by Vanessa Caceres Contributing Writer
Your practice—
A great place to work?
I
t's not easy in today's medical
world to create a collegial work
environment. First, because of
cuts in reimbursement, the vast
majority of ophthalmic prac-
tices see a high volume of patients,
leaving doctors and staff to work at a
frenetic pace.
"There aren't the same opportu-
nities as before for collaboration or
to get to know one another," said
Liz Ferron, MSW, LICSW, vice presi-
dent of service delivery, Physician
Wellness Services, Minneapolis.
Second, it's a challenge to find
staff who fit into the corporate
culture, said Michael J. Lutz, COE,
CMPE, MBA, chief operating officer,
Associates in Ophthalmology,
with seven locations in and near
Pittsburgh. "We make sure to evalu-
ate personality and ability to work
in teams during our interview
process to ensure we don't hire
someone who will adversely change
the environment," he said.
Third, physicians often operate
in isolation as they treat patients.
"There's a lack of coordination of
roles and responsibilities because
people are on their own gerbil
wheel, doing their own thing," said
Seattle-based Dike Drummond,
MD, a life and career strategist for
physicians who manages the website
TheHappyMD.com.
Finally, traditional medical
school training focuses on competi-
tion and a defensive attitude,
instead of collaboration and an
openness to feedback, said John-
Henry Pfifferling, PhD, director,
Center for Professional Well-Being,
Durham, N.C.
Despite the challenges, a work-
place that's pleasant for both doctors
and staff is crucial to reduce medical
errors. "Most medical errors are
caused by system failure," said Dr.
Pfifferling. It also can boost long-
term employee retention—which is
less expensive and time consuming
than a new-employee search.
Just how can ophthalmologists
ensure that their practice is a place
of welcome collaboration and colle-
giality?
Ophthalmology Business
66
April 2014
Make sure you've got these
plans in place to boost your
work environment
We understand that space is critical in today's modern eye care facilities.
The Accutome B-Scan and UBM Plus are portable, high-definition probes
that provide remarkable image quality. The units link directly to
a PC, laptop or tablet. We also o"er unlimited software licenses,
so you can be ready to scan in any exam room.
3222 Phoenixville Pike, Malvern, PA 19355 USA • 800-979-2020 • 610-889-0200 • FAX 610-889-3233 • www.accutome.com
www.accutome.com/product/ubm-plus
LET'S TALK
SOLUTIONS
SKU 24-6300
www.accutome.com/product/b-scan-plus
SKU 24-6100
Visit us at ASCRS
Booth #655
a
