I had no idea how to run an office or hire staff.
Being a doctor is the easy part. I had no idea how to run an office or hire staff. There was no training for this in medical school or residency. We didn’t even learn coding or billing… I had the naïve impression that I would open an office and somehow everything would fall into place. My first receptionist was bipolar and would yell at the patients… and at me, too. Firing her was a challenge and it took months for me to get the courage to actually do it. Since then, I have created a policy and procedures manual, learned to trust my instincts, make my expectations clear, reward those who excel, and fire early when I see it’s not working out. I now have a staff that shows up on time, helps each other, cares about the office and patients, and that I look forward to seeing every day when I go to work.
