Women's Dermatologic Society

Dermatology conferences and meetings offer great resources to network, learn from industry experts, and bring back useful information which can be used in your everyday practice. The WDS Practice Advisory Committee (PAC) has put together a list of their recommended meetings to attend related to business and practice management for both dermatologists and office managers. AAD - American Academy of Dermatology I love the "Hands On" courses at the AAD! These are a fantastic way to update existing skills and learn new skills one-on-one from experts around the country and world. - Molly Hinshaw, MD ADAM - Association of Dermatology Administrators and Managers Annual Meeting Our office manager feels ADAM, Association of Dermatology Administrators and Managers Annual Meeting, is the most comprehensive and efficient way to learn about changes that happen each year. This meeting happens in conjunction with the AAD. It is better than attending general dermatology meetings...

A collection of PAC Pearls from the Women’s Dermatologic Society Managing staff employment is an essential element to a successful private practice. The WDS Practice Advisory Committee (PAC) has put together a list of pearls to help navigate staff hiring and firing in your Dermatology practice.  1. Hire Slowly and Fire Quickly  Consider a prolonged new employee interview after initial screening, where the candidate spends time in the department they will work in. Get feedback from your current employees and make sure that the candidate is someone they can see themselves working with. Have a 90 day trial employment with assessment by the office manager and the physicians at the end of the 3 months. Be clear that if they are not working out after 90 days, they will be let go. This makes everyone re-evaluate the candidate. If someone is not performing, or is a negative energy in your office, let them go. Delaying firing a weak or negative employee, no mat...

The Practice Advisory Committee has put together a list of pearls to help manage angry patients. Anger in some situations is a secondary emotion. I try to identify and address the primary emotion instead of the anger. For example, fear and anxiety are two primary emotions that can result in anger. Reassuring the patient by addressing their fear and anxiety helps dissipate the anger. - Molly Hinshaw, MD Listen, 90% of the time an angry patient just wants to be heard. And often they have a valid point. I always say I hear you, let me take care of your skin, and then I’m going to make sure that your problem gets taken care of. And if it’s my fault, for example running late, I apologize and move on. - Deirdre Hooper, MD Listen with empathy. Let the patient express what they would like to say and acknowledge their frustration to deescalate the situation as much as possible. Even several minutes of letting the patient talk without interruption can really he...

The Practice Advisory Committee has put together a list of pearls to avoid burnout in your practice. Focus on Your Strengths You should spend your day doing what you were trained to do, and minimize the time you spend on regulatory and administrative tasks.  - Dr. Mark Kaufmann, MD Get the Support You Need We hired a coder/biller who reviews our notes after we are finished. She verifies that what we have recorded in the note meets the level of service that we have billed. This has saved me hours of tediously going through notes to make sure I have coded correctly. This has increased my job satisfaction tremendously. Well worth it! - Dr. Sarah Jackson, MD Expand Your Passions Find a passion (or a hobby) outside of medicine. My outside interests in art and design have led me to engage more in my community, travel, and improve the visual state of both my home and office. A happy visual space makes for a place I want to be in. - Dr. Elizabeth...

The Practice Advisory Committee has put together a list of pearls to keep in mind your first year out of residency. Pearls from Dr. Sarah Jackson  Many of us had no formal business training, yet we run successful businesses now. If you are starting your own practice, you must seek out the advice of experts, just as you would for a tough medical case. Throw yourself into learning about business, and utilize courses, mentors, and experts outside of our specialty. You will reap the rewards throughout your days of private practice! Pearls from Dr. Monica Li  Do not let patients pressure you into providing an intervention that you are not comfortable with. When in doubt, go back to the basics and be systematic. Always be nice to your support staff - they can be so helpful in ways known and unknown to you! Pearls from Dr. Elizabeth Long  Learn from failure. When patients express dissatisfaction from a treatment, a drug price, an interaction with staff, etc....