Navigating the Corporate Structure to Get What You Need: Part 1

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Any views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and/or participants and do not necessarily reflect the views, policy, or position of The Dermatologist or HMP Global, their employees, and affiliates.

Speaking to Administrators

Most dermatologists now work in a group practice or corporate structure. When they want to make a purchase, such as buying a new laser, or hire another staff member, they need to ask for approval from one or more administrators, where they previously could make this decision themselves. When bringing your proposal to an administrator, it is important to talk to them in the language they understand. Clinical leaders of multispecialty groups are increasingly asked to focus on quality goals. Become familiar with these goals and explain how your proposal will help, such as seeing an additional patient each day to decrease wait times. If your administrator is driven by finance, make sure you have put together a business plan. Ask your chief financial officer for a template and review it with them beforehand. On the day of your presentation, the decision maker will often suggest changes. If it is a small tweak, you may want to agree even if it was not in your original vision. Let them get their fingerprints on the project so they feel some ownership of it and they will become an advocate for the project.

Jason Reichenberg, MD | Austin, TX

Scheduling in Bad Weather

If it is a very cold or snowy/icy week, consider asking reception to book you a couple of extra patients each day as the no-show/cancelation/ rescheduling number of patients generally increases. This will reduce your frustration and thumb-twiddling time. With that said, it is also sometimes nice to have some breathing room to catch up on your paperwork, clean up your office, and check on your staff to see how they are doing.

Benjamin Barankin, MD, FRCPC | Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Staying Close to an On-Time Schedule

It may see obvious but give your office staff permission to book a patient they sense is coming in with a potentially complicated issue as the last patient of your morning appointments or at the end of your day. This way, if you run over, the rest of your schedule is preserved. Being hopelessly behind is no fun. Never have your staff fit in a patient without knowing how long the appointment might be. If before-lunch or end-of-day appointments are inconvenient for the patient, have your staff explain that they are booking during those special times so you have plenty of time to evaluate the patient’s concerns. Patients will hopefully understand and you will hopefully stay closer to being on time.

Steve Shama, MD | Brookline, MA