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Human Resources Management
1. Human Resources Management
By Todd D. Demel, MBA
Management of a medical practice’s human resources can be a time-consuming and
daunting task. For these reasons, it is often put aside or dealt with half-heartedly while
other matters are given greater priority. Since many office managers are typically
overwhelmed, they feel they don’t have the energy to directly address fundamental
personnel deficiencies. However, the very character of an office is determined by the
morale of the staff and culture of the work setting. Furthermore, the functionality of a
medical facility is in large part the result of the talents and capabilities of its people.
Due to the lack of time, energy, or sense of direction, a number of inadequate approaches
are often taken in dealing with personnel issues. These include sweeping issues under the
rug in hopes they will resolve themselves (they rarely do), taking an overbearing,
dictatorial stance towards staff (this can often breed resentment), or spending an
inordinate amount of time counseling those that have issues and continuing down this
path in spite of little or no realization of results.
Whether you are an office manager or a physician grappling with such challenges, as an
individual involved with human resource management (HRM), it is worthwhile to
consider the following characteristics of your behavior.
Communication
Consistency
Specificity
Ethical/ legal dimensions
It is important that expectations and standards are communicated to staff. Each employee
should be crystal clear as to what is expected of them, as well as the type of behavior and
performance that is considered unacceptable. Regular staff meetings present an
opportunity to reiterate guidelines and solicit feedback from staff. An environment that
fosters this kind of open communication helps to dispel an ‘us against them’ mentality
and prevents people from fueling the rumor mill. Employee feedback should be
encouraged since it can lead to solutions to problems and this will enable the practice to
remain dynamic and effective. And leaders must demonstrate consistency in behavior
when administering disciplinary actions so that boundaries remain clear. Otherwise,
guidelines can become blurred, thus resulting in less uniform behavior and performance.
The culture and direction of the practice should match stated objectives and priorities so
that personnel do not receive mixed messages. This is where vision and leadership
become critical. You cannot achieve your goals and get to where you are going if you
have not established and communicated a clear framework for where you want to be.
Leaders and managers must practice what they preach by displaying the very attitude and
performance they are promoting. Remember, patients will ultimately sense whether there
is negativity or feelings of resentment among the staff.
2. Job descriptions define roles and responsibilities and can be very helpful in managing job
performance. They also help to bring about clarity and reduce the likelihood of
misunderstandings. Additionally, job descriptions aid the practice in defending itself
against complaints regarding pay, job performance, or discrimination. Are your job
descriptions current? Personnel and functions may change over time. The descriptions
should be realistic and based on what staff actually does rather than an abstract ideal.
Finally, it is vital to provide constructive feedback and do so in the form of a two-way
dialogue. All too often, employees are caught off guard, surprised, or disappointed during
a performance review. However, if feedback is provided on an ongoing basis to the
employee, there should be no surprises when it comes time for their 90-day or annual
review. And don’t forget about recognition. Studies show that recognition can be as
important as pay, benefits, and status. Feedback should not be one-dimensional; so give
credit where credit is due. In receiving accolades, your employees will feel valued and
appreciated and this will motivate them to continue delivering optimum performance.
• Practice Strategies has vast experience and expertise in healthcare operations and finance and
offers specialized and effective physician practice management services. For more information,
please visit: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/todd-demel-mba/4/7b6/87b or contact Todd Demel at (954)
475-3199.