Eyeworld

by Mark E. Kropiewnicki, Esq., L.L.M. Your ophthalmology practice needs a practice retreat I n an ophthalmology group practice, planning necessitates the input of all the owners to construct a viable business plan. Issues need to be dealt with, differing views need to be dis- cussed, compromises need to be made, and a direction set for the fu- ture. This kind of interaction is usu- ally done within the confines of the office, yet the typical daily distur- bances of phone calls, staff interrup- tions, and a steady stream of patients tend to make productive planning difficult, if not impossible. It is hard to concentrate on future planning when there are other day- to-day issues to deal with on a much more immediate basis. Because thorough planning is such an important aspect of manag- ing an ophthalmology practice, an off-site planning retreat is beneficial to practice owners and to non- owner ophthalmologists who will be important to the future of the prac- tice either as future co-owners or as patient care providers. The group practice can benefit from input from its non-owner ophthalmologists dur- ing portions of the retreat. Similarly, the practice administrator or office manager should be invited for most, if not all, of the retreat. Commercial businesses large and small regularly devote a day or more to structuring and planning the direction of the company. Oph- thalmology practices would be wise to follow the same business princi- ples. It makes good sense. Location The retreat can be held at a number of different places, but we find that the best location is usually a conven- ient hotel away from the office and its distractions. Sometimes retreat sessions start early and run late, so staying overnight often makes sense, especially if your retreat starts Satur- day and ends Sunday morning. Most hotels offer meeting room space and serve meals and provide refresh- ments during breaks. Also, if you use a hotel on the weekend, you may get a price break since meeting rooms tend to be vacant on the weekends. The facilitator One person should be assigned the task of moderating and facilitating the retreat. It is usually not a good idea to have any of the practice's regular advisors handle this job. The practice's regular advisors often will be too close to the practice or have vested interests in the final deci- sions. Thus, the practice would be better served to have them as partic- ipants along with the ophthalmolo- gists. A better idea would be to have a business person or outside consult- ant with no affiliation to the prac- tice but who knows and understands medical practices serve as the facili- tator. The facilitator can be nonjudg- mental when issues are discussed and can help keep discussions on track. The facilitator's main job is to keep the group focused on the pri- mary goals of the retreat. It is easier to do this when the facilitator comes from outside the circle of the prac- tice and its regular advisors. The agenda The first item for the retreat should be to develop the practice's mission statement. Your practice needs to go beyond the typical statement "pro- viding quality ophthalmic care to our patients." Consider what you mean by "ophthalmic care." Does this mean the practice's basic oph- thalmic services or does it mean spe- cialized ophthalmic or other ancillary services? Think also of how broadly the term "patients" should EW Ophthalmology Business 50 March 2011 July 2011

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