Owning an independent practice is rewarding, but it also means dealing with a mountain of non-clinical responsibilities. More and more physicians find themselves spending less time with patients and more time wrestling with administrative work.
Here are the top 10 administrative headaches independent practices face today — and quick tips to ease the burden.
1. HR Management
Hiring, onboarding, managing employee relations, and keeping up with changing labor laws can overwhelm even the best practices.
Tip: Invest in a streamlined HR platform to simplify hiring, onboarding, and compliance tracking.
Free Guide: Key Steps to Optimize
for Physician Practices
2. Payroll and Tax Compliance
Running payroll accurately, handling tax filings, and ensuring compliance with wage and hour laws is time-consuming and risky if not done right.
Tip: Automate payroll and work with experts familiar with healthcare payroll regulations.
3. Financial Management
Billing, revenue cycle oversight, and cash flow management are critical but can easily fall by the wayside without proper systems.
Tip: Use specialized healthcare accounting tools or outsource bookkeeping to a healthcare-focused firm.
4. Credentialing and Licensing
Keeping up with credentialing for providers and facilities is tedious but essential to maintaining operations and reimbursement.
Tip: Set calendar alerts for credentialing deadlines and consider credentialing services to manage renewals.
5. Compliance and Legal Risk
HIPAA, OSHA requirements, harassment prevention, and pay transparency laws require constant attention to avoid penalties.
Tip: Conduct an annual compliance audit to stay ahead of HIPAA, OSHA, and employment law requirements.
6. Employee Benefits Administration
Managing healthcare plans, retirement options, and PTO while ensuring ACA and state law compliance adds complexity and administrative burden.
Tip: Offer a competitive but manageable benefits package with expert support to handle enrollment and compliance.
Free Resource:
How to Build a Competitive Package That Attracts (& Keeps) Top Healthcare Talent
7. IT and Systems Management
Managing EMRs, cybersecurity, and technology upgrades often falls to physicians — risking downtime and data breaches.
Tip: Regularly update EMRs and invest in cybersecurity protections to minimize downtime and breaches.
8. Vendor Management
Coordinating with medical suppliers and service vendors without a dedicated admin team eats into valuable time.
Tip: Centralize vendor contracts and set auto-reminders for renewals and renegotiations.
9. Marketing and Patient Growth
Maintaining an online presence, managing patient reviews, and communicating with patients effectively is essential for growth but easily neglected.
Tip: Use automated patient communication tools to maintain your online presence and reputation.
10. General Operations
Scheduling, front desk workflow, and keeping the facility running require constant oversight and coordination.
Tip: Streamline scheduling with integrated practice management software to reduce administrative overload.
Finding Relief
You didn’t go to medical school to spend your days managing payroll or chasing down vendor contracts.
That’s why many independent practices partner with services like MedWay, designed specifically to ease administrative burdens for practices like yours.
MedWay offers support with:
- Human Resources Management
- Payroll Administration
- Access to Competitive Employee Benefits
- Practice Liability Coverage
- Staff Recruitment and Retention Support
- Compliance and Operational Guidance
Ready to get back to practicing medicine — not managing paperwork?