Leading the practice like a pro: Nine staff management essentials for physicians

Many physicians believe medicine is a team sport and, with their education, training and experience, they should be team leaders.

Managing patient health is a top priority. That will go better when doctors can effectively manage the rest of the team in a medical office setting.

Doctors, business people and experts on all kinds of topics have written volumes describing the characteristics of a good leader. Those analyses are important and insightful. But not every study of character development may apply equally to health care. And with so many different factors influencing the business of medicine, it can be difficult to know where to start.

Here are nine practical tips for physicians to integrate effective staff management into their medical practices. Implementing these strategies can lead to a more efficient, harmonious, and productive medical practice.