Staffing costs
typically are the largest expense in a practice. To protect your investment and
build a strong team, you need to help staff members learn and grow. Consider
these ready sources for staff training.
Payers: Payers
often host free webinars. For example, if you treat Medicare patients, use the
Basics of Medicare three-part series available through the Medicare Learning Network
(you’ll need to set up an account). This training is also good for physicians
who want to learn more about Medicare enrollment and billing. The courses cover
Medicare enrollment; compliance with laws, regulations, and policy; Medicare
billing, payment, and appeals; review of laws related to Medicare fraud and
abuse; and more. Commercial payer webinars typically address a specific topic
like using a particular modifier or precertification.
Vendors: When you
bring in new technology, such as a new electronic health record system or
practice management system, include training in the contract. Then budget time
for formal staff training from the vendor. Beyond that, take full advantage of educational
resources a vendor may have online or offer with system updates.
Your own staff: Have
your staff cross-train their colleagues on their job responsibilities and daily
tasks. This gives staff flexibility to move in and out of jobs as needed to
fill in when someone goes on vacation or sick leave, or to step in during busy
times. The American Medical Association says physicians have noted these additional benefits of
cross-training:
- Breaks up the monotony of the week, giving
workers more challenges and variety;
- Gives workers a sense policies and procedures manualof how the practice works
together as a team;
- Helps you or your administrator discover that
certain workers are well-suited for a different position; and
- Helps patients get answers to billing or insurance
questions on the first call because more people will know how to find the
answers.
You, the physician: Hold regular training sessions with
your staff, say monthly. Whatever the training topic or whoever the trainer, be
sure to explain to your staff how the topic fits in with your mission,
objectives, and practice goals. Tell them why you want them to perform a
certain way. Research has shown that people are more likely to comply with
requests when you give them a reason. Writing in Modern Aesthetics, Heidi
Waldorf, MD, says, “People who understand concepts rather than just memorize
facts are … better prepared to manage the unusual and to build on their
knowledge base and will grow into more effective employees for the long term.”
In addition, your practice’s policies and procedures manual can
serve as a training guide for new hires, and remember that HIPAA and the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration mandate annual training for
staff. You can find resources for these and other topics in the TMA Education Center. When you need to train staff on
complex topics, like billing or compliance, consider scheduling a visit from a TMA practice consultant for customized training. Contact a
consultant at practice.consulting[at]texmed[dot]org or (800) 523-8776.
Visit www.texmed.org/HRhelp for more ways TMA can help you manage
human resources in your practice. In addition, registration for TMA’s HumanResources Seminar for physicians and managers is now open for Houston,
Dallas, and Austin.
Published May 27, 2016
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