BLOG: Evaluating associate physicians and what owners look for when choosing a partner, part 1

You have signed the contract. You will now work together for about the next 2 years, while evaluating each other. Will you want to be business partners in the future?

As the business of ophthalmology becomes more complex and profit margins slimmer, whom you partner with becomes even more critical. I’ve listed several key points below to help guide associate physicians to become a business partner. For those of you making the decision to ask a physician to be your partner, these tips can be helpful for you, too. They will assist you in assessing if the associate has what it takes to boost and contribute to your practice.

1. Act like you are a partner already — within reason and certainly without the clout. Show by early example that you will be an excellent business owner.

Here’s how:

Dress like the partners in your practice. Whether that means a suit or scrubs doesn’t matter. Dress crisply and professionally. Excellent grooming helps create the image for your patients that you are sharp in all areas. It says to the office employees that you are invested in and care about the practice. It may not be your personal preference, but it is a part of being on the team. (An early lesson from my mother was to never leave my desk without my jacket on. In grad school they told us to dress in a suit like the hospital president, even though we were administrative residents. This works to build respect even before you have the chance to prove yourself.)
Show appropriate interest in the business side of the practice.
- o Ask how to improve your coding and billing.
- o Learn how to attract and retain new patients.
- o Develop good relationships with mid-level managers and the practice administrator.
- o Be a role model for excellent customer service. Go out of your way to exceed patient expectations.
- o Always say “yes” to the addition of a patient to your schedule — even and especially at the end of your day.
- • Ask to attend management meetings, as appropriate, so you can begin to learn how owners manage the practice and about all the complex issues that are involved.
Volunteer to be on management committees and task forces that need MD support, eg, OSHA, Compliance, Chart Review/QA/Process Improvement.

Corinne Z. Wohl, MHSA, COE, is the administrator at Delaware Ophthalmology Consultants and can be reached at czwohl@gmail.com.