Six steps to hiring great medical practice staff

Investing time and attention in the medical practice staff hiring process can reduce costs and boost staff retention.


In a busy medical office, an empty staff position can be a real problem. Days that were already full and often hectic are even more so. Patients are complaining. The instinctive response is to fill the slot ASAP. Resist the impulse! Any short-term relief will almost inevitably produce long-term aggravation and higher employment costs.

The data vary widely, but it is generally agreed that filling a staff position costs more than the associated annual salary. Most of these costs are “soft costs” that have a real impact on productivity and operating costs but do not require the practice to write a check to cover them. They include
Lost productivity and increased overtime while the position
is vacant
Time associated with interviewing candidates
Even more lost productivity and increased overtime while the new hire is learning the ropes

The biggest soft cost, however, is making a hiring mistake. Hiring carefully is worth the investment. Here are six steps to significantly reduce hiring costs:

Step 1: Define your requirements

Experience and credentials are important but they are the easy part of describing requirements. The more difficult requirements are the ones not apparent in a résumé or transcript. They include

Personality. For instance, should the individual be cheerful? Optimistic? High-energy? Empathetic? Independent?

Work ethic. Do you want a self-starter? Team player? Leader? Someone who is detail-oriented?

Appearance and manner. Should the individual speak up? Look people in the eye? Be poised? Youthful? Mature?

Step 2: Describe the ideal candidate

It will be useful to flesh out the attributes by actually describing how your ideal candidate would respond in two or three hypothetical situations. (You can use these hypotheticals in the eventual interviews.)

I also recommend describing the ideal candidate from the candidate’s point of view. To whom would the job be most appealing? To whom might the appeal be short-lived? Your best source of this information is your impression of staff, current and past. What type of person at what age and stage has performed well, been happy and stayed a long time? What are the attributes of people who have not worked out well?

The object of the exercise is to have something definite against which to measure candidates. It is unlikely that you will find an ideal candidate, but you will get much closer if you know what you want and hold out for a reasonably good fit.

Step 3: Make adjustments

You may discover that the highly professional, well-turned out, mature person you would really like to hire has no interest in the duties of the job and finds the compensation inadequate. A long-term solution requires adjustments to your requirements, the job, or both.

Think about more than adjustments in monetary compensation. More flexible hours, the opportunity to learn, educational benefits, a pleasant workplace, and discounts on care and services are all examples of perks that have real value to candidates without necessarily increasing costs. Once you know the desired attributes, it becomes relatively easy to tailor the job to attract the ideal candidate.

Step 4: Establish a process that weeds out candidates for you

Before anyone looks at candidate submissions, have someone respond to every one with a request for some action on the part of the candidate. The action should be related to the position so that the request maintains your credibility, but the task itself is unimportant.

The objective is to let casual candidates self-select out of the process. If you still have too many candidates to seriously consider, assign another task. About 90% of the pool will drop out with each request.

Step 5: Verify selected résumé and application information

If something on a résumé or application is important to you, independently verify the assertions. Otherwise, ignore the contents of those documents.

Step 6: Give new hires an easy way to quit after a short trial period

It is not at all unusual for a new hire to discover that accepting the job was a mistake. The sooner the new hire can admit it and move on, the less you will have lost in integrating the new person into the practice.

A bonus is that your second choice may still be available and willing.

Hiring is a necessary evil. Investing time and attention in the process so that your hires are smart ones reduces the costs substantially.

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How to Write Effective Job Descriptions

Job descriptions are an essential part of hiring and managing your employees. These written summaries ensure your applicants and employees understand their roles and what they need to do to be held accountable.

Job descriptions also:

• Help attract the right job candidates
• Describe the major areas of an employee’s job or position
• Serve as a major basis for outlining performance expectations, job training, job evaluation and career advancement
• Provide a reference point for compensation decisions and unfair hiring practices

Overview

A job description should be practical, clear and accurate to effectively define your needs. Good job descriptions typically begin with a careful analysis of the important facts about a job such as:

• Individual tasks involved
• The methods used to complete the tasks
• The purpose and responsibilities of the job
• The relationship of the job to other jobs
• Qualifications needed for the job

What to Avoid

Don’t be inflexible with your job description. Jobs are subject to change for personal growth, organizational development and/or evolution of new technologies. A flexible job description encourages employees to grow within their position and contribute over time to your overall business.

