How can your practice be a better performer?
Make use of benchmarks, says executive
For two years running, Premier Medical Associates in Pittsburgh has been a "better performing practice" in the Medical Group Management Association’s annual Cost Survey. (See related story, p. 1, and table, above.) The practice has 11 specialties, 64 physicians, and a total staff of about 300 working out of 11 sites in the Pittsburgh area, says executive director Alan Green, CHE.
Green was not willing to share revenue and cost data for his practice, but he told Physician’s Marketing & Management that in all areas, his practice compared favorably to the other better performers. Why? Green says it is in part because he is adamant that his practice not be beholden to any one organization. Instead, he forges relationships with many hospitals and insurance companies. "This allows us to cover a wide geographical area," he says.
Spreading his dependence out over many payers not only limits the impact of losing any one, says Green, but it gives patients the most access a patient whose employer changes insurance companies is more likely to be able to keep the same doctor.
Don’t forget about patient loyalty
Patient loyalty is another important aspect of Premier’s success. "We have some physician practices that have joined us which are second- and third-generation practices," he says, noting that his own pediatrician from his childhood is one of the group’s physicians now. "That helps to keep patients with us."
The practice is, says Green, "lean, but efficient." He says it works well together, in part, because physicians work through committees on all practice issues, including quality assurance and utilization review. The management team also takes a hand in maintaining performance by suggesting changes that will enhance productivity and profitability. "But we never float an idea at a meeting before we build consensus ahead of time."
Green says most days he will meet with 10 to 15 different physicians on various issues trying to build a consensus before presenting an idea to the doctors.
His advice to practices that want to become better performers is to purchase a copy of the cost survey and use the data as a benchmark. "See how your own practice compares to the better performers and where you need improvement," says Green. When you have the comparison data, share it with your physicians so that you can work together to address problem areas. "Information is useless if it isn’t shared."
• Medical Group Management Association, Englewood, CO. Telephone: (303) 799-1111.
• Alan Green, CHE, Executive Director, Premier Medical Associates, Pittsburgh. Telephone: (412) 825-0881.
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