What it’s all about
GPs and specialists in private practice like to use their practices’ web presences to highlight their modern therapeutic care options. But comparisons of practices show that practice management, as the transmitter of this claim into patient care, often lags behind. If one compares the current practice management in German medical practices with that of ten years ago, only gradual changes can be observed. This is extremely problematic, because the demands not only on outpatient medical care have changed significantly due to technological advances and changing patient needs.
The best practice standard, the guideline for modern practice management
The validated guideline of the Best Practice Standard describes how modern practice management must be designed and thus offers doctors comprehensive orientation for their work. It contains all regulations, instruments and behavioural patterns that are indispensable for smoothly functioning work even under changing requirements. With its help, an optimal working framework and efficient patient care can be ensured, so that time is available to diagnose and treat each patient according to individual and also the most modern criteria.
Currently, however, almost half of the standard is not implemented at all in German medical practices. The symptoms of this state of affairs, such as lack of time, stress, overwork or excessively long waiting times, can be felt daily in many practices, and the consequences, such as unproductivity, inefficiency and inflexibility, are drastic. Practice teams that work according to the guidelines neither show the symptoms described nor suffer from the consequences.
Why implementation is difficult
Unfortunately, most practice owners do not look for the reasons in their own operations, but see themselves as victims of bureaucratisation, cost increases, legal regulations, excessive patient demands and digitalisation.
This dominant view of external influences is one of the reasons why many GPs and specialists implement the best practice standard only half-heartedly or not at all in their practices. In addition, practice teams are in many cases used to traditional procedures and see no reason for change.
How can the gap be closed?
A review and modernisation of the practice management quality and its necessary adjustment, if required, can be implemented by a simple comparison with the best practice guideline. The collection of the required information takes about 30 minutes of doctors’ time and 20 minutes for each MFA, supplemented by a patient survey. An on-site consultant is not needed for this. The result is an expertise with
- the best practice status of all areas of practice management, starting with planning, leadership, organisation, time management, patient care, marketing and controlling, as well as
- an action plan with an average of 40 immediately realisable possibilities for improving the work of the practice.
Conclusion
Modern practice management is not just a nice-to-have, but a must-have to remain competitive in today’s healthcare sector. By closely following best practice standards, the discrepancy between the high standards of medical care and the reality of practice management can be closed.
Further information
How such a best practice comparison works and what it achieves is described in detail in the publication: “Benchmarking practice management for general practitioners and specialists – method, application and benefits”.
R2049 