Sometimes when I feel like challenging myself I’ll try to make a checklist in the form of the ABCs. It’s a great brainstorming technique and you can take a little poetic license just for fun. Here’s a list for new practice start-ups or practices being acquired by larger practices or hospitals.
Appointment schedules, (are wRVUs or appointment hours required for base salary or break even?), Answering service, Answering machine
Business cards, announcements, advertisements, letterhead, logo
Credentialing, vendor notification, payer notification
Descriptions, positions (administrative & clinical support), medical director, physician leader
Evaluations (performance) for staff, mid-level providers, physicians, managers
Financial reports and practice benchmarking, budget, financial and payment policies
Group purchasing with hospital discounts or association discounts
Housing – offices, staff, lab, procedures, breakroom, supplies, storage
Information Systems – telephones, email, smartphones, pagers, laptops, PM, EMR, PACS, training and sign-off
Joint Commission or AAAHC requirements accreditation
K(401) and other retirement programs (403B, 457, non-qualified)
Liability insurance, professional and other
Medical associations and other dues and licenses, Music or messages on hold
New employee practice or hospital orientation, National Patient Safety Guidelines
Operations management – chain of command, organizational chart
Payroll setup and payables protocols
Questions about benefits, same as hospital, new practice or different?
Rx pads and electronic prescribing
Sample meds & pharma visit policy to conform to hospital or practice policy, Staff competency checklists
Trips – professional development, continuing education allowances and protocols
Undercoding and overcoding chart audits, charge reporting mechanism
Vetting who will take call & when
Website update, overhaul or brand-new
Xactly to whom do the physicians report?
Yes or no to PQRI?
Z-z-z– time away from the practice/PTO
