5 low-cost ways to keep medical office employees happy

Although it's clinicians who provide direct patient care, your office staff, in many ways, represents the heart of your practice. After all, without receptionists to check patients in and billers to keep the revenue cycle moving, your office would not be able to function.

One of the keys to keeping your practice running at its prime is to keep employees motivated to perform at their best. But with personnel already representing your practice's largest expense, it's not always feasible to sink more money into keeping staff satisfied.

Fortunately, most people--especially those drawn to healthcare--are motivated by more than the size of their paycheck. "There is generally a very high level of dedication for most employees who work in medical practices--to their offices, to their physicians, and, of course, to their patients," says Tina Smith, a 13-year veteran of medical practice administration who is now president of consultancy Coding Sense LLC in Colorado.

But to truly get the best out of your employees, that commitment has to come from all sides. FiercePracticeManagement interviewed veteran practice administrators and identified five low-cost ways you can motivate employees by showing them you care.

1. Encourage input
2. Express appreciation
3. Remember to be thoughtful
4. Celebrate even in small ways
5. Make time for facetime