The days when an office manager was also the spouse of the physician who came and went as she or he pleased are over.ย  Today, a busy practice needs a reliable practice manager who is more than capable of multitasking.

This can be a difficult position to fill, but knowing what qualities are most important can help make more effective hiring decisions.

The six skills of highly effective practice managers include:

1. Experience

Search for a practice manager who has been around the block. Make sure he or she has had experience running a practice that is similar in size or scope to yours.

Shorr Thing Interview Tip: Review their resume, and make sure that they have not jumped around too much. Look for a solid work history and upward mobility. Red flags may include large gaps of unemployment and job hopping, or those who move from one employer to another every ย 2 years or less.

2.People Skills

Patience, along with the ability to listen and communicate in a caring manner and address any problems fairly and equitably, are important for practice managers as they will be interfacing with your staff, patients, vendors, and insurers.

Shorr Thing Interview Tip: The candidate should be likable. Are they easy to talk to? Personable? Do they look you in the eye? Have a firm handshake? These are qualities that speak to people skills.

3. Conflict Resolution Chops

A skilled practice manager needs to be able to handle patientsโ€™ concerns and serve as a buffer when the patient is dissatisfied. He or she must know how to listen, empathize, and address the patientโ€™s concerns in a manner that is agreeable to both the surgeon and the patient. Itโ€™s not always easy being Switzerland, but for a practice manager, it is essential.

Shorr Thing Interview Tip: Ask for a concrete example of a situation where a patient was unhappy, and how the candidate addressed it.

4.Product Knowledge

High-level staff members must have more than a basic knowledge of the services you perform and the products you sell to train new-hires and manage patient expectations.

Shorr Thing Interview Tip: Ask the candidate what they know about the procedures that are performed at your practice. Here, you are looking for honesty. Itโ€™s OK if they donโ€™t know the difference between a transconjunctival blepharoplasty and a subciliary one. A bright candidate can learn these nuances.

5.Financial Acuity

Negotiating with vendors and staff can yield more profit than revenue. This ability is a must for an effective practice manager.

Shorr Thing Interview Tip: Steal a trick from The Wolf of Wall Street, and ask the candidate to sell you a pen. See how they approach the salesmanship and negotiation, with you playing the cost-conscious buyer. This exercise may prove telling.

ย 6.Desire for Autonomy

A practice manager cannot be afraid to take control. They must
feel a sense of ownership in the practice to be able to make decisions. This autonomy can never be attained if you micromanage your high-level staffers.

Shorr Thing Interview Tip: Provide some scenarios where a stealth decision would be needed, and see if the candidate has what it takes to own the situation. n

Jay A. ShorrJay A. Shorr, BA, MBM-C, CAC I-VI, is the founder and managing partner of The Best Medical Business Solutions, based in Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, Fla. His column, โ€œThe Shorr Thing,โ€ appears in every issue of Plastic Surgery Practice. He can be reached via [email protected].