ABCs: Checklist for a New Practice or a Newly Purchased Practice

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