Chief Experience Officer and Chief Operating Officer at Adjuvant.Health

Leslie Baker

Mark Twain said, "you are never wrong to do the right thing," to which I always follow up with my own quote, "but don't be so right you are wrong." What does this have to do with healthcare and practice management specifically?

Everything. Everything we are facing today in practice management. 

Insurance carriers are continuously looking for measures for us to improve, some that are on the edge of unattainable. How much money did you spend over the last few years trying to keep track of all those dollars you could lose? Maybe none, but nothing is free. Perhaps you chose a vendor that "only gets paid if you do."

We all want to provide quality care.

Cleveland Clinic stated in a paper years ago that "quality care is the least of what a patient expects when they come to a healthcare facility."  I'm certain if you polled physicians all over the world, you would find that the vast majority want to provide quality care too. Providing great care is why most went to medical school. Their hearts and minds were in it far beyond what their salary would be. Medical school is not cheap; it takes time and money. Whether they decide to go into private practice, work at a hospital, or be an employed physician or mid-level anywhere, they are probably being squeezed somehow. Do not lose hope; this is not all defeating. 

If you are leading the way with value-based care or like those of us who are in Fee for Service, we are all doing our best to work smarter, not harder. We are all looking for ways to make the business model work that is not at the expense of our doctors and mid-levels. The answer can't be "just see more patients" or "cut expenses." Coding classes will only take you so far if your electronic medical record's workflow or documentation process makes you want to scream – or worse, not take the time to get the code that justifies your time, effort, and results. Almost every medical employee looks to the physician or mid-level for advice, guidance, and direction. They are the revenue generators, and most of us are smart enough to realize that if they are not present, the rest of us are not getting paid either. 

Our teams have repeatedly been a part of "rise to the occasion" cycles over the last couple of years. You could blame COVID, but I believe most administrators would tell you that COVID only exasperated issues that were there all along. Does anyone believe that "silent quitting" is a new phenomenon? Not motivated, not engaged, not passionate. Dying to be recognized for their efforts. Our teams are being cursed at and threatened on any given day because they asked someone to put a mask on. But if they get sick, there is no one left to cover their shift. I promise it gets better. This article is not about being defeated. 

I truly believe we are all trying our best to do what is right for our teams, organizations, and patients. So, where does the "so right, you are wrong" come in? How do you go about implementing new initiatives in your organization? Those measures from the insurance carrier need to be met. However, did you look at your ideas from a cross-functional team or how this will touch or impact every persona on your team? Do you look at ways to work smarter that don't include more visit volume? If there is more visit volume, do you look at what you can add to balance the load amongst everyone on the team, not just the physician or mid-levels shoulders? Because at the end of the day, all your right ideas could feel so wrong to the person you didn't think about the impact for. 

Healthcare is an industry where humans will be needed in many roles more than a machine for quite some time still. How do you empower, motivate, and invigorate your teams?

We all may tackle it differently.

I have found that raising people together through similar training, repetitive language, and behaviors and providing continuous learning opportunities not only empowers (knowledge is power) but also invigorates and motivates teams. One of the most amazing things I get to watch every day is our thirty-plus office managers jumping in to help one another, sharing lessons learned so their peers don't have to make the same mistake, and providing tips and endless knowledge on anything you can think of in healthcare management. I have seen the same with our home office/central office team and, most recently, our physicians and mid-levels.   I firmly believe in making sure the people doing the job have a voice in the job.

The more confident they feel, the more likely they are to bring their best ideas to the table. These things may all seem obvious, but I am astounded at how infrequently they happen in organizations. Build a tribe. A vulnerable, transparent, trusting tribe full of people with a growth mindset. It does not take as long as you think, but it does take time. The best time you will ever expend. 

Healthcare/practice management requires looking at many verticals and variables impacting the organization and employees. However, you do not have to do them all simultaneously, and with proper planning, it will not feel defeating. Also, look for who can help you get it done, not how you can personally do it. There are so many of us out there willing to help one another. We are better together, and you are not in this alone. At the end of the day, and for the success of your organization, you cannot ignore any one piece of it. You are never wrong to do the right thing but avoid the mistake of being so right you are wrong!