed)
2) Patient registers at the front desk, pays co-pays, insurance verifications etc. (Need Front Desk Employee to handle it.)
3) Patient waits in the waiting room (No staff Needed)
4) Patient is called into the exam room, vital signs taken etc. ( Medical Assistant Needed – or you can do it in the beginning !! -or your front desk can be cross trained as Medical Assistant)
5) You see the patient, order in-house tests, referrals etc. ( Medical Assistant, or Technologist if the in-house tests are specialized)
6) Patient checks out. (Front Desk usually handles it unless there are too many patients, then you may need a separate person to handle it.)
7) Billing is processed (Need a Medical Biller)
If too complex medical office process – you will need an office manager to handle it, unless you have time to take care of management in minute details.)
In the beginning of a medical practice, always try to keep your cost low to augment cash flow. Therefore you may end up doing some of the work, which Doctors usually don’t do. But that is the fun part of being an entrepreneur. So keep the number of employees to a minimum. Many employees are willing to be cross trained and should be encouraged.
4 Responses to “Starting a Medical Practice: Hiring your first staff – PART 1”
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I have used some of these tips and they worked pretty well for me. I am glad I stumbled onto this blog of yours.
I am glad you found it useful !