Episode 73:
How to run a medical office is just one topic that special guest Tonya Sowles covers when talking about how functional medicine practitioners can create a thriving practice with the right employees and an environment patients love to frequent. She teaches us:
- How to run a medical office–from creating a company culture to hiring the right people
- What company culture is
- How your treatment of employee impacts your patients
- Why employee benefits are changing
- How to communicate with your employees
Not Your Cookie-Cutter HR
Tonya Sowles is an HR expert and business coach who loves helping entrepreneurs create thriving work environments. She uses her many years of experience as an HR expert to customize business strategies for companies just beginning and looking to modernize. Regardless of what company Tonya is working with, she is adamant about listening to her clients and making sure they have a business plan that will work for them.
Today, on The FM Shift, Tonya talks about how company culture and communication skills can make or break an FM practice. She teaches us how to find the right employees from the job posting through the interview process, and she guides us to discover how our company culture is dictating more than when people get their coffee breaks.
How to Run a Medical Office – The Hiring Process
As functional medicine providers, we are always busy. So we often find ourselves reluctant to end working relationships that aren’t a good fit. Usually, we’re just too busy to find a replacement or pile more work on while we search for a replacement.
But when we do find ourselves with a vacancy, mindset contributes to the problem. When there’s a vacancy in the office, things aren’t running as smoothly as they should. So, as a business owner, it’s important that the spot is filled, and that can mean that the first person who looks like they can do a good job is hired. That person may not be the best fit in the long run, but the wrong person is often chosen because you need someone now.
But if the hire isn’t listening to you or there’s no time for training, then your new employee is going to go against the grain and the company culture, leaving you worse off than you were when the spot was vacant. So even if you feel rushed, taking the time to find a great fit for your company is worth it in the long run.
How Do You Find the Right Employees?
There’s no right or wrong answer to the question “How to run a medical practice?” But there are a few strategies that will help you find success. For example, taking the time to find the right person to fit your office can make or break your practice.
When searching for an employee, asking the right questions is critical. So how do you weed out the people who won’t be a good fit?
One way to help ensure you’re attracting people who will be a good fit right off the bat is by putting a caveat in the job posting. By placing an extra something in the job description–like emailing the resume or submitting a resume and a cover letter–anything that is extra–is a great way to see if the person applying for the job is paying attention to what you want and need and can follow directions or if they’re just applying for as many positions as they can.
Additionally, having two interviews, the first with your receptionist where simple questions like, “Tell me about yourself” are asked. By starting the interview process like this, office managers can save time and discover candidates that are good fits for the job.
For those who make it to the second interview, they will get to meet the office manager and be asked more challenging questions like, “What would you do if your manager did something you disagreed with?” You will get a variety of answers, but you will be able to choose the person whose answer best suits your office environment.
About Tonya Sowles
Tonya Sowles is a Human Resources expert whose sole mission is to help people become the CEO of their own businesses by building a dream team that is engaged and loyal. Tonya fully believes that you can achieve bigger and better things when you have the right people around. The hardest part is learning how to keep your employees happy and thriving in a way that feels aligned with your business.
With over 20 years of experience in business management for small businesses, Tonya knows a thing or two about running a successful business. She is a Senior Certified Professional through the Society for Human Resource Management, holds a Master’s degree in business administration, and is a Speak to Inspire Method™ Certified Speaker & Facilitator, which all help her create excellent business plans that help build thriving company cultures. With Tonya’s guidance and planning, the entrepreneurs, small business owners, dream-havers and change-makers can create the lives they want on their own terms without working the 18+ days and the hustle.
How to Connect with Tonya Sowles:
- Website: www.sowlesconsulting.com
- 12 Ways to Engage Your Employees: https://sowlesconsulting.com/engagement
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tonyasowles
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/sowlesconsulting
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/sowlesconsulting
About The FM Shift
What if functional medicine became as profitable, rewarding, and stress-free as you expected it to be? The business side of functional medicine doesn’t have to be a GRIND. We can help you discover functional medicine sales mastery and make maximum money without patient resistance.
The FM Shift shows you how to easily attract patients who want what you offer and are willing to pay you what you’re worth without waiting for your practice to magically mature.
