5 ‘green flags’ to look for when hiring a medical practice manager
Behind the scenes of every profitable medical practice? A knowledgeable, and savvy medical practice manager. This is the person who oversees the entire revenue cycle management and staffing aspects of your medical practice. They’re the one who notices an uptick in claim denials and unites everyone to create a proactive plan for risk mitigation. They field patient feedback to create a more positive patient experience. Healthcare staff shortages? They’re at the helm ready to expedite a candidate search, partner with an outsource vendor, or even pitch in with various office duties as needed.
Recognizing the importance of the role of practice manager
The role of practice manager is a powerful one that comes with significant responsibility. That’s why it’s critical to find the right person for the medical practice management job. While there are many red flags to avoid when hiring, this article focuses on the green flags—in other words, what you should be looking for in a candidate.
1. They have the right education. Though not always required, a bachelor’s degree in health administration or a master’s degree in business administration (MBA), public health (MPH), health administration (MHA), or public administration (MPA) can be very beneficial. Also look for additional certifications in medical coding and medical practice management specifically.
2. They prioritize knowledge expansion. A valuable medical practice manager understands this fact: Change is the only constant in healthcare. Therefore, they strive to stay abreast of financial and operational trends that may affect your medical practice directly, such as healthcare staffing shortages, medical coding changes, payer policy changes, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and so much more. They read books about leadership and business, attend industry meetings, monitor payer websites, participate in continuing education courses, and network with others to ensure they’re ‘in the know.’
3. They explore revenue cycle management opportunities and improvements. The ideal medical practice manager knows that revenue cycle efficiencies are paramount to promote financial sustainability. This means they’re willing to look at your current solutions and processes to suggest potential areas of process improvement. It’s about finding ways to increase revenue, prevent denials, and leverage automation for the benefit of the business. They’re not afraid to try new approaches and think outside the box. For example, they may advocate for hiring a patient financial counselor, suggest you outsource your revenue cycle function, or insist on redesigning your patient billing statement. Just because you’ve always done something one way doesn’t deter them from considering an alternative.
4. Their work experience aligns with your business needs. Be clear on your practice manager job responsibilities. For example, are you looking to grow your business? If so, you may need a medical practice manager with solid marketing experience and the ability to create policies and procedures from the ground up. Are you looking for help with denial management? Expanding telehealth? Improving the patient experience to compete in a statured marketplace? Adding a new service line such as chronic care management? Look for someone with the right medical practice manager qualifications who has the right mix of education and experience to help you accomplish strategic goals. They’re out there. It just might take a little digging to find them.
5. They possess strong leadership capabilities and negotiation skills. Regardless of your specific business needs, there are two skills every successful medical practice possesses: Leadership and negotiation. Leadership skills enable this individual to handle daily patient care responsibilities, manage administrative work, and delegate tasks appropriately. In the role of practice manager, negotiation skills are important. The right candidate can mediate conflict quickly and advocate for what’s in the best interest of patients and the practice as a whole.
Tips for hiring a medical practice manager
As you embark on the hiring process, consider these tips:
Actively recruit for the position. Consider posting the job opening with other medical practice manager job opportunities on mgma.com, LinkedIn.com, and a variety of other well-known job board websites.
Conduct a background check and speak to the references the job candidate provides.
Jot down interview questions in advance to make the most of your time together. Be sure to ask how they would respond in various scenarios involving patients, staff, and payers. Ask them how they will fulfill specific practice manager job responsibilities.
Narrow down your candidates based on their education, experience, and skills. Think critically about the medical practice manager qualifications you require.
Onboard the medical practice manager immediately after they start the new job so they understand the medical practice’s finances, internal and external stakeholder relationships, and organizational priorities.
Start with a phone interview to get a sense of their communication style and then meet in person or on video for a second round of interviews.
Try to decide as quickly as possible so you don’t miss out on your top pick.
Be prepared to discuss why your medical practice is a great place to work. With so many medical practice manager job opportunities out there, you’ll need to stand out.
Looking ahead
Finding the right medical practice manager is well worth the time and effort it may take. This individual runs important aspects of your business—particularly revenue cycle management—and it’s critical to find someone who know how to leverage people, processes, and technology effectively. Learn how edgeMED can help and be sure to check the Healthy Snacks blog for more expert insights, best practices and industry trends.
