The Medical Practice key cost driver is wages and benefits. Having even 10% too many staff hours can result in a significant financial drain. If your staff overstay their work by even 4 hours per week that is a 10% overage. 10% on a $15.00 per hour staff member translates into $60*1.10 (taxes and benefits) * 52 weeks, or $3,432 per year. You will need to see 49 patients more per year at NO COMPENSATION, just to cover the cost of this one Medical Assistant’s overage.

How do you know what the right staffing ratio is? Who can tell those staff members to go home? Using analytics and time studies, HMG is able to provide you with accurate estimates of appropriate staffing levels that will allow you and your managers to more tightly manage your expenses and keep your costs under control. Work hours related to PE RVU’s and compared with similar practices will give you a sense of comfort knowing that you are not working your staff too hard, nor are you letting them have a free ride.

If you like the idea of having high paid staff and don’t like the idea of them wasting time and trying to look busy, why not right size your business and pay them for the hard work that they do and send them home when they are done. But don’t do it as a harsh manager, do it with solid supportive numbers.