Alright, so you read the title of this post and are super interested as to why doctors are really losing money, right? Well I hope so because the truth may hurt some people and their feelings, but it is none the less the truth. First, before we go into depth about the subject at hand I would like to give you a little background and premise for this truth I have found. My wife an I have been in business for the past 18 months and we have encountered many different office managers and observed medical office workflows and have been able to conclude that some of the people running medical practices just don't know what they are doing. I have encountered many office managers and receptionists that just don't have a clue of whats going on in the practice they work in. Partially because they are getting paid and really just don't have to know and now one is really holding their feet to the fire sort to speak.
Incompetent staff members make businesses and medical practices lose tons of money as well as patients and clients. Look, its simple if you have a staff that is fluent, and well versed in the daily operations and customer service than you can save yourself headaches in the long run. I got it sometimes your staff may be comprised of friends and family,honestly who cares if they know what they are doing, but its when they don't that it hurts your pockets and your business. All in all it is safe to say that members of your staff should be trained and have some type of credentialing in order to ensure that you are producing quality work and ensuring that everything is done right the first time around. We, are all human and can make mistakes, but when mistakes become the standard there is an obvious problem that needs to be fixed.
Being ignorant in an area that concerns finances should not be an option for staff members, because they rely on the revenue that comes in so that they can be paid. I would hope that anyone that is working the front desk or processing the claims for a provider would be properly trained and not just "winging it". Just winging it doesn't pay the bills. Maintaining a constant and growing knowledge base is key to the success of individuals as well as companies and medical practices. When members of your staff start becoming complacent and no longer demonstrating the eagerness to excel then it may be time for you to let them go and get people on board that are hungry to see your business grow and have your best interests in mind.
Don't take this a bashing of staff members or employees but rather an education of what to look for and to be mindful in the hiring process so that you are getting the optimal candidate for the job that will provide you with the best outcome and desired results.
