Hiring a Medical Practice Administrator

Many times the practice manager will have already spent some time in the medical practice and could very well have been promoted to the position because the physician owner liked their style of work.

We must remember, practice managers are typically considered mid- or high-level medical practice administrators, often with an MBA. They may be responsible for leading a larger practice in all but the clinical aspects of its activities. They are still not at the top of the totem pole though, even the top manager typically needs to report to the practice-owners.

Physicians looking for qualified medical practice management today say that it's arduous than ever to hire the top manager. Many factors have contributed to the increase in competition for this position. It has become an intense field to try and land a position. Such things as practice management software is also making it hard for practice managers to find new positions because the software is able to do many of the task that humans would normally have taken much longer to do.

Even though the competition seems more intense now than it has in years past, the same type of methods have been used to try and recruit employees. Many practices still use classified advertising, but this seems to be the poorest way anyone can find a new job. Therefore, many others go through larger professional organizations. Still, others have turned to the web and it has become an important place for practices to advertise and future administrators to apply for jobs.

If time is not on your side you can try using a professional recruiter to locate the right person for your medical practice. Don't just go find someone with no experience in recruiting to try and recruit someone. Find the most qualified recruiter and make sure he or she knows how to locate the best candidate. They will understand what is most important in running a medical practice. No matter what practical approach you take, you can increase your chances of hiring the right man or woman for the job by following key principles.

1. Don't underestimate how much research and time must take place in order for the practice to be very prepared for the new manager, especially if it's the first time you are hiring a manager. Carefully define the job responsibilities and accountability before you start your search. Remember, as you write a job description, keep in mind what it really takes to run a practice today. Prudently assess your wants. Too many times, a medical office hires someone but doesn't give them the freedom they need to excel at their job.

2. When you finally do hire a manager, be certain that he or she is someone that can be trusted. The industry is competitive enough that if you feel that more time is needed in order to find a more qualified candidate, do it. It is much better to go with the top candidate instead of hoping that a mediocre candidate will improve. You need to consider his or her capability to adapt to new programs. If the practice changes to a software solution for its medical practice management, he or she needs to know how to use it and needs to be able to learn quickly. Many practices are installing emr software for their medical records.

And finally, remember this truism: "Highly successful practices consistently hire competent people and then stay out of the way to let them manage properly."

Many practices are using medical practice management software and electronic medical record software to improve practice productivity. Go now to ChartLogic.com to learn more about practice management software. Mark Flygare is an independent writer for ioVentures, Inc.