11/21/2013    

RESPONSES/COMMENTS (STAFF ISSUES) - PART 1

RE: Source for Finding Office Staff (Jack Ressler, DPM)

From: Cindy Pezza, PMAC

 

Dr. Ressler, I commend you for recognizing your retiring back office assistant as an "asset to your office." In my encounters with practices of all ages and sizes, success (and lack there of) always seems to stem from one common denominator - staff. There is no formal training for podiatric assistants, and so I recommend "going with your gut" and finding a person who has exceptional people skills as well as the potential to learn and grow with your practice. These qualities may be found in a trained medical assistant from your local community college or better yet, found in the person who serves up your "half skinny grande latte" at the local Starbucks!  

 

When it comes to people skills and multi-tasking in a way that keeps your "customers" happy and the bottom line increasing, there is no better place to look than high volume, quality franchises that serve just about everything with a smile. I wish you well in your search and remember to hire slowly and...you know the rest!

 

Cindy Pezza, PMAC, Pinnacle Practice Achievement, LLC, cpezzapmac@gmail.com

Other messages in this thread:

---

11/18/2013    

RESPONSES/COMMENTS (STAFF ISSUES) - PART 1B

RE: Staff Receiving Tips From Patients (Gary Hoberman, DPM)

From: Estelle Albright, DPM, 

 

I once had a patient hand me a $50 bill at Christmastime. I politely handed it back and said, "No, but thanks for the thought. That's very kind of you." He then dropped it on my office floor, and walked out, saying "Oops, look what I dropped," and left with a smile on his face. I donated the $50 to charity and sent him a note saying thank you for the charitable donation.

 

Estelle Albright, DPM,  Indianapolis, IN, estellealbright@hotmail.com 

---

11/18/2013    

RESPONSES/COMMENTS (STAFF ISSUES) - PART 1A

RE: Staff Receiving Tips From Patients (Gary Hoberman, DPM)

From: Joel Lang, DPM

 

I am totally in agreement with staff accepting a tangible (but inexpensive) gift from a patient as a token of their appreciation. In such a case, the staff person can be gracious and appreciative and the relationship with the patient is enhanced.

 

However, cash gifts are a different thing. The acceptance of such a gift puts the staff member in the same category as a waiter/waitress, cab driver or bell hop. It detracts from the professionalism of their position.

 

In that case, the staff member should gracefully express appreciation and request that the gift be given to the patient's favorite charity. If the patient becomes uncomfortably insistent that the gift be accepted, then the staff member can reply that it in the spirit of the holiday season, or any season, it will be given to his/her favorite charity.

 

Both parties part feeling good about the exchange and the professional relationship is preserved.

 

Joel Lang, DPM (retired), Cheverly, MD, langfinancial@verizon.net