When demands at work leave you overwhelmed or exhausted, knowing where to turn for support is important before stress builds and spreads into other areas of your life. Relief starts with giving up some control, said Practice Transformation Coach Debbie Rozanski.
Overcoming obstacles is Debbie’s forte. She works with independent medical practices in Michigan to help them decrease cost of care and improve quality and financial performance. She helps clients set up a realistic, individualized, and attainable growth plan.
“I have done the work that they are doing. Together, we identify inefficiencies to increase their overall effectiveness, quality and profitability.”
Debbie’s employer, Medical Advantage, is a high-performing, nationally recognized population health management company. Thirty-five years of experience with medical billing, coding, and care management training have helped Debbie excel in this role because she understands the office needs with limited time and resources.
“In my position, every day is different. Each practice presents with a different question or situation so I need to be able to work as effectively as I can so that I don’t waste their time or mine. Ultimately, we all have the same goals and want what is best for the patients.”
She said it is important to continue to educate yourself and learn how to find the newest information. Debbie is a Certified Medical Coder (CMC), and has completed specialized training in Complex Care Management through the Michigan Institute for Care Management and Transformation (MiCMT). She has also worked as an instructor in an academic setting and a corporate partner instructor for the Practice Management Institute (PMI) National Advisory Panel.
“The key to relieving stress is giving up some control. Delegate responsibilities to your staff. Provide clear directions and check-in on progress to ensure that they succeed. Hold team huddles where all employees can freely discuss situations and are able to be part of the solution. Get to know your staff’s strengths and weaknesses and utilize those people where they are best suited.”
Explain what is needed from your team and why it is needed when delegating responsibilities. She said this helps to gain buy-in and enables your staff to have a vested interest in your goals, thus improving patient care and empowering your staff.
“Unique ideas can come from anyone, and a huddle format allows everyone the opportunity to share best practices or create efficiencies.”
When the pandemic hit, her role quickly shifted gears. Her objective was to help keep her clients and staff safe. The PPE shortage was a struggle in the beginning, but once that hurdle was crossed, she began helping her clients get setup to work remotely. The biggest obstacle was helping clients through technical challenges. “Although my organization provided tools to make connecting with our clients easy, not all of my clients had that same ability on their end,” she said.
“This past year has challenged us all to evaluate our ability to persevere through change and manage stress. Working virtually took some time to set up and train at the practices. The lack of equipment, IT support, manpower and experience on the providers side created huge barriers. We devoted most of the year to helping practices improve their IT, complete telemedicine training and provide virtual visits. We also assisted the practices with creating processes and tools to help them see and treat their patients in a safe atmosphere while still trying to maintain the highest quality of care.”
Her company encourages them to take risks and provides tremendous support. She enjoys brainstorming and sharing her experience.
“Especially during the pandemic, we have been able to work cross-functionally throughout our organization to share best practices and better serve our clients. Staying organized and having a good support team has helped me to succeed in my role,” she said.
She recommends that medical office managers and staff stay informed and continue to learn. Knowing how to research and stay up on new information will help you through change.
“Build a good network of people outside of the practice that are willing to come up with new ideas and share knowledge. PMI has always been a great resource to me. If I have a question, they answer it or point me to someone that will.”