Exploring Benefits Of Virtual Practice Management
Experienced small-business owners understand the flaws in micro-managing tasks or attempting roles outside the scope of their expertise.
Instead, building a cohesive team of doctors and support staff can optimise individual skill sets while external expertise can supplement those areas that require specific skills or technology.
Pivotal to the success of establishing, connecting and maintaining these resources is to have quality practice management at the core.
What To Look For In Practice Management
Quality practice management requires proficiencies in areas as diverse as strategic planning, governance, risk management, human resources, marketing, clinical operations, information management and financial literacy.
Beyond business operations, a practice manager should hold specific qualities such as a passion for the industry, outstanding organisational skills and confidence to lead the team.
They should also nurture a strong and positive culture within the practice while staying informed to ensure constant improvement within the business.
The overview a practice manager has of your medical business will see them leverage external services as required when implementing solutions and providing support.
Virtual Practice Management
Otherwise known as remote practice management, the primary advantage of virtual practice management is saving practice resources.
These savings can include costs associated with physical infrastructure, such as office space, utilities, and maintenance, and in the long term, positively impact payroll.
Remote practice management can focus on broader business strategies and tasks critical to ongoing management.
To better understand how remote practice management can fit into your current medical centre or proposed practice setup, please view Nicky’s workflow chart here.
Whatever the system chosen, Nicky can utilise existing software within the practice and incorporate free online services to aid communication, along with traditional telecommunication methods.
A missing link to success
Seeing practice principals struggling to manage their business when a practice setup commences is understandable.
Remote practice management caters for these circumstances as the services provided are scalable to the current needs of a practice.
Practice operations left without a practice manager quickly become chaotic and dysfunctional.
However, remote practice management can address the most urgent needs of the practice and plan future improvements.
Where others may struggle to manage a business in this state, a remote practice manager relishes the opportunity to instigate changes.
Initiating the shift to virtual management
Once a change to virtual practice management begins within a medical business, these adjustments may encounter resistance.
Remote practice management can offer directives from practice principals and stakeholders independent of politics within the business.
A period of uncertainty and paralysis occurs initially for all staff during these changes.
However, a good practice manager can capitalise on this state of flux by promoting new concepts to staff before opinions become entrenched.
Entrenched attitudes and outdated systems may prove challenging for someone within the practice to shift.
Although encouraging staff to embrace change is difficult, it is much easier when this leader of change is independent of the practice population.
This position of autonomy allows virtual practice management to remain in touch with staff yet retain the clarity, flexibility and responsiveness required to create stable change.
Meeting administrative and operational expectations
Although staff can carry out independent tasks, virtual practice management provides mentoring while helping the team maintain communication, clear goals and performance standards.
Getting staff on board with virtual practice management requires some short-term gains to demonstrate its potential.
Lining up and tackling practice management challenges can boost morale and help increase staff engagement.
Access to just a business manager may fail to improve issues if they lack medical practice management experience.
Virtual practice management can quickly identify issues common to most practices and streamline their solutions to the needs of your practice.
Developing clear organisational policies and procedures and well-defined roles facilitates a common path for all staff from the front desk to clinical.
Building a positive framework for overhauling inefficiencies and deficiencies within a practice can have a flow-on effect when addressing expectations and professional development plans.
Through creating a shared vision for your team, remote practice management can help combat the time demands placed on staff by simplifying and optimising clinical workflows.
Where to from here?
Whether a small remote practice seeking an influx of fresh ideas or a well-established medical centre requiring an overhaul, Nicky can assist with your practice management and business operations.
Her experience in setting up and maintaining medical practices for over a decade can help your business adapt to the ever-changing landscape of healthcare delivery.
To learn more about how Nicky Jardine can help you reach your health business potential, please email nicky@nickyjardine.com.