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Are most practice managers “dis-servicing” their doctors? |
Most Practice Managers do not consider themselves to be in the power seat of our healthcare system. Most claim to be overworked and underpaid. If you look at job satisfaction indexes, Practice Managers are not considered a happy lot. There is plenty to make the job difficult; misbehaving employees, excessive red tape, difficult patients, and demanding doctors. However, ask any medical sales rep and they will tell you that the Practice Managers is the one who wields all the power in our healthcare system. It is the manager who determines who talks to the doctor and what gets purchased, the technology that gets implemented into the office, and the upgrades to administrative processes. Sure, the doctor rants and raves around the office and thinks he or she is in control, but when push comes to shove, most office managers determine what gets done.
As physician practices face one of the significant periods of change in our healthcare systems’ history, it will be the practice managers who will determine the fate of most doctors. This is where the challenge comes in; will practice managers be equipped to play their role to transform one of the most complex bureaucracies in America? Most experts believe they will need to change some of their most fundamental ways of operating. Here’s why:
For the most part, practice managers have adopted the role of gatekeeper. Gatekeeping is a defensive role characterized by putting up barriers to protect the doctor from intruders. Part of this comes from the importance of keeping the doctor on schedule. The other part comes from some instinctive need to protect the doctor species who seem vulnerable and ill-equipped to do much else other than practice medicine.
This instinct and management style of their practice managers may prove to be the undoing of many doctors. Physician practices are embarking upon a time of great change. The healthcare system is bankrupt, fees will be cut, red tape will increase, cash medicine is on the upswing, baby boomers are entering the Medicare age, healthcare reform has passed; all these factors point to massive CHANGE.
To respond effectively to change, a practice needs to have a posture of openness, willing to try new things, learn new approaches. This is a very offensive approach, contrary to the common defensive approach of the past. Rather than gatekeepers, practice managers need to be funnels and filters of information and new ideas that can reshape the practice for the future.
Are practice managers wired in such a way that they can lead the way to change or will they lock their doctors into the old way of doing healthcare? Only time will tell.
Who is next to control the lives of doctors
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One Response to “Are most practice managers “dis-servicing” their doctors?”
Rebecca Morehead says:
2010/04/30 at 3:10 am
Great article Fred. No matter how you are wired individual coaching can help pull out the greatness that is there inside. As a Practice Manager Coach for http://www.practicemanagersolutions.com that is my specialty. Now is the time to try things you have never done. Together we can explore the difficulties and shine the light on your bright future.
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