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    Operations management in a medical practice consists of developing and implementing an effective business plan and managing daily operations.

    Operations management performance objectives include:

    Process improvement

    • Explain how quality assessment tools (process maps, run charts, Pareto diagrams, flowcharts, affinity diagrams and decision matrices) can identify organizational needs, potential risks and desired outcomes.
    • Establish a process-improvement analysis to maintain and enhance quality within a medical group practice.


    Master budgets, employment law, healthcare rules/regulations and project management

    • Define a master budget and explain its use in a medical group practice.
    • Interpret employee-rights legislation and ensure compliance with employment laws.
    • Apply requirements related to employment offers and contracts.
    • Describe the legal relationship between patient and provider.
    • Identify an example of a healthcare ethical dilemma.
    • Develop a suitable budget for a project that supports the strategic plan.
    • Identify the important risks of a project that may affect the strategic plan.
    • Apply appropriate techniques to assess ongoing project performance and ensure consonance with the strategic plan.


    Purchasing and asset management

    • Design an inventory-control plan to appropriately identify and purchase supplies and equipment.
    • Illustrate the steps of a procurement process.
    • Create a process for identifying and managing effective vendor relationships through purchasing alliances.


    High-quality and safe environments

    • Identify and demonstrate compliance with all required regulations (for example, those of Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA], Americans with Disabilities Act [ADA], ADA Amendments Act of 2008 [ADAAA]).
    • Assess, identify and resolve issues relating to facility management.
    • Describe the key stages to creating an effective facilities management strategy and implementation plan.
    • Detail the process for the proper disposal of sharps and biohazardous waste products.


    Outsourced business services and external expertise

    • Identify indicators that substantiate the need to seek outsourced expertise.
    • Detail all relevant IRS rules and regulations (for example, Form 1099).
    • Perform a contract negotiation that promotes a partnership/strategic alliance and strengthens competitive position.
    • Explain how contract compliance, timeliness and quality are crucial to partnership and alliance performance.


    Information technology

    • Develop a technology plan, policy and budget that support the needs and goals of the medical group practice.
    • Illustrate a technology disaster management plan in accordance with HIPAA that safeguards office and patient records, establishes a data backup and recovery plan, determines key personnel and responsibilities and identifies a process of validation and testing.
    • Manage information integrity, including release and storage of information, security and confidentiality according to HIPAA.


    Communications, marketing and community relations

    • Use market research, trends, demographics, economic influences, and other pertinent factors to develop a marketing plan.
    • Use components of the marketing plan to develop a corporate image and branding strategy.
    • Use various forms of media (print, electronic, social) to create advertisements that promote community outreach and collaboration.


    Compensation plans, revenue allocation methods, expense allocation methods, and merger and acquisition agreements

    • Describe the goal of a compensation plan and illustrate the steps to develop a plan that drives employee incentives and supports the organization’s goals.
    • Evaluate types of benefit plans, including defined benefit, defined contribution, 401(k), 403(b), self-directed, employer-directed and profit-sharing plans.
    • Ensure confidentiality of compensation data.
    • Discuss how revenue and expense allocation methods can be used to establish productivity and compensation benchmarks for physicians and staff.


    Physician conduct and performance expectations

    • Create policy standards for physician conduct.
    • Explain corrective action regarding conflicts of interest, performance issues and disruptive behavior that supports organization leadership, the governing body or a professional standards committee.
    • Provide an explanation of the most appropriate course of action when facilitating a conflict resolution.
    • Recognize inappropriate communication between physicians and staff.

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