I was driving to work one morning when I stopped behind a truck at a red light. The driver had placed several flashy stickers on the bumper and back doors. But what I was drawn to was a more commonplace sign: “How’s my driving? Call this number to give feedback.” It’s routine to find a…
Rheumatology Healthcare Team Member Descriptions Added to the ACR’s Website
A patient presents at her rheumatologist’s office for a visit and is greeted by a certified medical assistant (CMA), who obtains vital signs, gathers health information and updates pertinent information that may have changed since the prior visit. The CMA is one of many healthcare providers who may be involved in the care of rheumatology…
How Rheumatologists Can Plan for Extended Work Absences
Sometimes, life calls for you to be out of the office for a length of time. Whether the absence is planned or not, it’s important to consider the best actions to take given the circumstances to ensure patients are cared for during your absence. Alexa Meara, MD, clinical instructor and rheumatologist, The Ohio State University…
Tips for Selecting Best Job Candidates to Fill Positions, Avoid Turnover
As much as 80% of employee turnover can be attributed to bad hiring decisions, the Harvard Business Review reported.1 And turnover costs are high—one report estimated them to be 100–300% of the base salary of a replaced employee (with 150% commonly cited).2 Given this, the importance of hiring the right employees can’t be underestimated. So…
Management Tips to Handle Pregnancy-Related Absences
We all know that completely different medical conditions can create the same effects on our patients’ work lives. That is, from the employer’s purely administrative standpoint, an absence is an absence regardless of its cause. Even medical care professionals react differently to similar effects rendered by completely different circumstances. A Personnel Crisis Let me give…
What Rheumatologists Should Know About Noncompetition Clauses
How rheumatologists can manage, and avoid, a restrictive noncompetition clause in an employment contract