Practice Assessment

Normally, a practice assessment focuses on general areas and would not cover every topic in this outline. It is our experience, however, that the topics specified below are the major issues with which we should be concerned.

Introduction:
Practice Strategy, Mission Statement, Values, Goals, Objectives and Historical Background (Date of Organization, Legal Structure, Networks, Contracts, Other Pertinent Information)

Personnel Management
  • Wage, Salary and Benefits Program
  • Job Descriptions and Responsibilities Review; Job Design
  • Personnel Manual Analysis
  • Staff Meetings and Communications
  • Teambuilding
  • Staff Attitudes
  • Employee Performance Reviews
  • Physician Recruitment
  • Staff Development and Training Programs
  • In House Payroll Analysis
  • Physician Salary/Benefit Program
  • Governance Policy (Organizational Structure) Staffing and Lines of Authority
  • Employee Health and Safety
  • Personnel Files Issues
  • Productivity Improvement

    Financial Management
  • Financial Policies
  • Collection and Billing Procedures
  • Cash and Deposit Reconciliation Procedures
  • Accounts Receivable Analysis
  • Third Party Reimbursements and Fee Analysis
  • Superbill/Fee Ticket/Routing Slip Systems
  • Practice Productivity Statistics
  • Insurance Processing and Percentages by Carrier
  • Capitation Analysis
  • Overhead Analysis
  • Supply Purchasing Arrangements - Material Management Evaluation
    Inventory & Control
  • Financial Reports
    Cash Flow
    Balance Sheet
    Income
    Operating & Capital Budgets
    Ratio Analyses

    Physical Plant
  • Evaluation of Office Design as it affects Patient Flow
  • Available Equipment for your Medical Specialty
  • Office Equipment Analysis; Lease - Purchase Agreements
  • Evaluation of Telephone and Dictating Equipment
  • Medical Records Filing Systems
  • General Condition of the Physical Plant and Spatial Conditions
  • Safety & Security (Right-To-Know, Chemicals, Alarm System)
  • Disaster Plan
  • Risk Management
  • Future Office Construction or Renovation Plans
  • Computer System Analysis
  • Laboratory Facilities/Policy (Ancillary Services)
  • Quality Control/Assurance

    Practice Marketing:(Description of Market & Products/Services)
  • Internal Marketing
    Practice Brochure
    Patient Educational Literature
    Appointment Systems
    Appointment Recall Systems
    Appointment Reminder Systems
    Missed Appointment Follow-ups
  • External Marketing: (Size and Nature of Market, PR)
    Advertisements (Yellow Pages, Etc.)
    Educational Programs to Seniors, Etc.
    Involvement with Nursing Homes and Community Outreach Programs, Networking within the Medical Community
    Market Demographics (age, sex, geographic location, etc.)
    Patient Surveys
    Referral Source Analysis
    Sports/Medicine Physical Fitness

    Return to the HAS page.