Anyone reading this has been hired to do a job, has hired others, or both. It is soooo expensive to find the right person, with the right skills, and the right fit for the position and your company culture. If you are the person hiring someone, typically all you have available to you is his or her resume for screening. Then after you identify half a dozen (if you are lucky) you have the process of screening them via a phone interview and then an on-site interview. Tedious, time consuming, and expensive! And…if you are the person looking to be hired, it is sometimes the roll of the dice if you will get the attention of the hiring manager.

But what if you could significantly increase your odds of finding the right individual before you go to the time and expense of interviewing them? If you are the person looking to be hired, what if you could know you would be successful in the job you are being hired to do – before you are hired?

Now you can – and at a far less expensive option than wasted interviews.

You, the hirer, and you the hired, have certain expectations with regard to the job being offered and pursued – but how do either of you know if you are the right fit? That the candidate is in sync with the culture of the organization being offered? It is just as stressful for the person being hired to realize “This is not the right job for me!” as it is the people who hired you and are planning your termination. 

Google “Cultural indexing” or “culture testing” or the like. There are many companies that now have these short, 10 minute on-line testing you can do for potential new hires that makes sure it is the right fit for both parties. Check it out and see what you think!

Did you know that every Excel, Powerpoint, and Word document lets you know who the file you are reading originally wrote it? We are constantly amused when we see Policies and Procedures at a facility we are working with has our name on it, or someone the facility has no relationship with. Who really started your marketing plan? Who is the original author of the article you are reading? Go to any Word, PowerPoint, Excel file and click on “File – Properties – Summary.” Might surprise you to find out whose information you see.

Are your payor contracts up to date? Have you submitted your updated “Charges” each year to all your payors? You are getting the short end on reimbursement if you have not. Rightly so, as payor contracting, like certification, is an ongoing process.

Did you know you can have your payor contracts, rates, reimbursement, missed charges, incomplete insurance submissions, and know what your average filing is compared to others, and much more – free! Yes, no charge whatsoever. There are very well known and respected companies out there that provide that audit service to you – yes, free and with no obligation. Again, “Google it!”

Benchmarking is absolutely key to effective and efficient operations at your facility. Lately, we have been in some great surgery facilities that think they are doing awesome – until they compare themselves with their peers and realize they are missing the mark in some critical areas. Again, many, if not most, benchmarks for our industry are available on-line now for free. Even if you just secretly check out yours against others, it is still good information to have! Go poke around out there.

Earnhart & Associates is a consulting firm specializing in all aspects of outpatient surgery development and management. Earnhart & Associates can be reached at their mailing address at 5114 Balcones Woods Drive, Suite 307-203, Austin, TX 78759.