Randall Berning's Smart Words For Smart Doctor CEO's

Too Old To Learn New Tricks?

One of my consulting stories addresses innovation. I relate that for many senior Doctor CEOs they seem to reach a point where the practice is set, at least in their eyes. By that I mean the facility is right, the staff is right, the patient flow is satisfactory, and well, you get the idea. But they often are spending less time at the practice and more time pursuing outside and family interests, particularly if they are considering exiting via selling their equity interest. One doctor told me that "there is no finer practice set up in the whole state". Yet new doctors coming to interview told me they would be making some significant changes to update the practice. For those senior Doctor CEOs and even mid-term doctors settling in to a comfortable niche, my suggestion is don't. Remain an innovator and both you and the practice will be a rewarded with one of the more important attributes for any business, dynamic momentum. As one doctor that embraced innovation said, "this place is alive and we don't want the rut that doing the same thing over and over brings."

Why Does Your Staff Work?

At first glance the answer to the question seems simple, because they need / want a job to earn money to live. But a recent experience by a Doctor CEO provided a far different picture. He asked the question at a recent staff meeting and ended up hearing from all present. There was a lot of involvement by everyone. His experience could be an eye opener for many doctors. He learned that there is a significant number of his staff that value the work place itself and enjoy the patient care or administration tasks that make it all work. They wanted to know what worked and to refine what was they did. He found that others were motivated less by what was occurring at the practice than the personal growth they felt at moving up in responsibility over time. Others valued the staff as a kind of family and support group and were happy working there. If they were not happy at the practice they would leave. Most, of course, worked as an end to the means to provide for their family and meet responsibilities, and for some it was virtually all about compensation and benefits. The amazing thing is that with the conversations at the meeting the Doctor CEO was able to more fully understand what motivated each staff person and so begin to tailor their work and what would motivate each on an individual level. I'd like to suggest that more Doctor CEO's have the same conversations with their staff. Let me know the results!

Reflections: Power 2 Reason Gorman Symposium

The orthodontists and their staff members attending the American Orthodontics sponsored program were treated to a 100% education program. No product displays. No order taking. No speaker representing the company making a pitch. Nothing. And the doctors and staff were thoroughly appreciative. A standing ovation was given to the company for sponsoring this program and all speakers by the audience at the concluding session! How spectacular! I very much enjoyed being part of this special program. Dr. David Sarver, Charlene White and I led off the first morning program with Standing Up To The Adversity In A Volatile World and then David and I presented right after lunch, What Do You Believe? We had a great time and the doctors did too, based on the reaction and comments by doctors afterward. Check out the pictures on our Facebook page!

Doctor CEO Can't Muddle By

A doctor running a larger practice he related to me how he feels he is "running in place" and there is not the "upside" he anticipated at this time in his career. He stated he could not wait for the economy to improve. Until it does he thought he would continue to "muddle by". I believe that is not a productive approach for this or any doctor. Having a vision for the practice that speaks to what that doctor wants to see in delivering care whether in good or bad economic times is a must. There is no room for just treading water. Doctor CEO's in my view are best when they are proactive. They should ALWAYS be seeking to advance their capability and their practice. I never want to see dentists and dental specialists facing what is happening to physicians (and should not be!) see CNN Money article http://money.cnn.com/2012/01/05/smallbusiness/doctors_broke/index.htm  If you believe like I do and want to discuss your vision and how to be proactive in your practice, with your staff and in your market contact me. Tackle It! Consult.

Reality Time

A Doctor CEO related to me that as he and his staff have returned to the practice after a Holiday break everyone feels the time away was too short! Some staff seem to be only "partly here" in their level of attention. In my view now is the time for the Doctor CEO to quickly call a staff meeting, outline the key objectives that have been set for the year and effectively remind everyone it is back to priority one: meeting the needs of the patients that seek care at the practice. This is one of the most important tasks of a leader, guiding the enterprise and all staff to meet their fundamental responsibilities to help ensure the future.

A Reactive Vs Proactive New Year

Right now Doctor CEOs are involved in planning out their initiatives for 2012. We are in the midst of helping a number of those doctors as they seek to guide their practice growth, development, and profitability. Doctors that look out at the next year and largely anticipate that it will be more or less what the current year has been miss, in my view, the opportunity to cast their practice as they deem appropriate. In our planning sessions, we discuss in some detail how the "more of the same" thinking can be seen to be a type of reactive planning. We try to encourage, rather than a reactive approach, a more systematic look at performance and profitability in a proactive approach. Our experience is that when Doctor CEO's see the broad picture, understand how they can mold that picture given certain benchmarks they then routinely focus their time, energy and resources and achieve excellent results. Our best wishes to each of you and may you secure the results you seek in the New Year!

Spend Some Time With Good Brains

I often find during my consulting sessions with Doctor CEOs that they are isolated. Many seem to rely on very few advisors, sometimes limiting guidance to the practice accountant, a supply vendor and a few colleagues. Yet these same doctors readily admit that they are surrounded by very capable people, a local attorney, banking and insurance representatives, civic and government contacts and more. They just don’t think to access these very good brains! Some good questions they should ask are: perspectives on the health of the local economy, plans for the area development, opportunities to serve the needs of the schools or community. We are about to turn a corner and enter a New Year. I’d like to suggest that Doctor CEO’s make of list of contacts they have and make it a point to have a conversation with those on the list over the course of the next year. I know that those contacts will have lots to share and enjoy doing so with a local doctor!

Good Ideas Are Often Just That

Here at Berning & Affiliates we are very involved in year end and next year planning for doctors. It is amazing how many of our clients come to the meetings and talk about ideas they or staff or a spouse have for the practice but not done much to move forward. One new doctor client said, after going though our Doctor CEO Practice Planning meeting, "It is no wonder many of my ideas in years past did not happen - there was no step by step planning and even less implementation!" Doctors often have great ideas to help advance their practice, but an idea is just that if it is not evaluated, tested and if appropriate, put through a rigorous planning process and then implemented.

Unhelpful Actions and Comments

I suspect that some Doctor CEO’s forget just how carefully fellow doctors in the practice and staff weigh the CEO’s actions and words through the course of the days, weeks and months. I say this because in several recent instances I learned of actions that a particular doctor was taking that caused considerable concern to members of her group practice. In taking with the doctor there was definitely a "chip on her shoulder" and the comments were deliberately targeted. But what had escaped her was the extent of the impact the actions had on the harmony of the practice. Avoiding this type of behavior is the best course and will benefit all concerned. If there is a genuine issue to be discussed far better to set up a time and discuss it than to plant hints and diggs at another member(s) of the practice.

Challenge Yourself!

As we turn toward the end of the calendar year, I have noticed there is a tendency that many Doctor CEOs have to begin to float into the Holiday Season. They seem to take their attention off accomplishing lingering practice objectives at one of the most critical times of the year. My experience in guiding practices is that many of those objectives are nearly in reach and can be accomplished if the doctor focused time and resources. The suggestion is to be disciplined and ask staff to participate in prioritizing any remaining practice administration and/or marketing objectives — then launch into completing them before year end. You will find it is a great source of pride for Doctors and Staff to wind up the year having accomplished major milestones and not let them drag into another year.