What to Include

Job descriptions typically include:

• Job title
• Job objective or overall purpose statement
• Summary of the general nature and level of the job
• Description of the broad function and scope of the position
• List of duties or tasks performed critical to success
• Key functional and relational responsibilities in order of significance
• Description of the relationships and roles within the company, including supervisory positions, subordinating roles and other working relationships

Additional Items for Job Descriptions for Recruiting Situations

• Job specifications, standards, and requirements
• Job location where the work will be performed
• Equipment to be used in the performance of the job
• Collective Bargaining Agreements if your company's employees are members of a union
• Salary range

Proper Language in the Job Description

Keep each statement in the job description crisp and clear:

• Structure your sentences in classic verb/object and explanatory phrases. Since the occupant of the job is the subject of your sentence, it may be eliminated. For example, a sentence pertaining to the description of a receptionist position might read: "Greets office visitors and personnel in a friendly and sincere manner."
• Always use the present tense of verbs.
• If necessary, use explanatory phrases telling why, how, where, or how often to add meaning and clarity (e.g. "Collects all employee time sheets on a bi-weekly basis for payroll purposes.")
• Omit any unnecessary articles such as "a," "an," "the," or other words for an easy-to-understand description.
• Use unbiased terminology. For example, use the he/she approach or construct sentences in such a way that gender pronouns are not required.
• Avoid using adverbs or adjectives that are subject to interpretation such as "frequently," "some," "complex," "occasional," and "several."

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How To Make a New Hire Checklist

If you’re adding an employee to your business for the first time, you may be a bit unsure of what’s required of you. Here’s a quick 7-item new hire checklist to help you get started:
 

New Hire Checklist

1. Get Your FEIN

A FEIN is a Federal Employer Identification Number. You may already have one of these (they are often required to open bank accounts in a business name). But if you do not, it’s an important first step on the mountain of paperwork you’re about to climb.

2. Document the Employee is Legally Allowed to Work

This involves verifying both their identity and that they are legal for employment in the United States. Once they have presented you with the necessary documentation to verify this, you can fill out their I-9 form. Unlike the forms below, you needn’t submit this to anyone. However, it is crucial to have this document on file for the authorities, should they ever request to examine it.

3. Have the Employee Fill Out Tax Forms

Chief among these is the W-4. This form, from the IRS, will let you know how much to withhold from each of the employee’s paychecks for federal tax purposes. In addition, most states have state income taxes, which will require their own form or forms. The only item you should need to fill out on these forms is your FEIN.

4. Report Your New Hire to the State

Most states require that you inform them of new hires within 20 days of their hire date. This will require that you provide information that you will have collected on the preceding forms, including the employee’s name, address, SSN and hire date. While you’re in contact with your state’s Department of Labor, it’s smart to ask what labor posters are necessary so that you can…

5. Post the Appropriate Notices

The federal government, as well as all state governments, have certain labor law posters that are required to appear prominently in any workplace with employees. Make sure you check with your state’s Department of Labor to get the most recent versions of these, and put them up on or before your employee’s first day. Anything less could get you fined.

6. Don’t Forget Worker’s Comp

Most states (with the exception of Texas) require you to purchase Worker’s Compensation insurance, even if you have only one employee. Assuming you already have business insurance, you can likely get this coverage through the same insurer. If you’re building a drug-free workplace (via testing), there’s a chance you’ll even be able to get a discount.

7. Create an Employee File

Finally, you’ll need a place to keep all of these forms, as well as other required documentation. Specifically, the Department of Labor requires that you have on file for all employees: personal information, compensation, payroll deductions, records of hours worked, and records of compensation.

One last thing: This new hire checklist was not designed to be a comprehensive list, nor was it written by a lawyer. It may be outdated and there may be missing pieces, so be sure to consult with your legal and accounting advisers to ensure full compliance with all federal, state, and local laws.

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Duties of a Front Desk Receptionist

 

Front desk receptionists answer all of a business' calls.

 

 

A front desk receptionist serves as the face of her employer. She is the first, and sometimes only, person whom the guests of the small business meet. Although this is an entry-level role, the receptionist needs a great deal of skill perform the many tasks. A successful receptionist must be both an excellent communicator and strong administrator. She also must comfortably interact with individuals of all professional levels.

