Start your career in healthcare with a productive and positive mindset by improving your billing, teamwork, and workplace productivity. Check out a few thoughts on ways to improve those aspects of your practice: 

Billing patients through your mobile device, with access to codes and reminders, is one of the most efficient methods of improving productivity. For busy offices or hospitals, this is especially important since there is already a great deal of paperwork you are constantly in charge of. Billing for services rendered on the spot, while information is still fresh and on your mind, encourages productivity by simply avoiding things piling up quickly. As a new physician, you should be made aware of what is and is not eligible for billing. Familiarizing yourself with what’s available within your specialty is an important aspect of strengthening your earnings by being more organized.

Once you are in charge of a team or working closely with one, providing and working towards a positive work environment is key for your practice to thrive. A few tips for teamwork and workplace productivity to improve your overall working environment:

1. Have an office policy that is easy to understand, follow, and read while a patient is in the waiting room. It is recommended to keep posters with clear text and visuals in waiting rooms and exam rooms for items such as cost of sick notes, forms, and letters. You can also distribute a simple questionnaire to each patient upon arrival. This allows both doctors and staff to quickly identify the reason for the patient’s visit and whether certain forms, notes or prescription refills are needed.
2. Offload low value or undesirable tasks. Your overall productivity will be improved and more time for patient care and other important tasks will be provided. Unfortunately, this is not taught in medical school, but to run a small business this is necessary! If you do not have a medical office assistant or nurses to perform tasks such as taking vitals, weight checks, urine dips, phone calls, etc., you should certainly take the time and resources to hire them. Once you do so, don’t forget to appreciate their assistance by creating a positive work environment where your employees are seen as  valuable contributors to the office.
   To allow for even more success, you can also develop a ranking system for tasks that allows you to decide how a task ranks in importance for completion that day. 
3. Be a team player. Communicate with your staff, create appropriate workplace bonds, and always make sure you are a part of the team. 
4. Do not overwork yourself. Saying no to patients or colleagues is OK and encouraged when you feel the need to. Burnout is especially a reality for doctors and this is due to too many tasks and too much paperwork. Know your limits, know what you’re willing to do, and the results you can deliver. Focus on your top priorities rather than the tasks that you’re dreading. 
5. Meet with your colleagues outside of work. You can do so by joining a network together or a study club. Give yourself and your colleagues the space to bounce ideas off of each other and to discuss challenging cases. Not only will this increase productivity, it will also increase accountability and motivation amongst your staff.

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