Louis Costa

You all are way ahead of the curve.  I see major parallels in your employee’s story and that of many physicians in practice today, a leadership style that places them in an unsustainable practice pattern that affects their ability to deliver quality care and ends up adversely impacting the fulfillment we all look for in our lives.  I know I am g…[Read more]

Randi, I use that phase all the time to describe physicians and business skills.  When I started business training and started knowing what I didn’t know, my head almost exploded.

As I mentioned in another reply, the Ritz Carlton, has one of the most engaged workforces in the world.  They have a 5 minute huddle every day and one person has to t…[Read more]

Randi and Betty, you both are truly physician business people.  I am interested in the person who just left.  The position may have been not so well defined so she took on as much as she wanted with not very good insight into the sustainability of the job.  We had a resident from Hopkins who went to a practice in Chicago.  He would be und…[Read more]

Imagine the Ritz Carlton Hotel Company.  They have the most engaged workforce, maybe in the world.  The employees are not paid any higher that other Marriott (partner company) employees, yet their turnover is much less and their performance much higher.  They practice “Quality Leadership” beginning with a beginning of shift huddle to in…[Read more]

What you describe is common to most organizations.  When you think of it even in very large organizations the work unit is actually relatively small.  Let’s say you work for a large medical center in a large 20 physician department.  Most of your work is being done in small teams.  OR work, team of 4 or 5.  Office works, team of 4 or 5.  Lots…[Read more]

Very insightful Piyush, in fact that is exactly what is done.  Let’s suppose there is some inherent problem in the collection process.  If you only are looking at yearly averages, if the problem arises in Feb and influences collection for 11 months, you have a major problem and many months of lost revenue.  I mean lost, never to be collected.  You…[Read more]

First, it is cheaper to use intrinsic motivators.  Just need some good imagination and a goal for why you are implementing the motivator.  A little engagement with customers saved SW 10 or 15 minutes per takeoff.  That may have great value for the airline.

Here is what I think about your bonus.  The money is coming directly from the ACO qua…[Read more]

First, this is a great story of achievement by applying business skills in the small practice setting.  You have maximized revenue and reduced expenses by improving efficiency, I would say by creating an inclusive team driven work environment.  Did you get hit by lightning and somehow obtain the skills it takes to accomplish this?  Bottom line, yo…[Read more]

I think you outline the biggest problem with the trend toward physician employment.  When I was in a small single specialty group, we participate in decision making on the process of patient care.  Granted, our decision making process wasn’t very good, we didn’t know any better, but we were in touch with our patients needs because we talked to t…[Read more]

It sounds like you were applying some high level business skills as medical director and department chief.  Most physicians I have met simply fly by the seat of their pants when doing process improvement and take an intuitive approach to management.  Team based improvement like your OR success is usually process driven.  Did you already have th…[Read more]

The biggest fear about joining a committee or even greater, being the leader is having to do all the work .  Quality leadership preaches empowerment.  Often times that concept comes right along with the leader assuming control.  That is when you have the meetings where they ask you to decide but you understand the decision has been made before yo…[Read more]