 

Greeting Visitors

The primary duty of a front desk receptionist is to greet a business’ visitors. When guests arrive, she warmly welcomes them, sometimes taking their coats and providing refreshments. She may also answer basic questions regarding the business, such as hours of operation, as well as provide customers with a brief explanation of the products and services the firm offers.
In addition to in-person greetings, a front desk receptionist is responsible for answering all incoming calls. Depending on the size of her employer, she may use a sophisticated telephone system to accomplish this task. Screening calls as requested, she routes them to their proper recipient, taking and relaying messages as needed.

Distributing Mail

In some organizations, a front desk receptionist oversees the distribution of incoming and outgoing mail. When mail arrives, the receptionist sorts it, eliminating junk mail and identifying those of the highest priority. He then distributes it in a manner his employer has prescribed. He may either hand deliver each piece directly its respective recipient or place the parcels in an appropriate interoffice mail slot. He also signs for priority or overnight packages as they arrive.
On a daily basis, he prepares outgoing mail for pickup by the postal service or overnight courier. Weighing each letter and package using a postal scale, he applies the proper amount of postage to each piece. If an individual or business needs documents in a rush, the receptionist contacts a messenger service, and provides all necessary instructions.

 

Administrative Duties

According to a report issued by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2009, a front desk receptionist also performs a variety of clerical tasks. She drafts correspondence, prepares financial spreadsheets and creates presentations. In addition, she manages the calendars of senior team members, as well as organizes necessary business travel arrangements. She orders office supplies, files documents, makes photocopies and sends and receives faxes. In some instances, she may also perform light bookkeeping tasks.

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How To Write Great Employee Goals

Examples of Great Employee Goals

 

Great goals inspire employees to stretch their limitations.

 

Goal-setting is an important component of employee motivation. Setting and achieving goals keeps employees looking forward to new accomplishments and rewards, pushing their performance to ever-increasing heights. The best goals include each of four vital components; great employee goals are specific, time-bound, measurable and reasonably attainable. Reviewing a few examples of great employee goals can help you to craft goals for yourself or your employees that include all four characteristics.

 

Productivity Goals

Productivity can be defined as the amount of productive work accomplished within a specific time-frame. Productivity can be measured in units produced, customers served or other measures of output. Setting productivity goals for individual employees has the long-term effect of increasing overall company productivity, allowing a company to get more work done in the same amount of time and with the same number of employees.

An example of a great productivity goal for an assembly line worker, using the four characteristics of an effective goal, could be "to increase the number of units produced per hour by 5 percent between each semi-annual performance review." An example of a great productivity goal for a data-entry clerk could be "to increase typing speed by five words-per-minute each month until reaching 60 words-per-minute."

Efficiency Goals

Efficiency is a similar concept to productivity, but it approaches output in a different way. Efficiency can be defined as the speed, accuracy and consistent quality with which an employee works. More efficient workers make fewer mistakes and can increase their productivity without decreasing their quality standards.

An example of a great efficiency goal for a customer-service representative could be "to keep the number of service calls which last over five minutes to under ten per day," to encourage the rep to interact more strategically with customers and anticipate their needs.

 

Educational Goals

Educational achievement can make employees more valuable to their employers, in addition to enriching their lives in other areas. Setting goals is a proven way to reach educational milestones, and companies can benefit from collaboratively setting educational goals with their employees. Valuable educational achievements include things such as college degrees, company-sponsored training programs and professional certifications.

An example of a great educational goal for an aspiring manager could be "to fulfill all seven management training modules before next year's performance review." An example of a great educational goal for someone at the top of their pay grade could be "to enroll in an Associate's degree program this Fall semester, and to complete my degree within three years."

Personal Development Goals

Employee performance relies on a range of qualitative factors in addition to easily measurable quantitative issues. Intangible characteristics such as leadership skills, communication effectiveness, conflict management skills and strategic contributions in team settings can be just as important to employees' success and their employers' competitiveness.

Examples of great intangible goals for personal development include "to decrease the number of negative confrontations at work between each performance review until no confrontations arise," or "to speak up and contribute in all team meetings during a specific project."

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