Professionalism lessons from a former medical administrator

In the recent issue of MGMA e-source, there was a reprint of an article by Mark G. Sanders, CPA, a former MGMA member and now owner of MGS Consulting, Louisville, Ky.

Almost four years after the physicians in the practice he ran took the advice of a consultant, he was fired along with other senior staff and the consultant was appointed the new CEO of the group. Now, three doctors have escorted him from the building. They had had enough. But to Mark’s credit he wrote, “It’s no time to gloat or say, I told you so. It's time to grieve for a practice that lost a great deal in a short time.”

The consultant had proceed to damage, dissolve or disrupt physician-to-physician, physician-to-hospital and physician-to-teaching-institute relationships that had been in place for decades. So how could the physicians allow this to happen to their organization? Here are six take-aways Mark got from it and they are dead on:

• Be prepared – all practices change
• Many people – physicians included – avoid conflict and frequently acquiesce to whoever makes the most noise
• Establish an employment agreement that stipulates, among other things, what "the end" looks like
• By the time you believe an employment agreement is a good idea, it's probably too late to get one approved
• Physicians need to understand that the grass is not always greener for them somewhere else
• There will always be someone who says he/she can do your job better than you can

This is good advice for all medical practice administrators and something all should think about it. Practices are “changing” all over the place right now, so be prepared. Physicians, you should think about this too.

About the Author

Reed Tinsley CPA

This article is written by Reed Tinsley, a Houston, TX-based CPA with over 30 years of experience advising physicians and medical practices across Texas and the United States. Reed holds certifications as a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA), Certified Healthcare Business Consultant (CHBC), and Certified Financial Planner (CFP), specializing exclusively in the healthcare sector. He is a published author, nationally recognized speaker, and trusted advisor to physicians on accounting & tax, practice management, and financial planning. Schedule a Free Consultation.