Handling summertime schedules for medical providers

The Medical Group Management Association’s most recent MGMA Stat poll asked healthcare leaders, “Does your organization have difficulty accommodating provider time off in the summer?” The majority of respondents (69%) answered no, while 31% answered yes.
 
Five key themes emerged when reviewing the responses of those who answered no:

1. Rules for taking time off should be clear. Each organization will have its own criteria, and providers and staff alike should know them. How should the request be submitted? How far in advance should it be submitted? Who handles the requests and scheduling? How are multiple time-off requests for the same period handled? Is there flexibility in the time-off request? What happens if there is an emergency at the practice?
2. Plan in advance. Respondents who said they did not have difficulty noted they often create schedules at least one month in advance and sometimes three months or more in advance.
3. Budget appropriately. It’s important to consider revenue loss when scheduling provider time off throughout the year, as practices operate in a cash-flow environment.
4. Schedule support staff appropriately, for both the clinical support level and advanced practitioners.
5. Understand patient access needs. Practices that successfully handle provider scheduling are sensitive to the ebb and flow of patient volume and access throughout the year.

The poll also revealed several alternative approaches, including:

1. Use of locum tenens. In small practices, the absence of a physician might create a hardship substantial enough to justify using a temporary provider on a fill-in basis.
2. Shared call arrangements with other community practices. Each practice’s physicians provide call coverage for the other when providers request time off.

Handling time off can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. Establishing a clear set of rules, planning appropriately and accounting for the needs of your patients will ensure that your practice can meet provider requests for time off.
 
MGMA Stat is a national poll that addresses practice management issues, the impact of new legislation and related topics. Participation is open to all healthcare leaders. Results of other polls and information on how to participate in MGMA Stat are available at: http://www.mgma.com/stat.



Kenneth T. Hertz
FACMPE
Principal, MGMA Consulting