The Qualities Of A Good Medical Office Manager

The qualities of a good medical office manager are the qualities of a good manager in any kind of office setting, but with the added responsibilities of having to handle the unique culture and procedures of the healthcare industry. Some medical office managers are generalists in charge of an entire facility and some are specialists who oversee one area of a hospital, nursing home, or clinic.

Communication

The medical office manager must, almost above all else, effectively communicate and be able to hear and understand what others are saying to them. They must communicate with the physicians, nurses and other staff in their office and often with patients. Good communication means that a patient gets the correct dosage of a medication. Miscommunication can mean they get a dosage that is ten times too strong. Communication or its failure can be the difference between life and death.

Time

The medical office manager usually has to work long and sometimes grueling hours. This means they have to budget their time effectively. They will have to manage the time of their staff and delegate responsibilities to them. They have to keep their office tidy in order to work more efficiently, file paperwork, avoid unnecessary interruptions and learn to know the difference between true and false emergencies. They will have to learn how to use technology and keep abreast of a changing and evolving healthcare system.

Decisions

The medical office manager will have to learn how to make decisions and will sometimes have to make them instantly. They'll have to decide who to involve in their decision. Should they involve members of their staff, or their superiors, or both of them? They will have to learn to deal with the decisions of other workers. They will have to gather information, minimize and manage risks and get approval for their final decision from their own boss. Once the decision is made, they will have to monitor its progress.

The medical office manager must write up briefs, proposals and reports to be read by the staff and other office managers and administrators in the medical facility where they work. They might even have to help plan an advertising campaign to get would-be patients to use the medical facility.

Delegation and Motivation

The medical office manager will have to know how to delegate responsibility, especially if the medical facility they work for is large. They have to select which tasks to assign to others on their staff and which tasks to keep for themselves. They have to support the people to whom they delegate their tasks, give positive feedback, reward them and offer correction if necessary.

The medical officer manager will also have to motivate their staff, both individually and as a group, appraise them and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses.

Jane Sanders writes at Higher Salary about finding a better paying career. Learn more about finding a better paying career here: http://www.highersalary.com/


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