Strategy overview

To be able to effectively manage a successful practice, it is critical that the practice principals/owners have established why they are in private practice. What are their goals and what do they hope to achieve in the longer term, both professionally and personally? Where do they envisage themselves and the practice in the next three to five years?

These considerations will form an integral part of the practice business plan and provide a solid foundation for its ongoing strategic direction. It will provide you with the framework around which to develop management strategies.

As the practice manager, you will be able to assist and support the owners with the operational and business development aspects of the practice.

For the owners of the practice, there will always be decisions, which they will be required to make and which you will be required to implement.

The practice manager is a key component in the success of any practice; you will drive much of the implementation, lead much of the innovation and oversee much of the required change management process.

With the principals/practice owners having established their vision, it is important that they then involve the practice manager and practice staff in the development of a practice strategy. This will provide the ‘blueprint’ for the practice manager and can lead to an increase in staff motivation and a willingness to take ownership of their contribution to the strategy. As a team, you can work together to:

• document an overview of the principals’ immediate and longer term goals – both individual and professional.
• set standards for acceptable professional behaviour and conduct.
• define the principles and values by which your practice will operate.
• ensure your practice operates in an ethical environment.
• create a welcoming and suitable environment/atmosphere for patients.
• align with risk management processes.
• define parameters to determine and acknowledge achievement of milestones and goals.

The key elements you should use to establish your practice identity are:

Each statement should be written in a concise and unambiguous manner, so that it is transparent to everyone how the practice functions. To have a positive influence on your business, the above key elements must be embedded into every aspect of the business.

They should be reflected in:

• The business plan.
• The practice policy and procedure manual/s.
• Staff induction contracts/documents.
• Signage in staff-only areas (such as reception/admin, tea room, etc.)
• Practice meetings (through training and discussion).
• New initiatives.
• The practice brochure, website and public documents (this should be limited to the mission statement if it is appropriate for public viewing).

These statements should then be reviewed and updated on a regular basis. As the manager of the practice, you, in conjunction with the practice principals, will have a major impact on the success of adherence to, and achievement of these statements.

Once you have established the overall direction of your practice with these three statements, you can then proceed in setting specific business objectives which:

• Should be consistent with your strategy.
• Define individual business targets and related outcome parameters.
• Set out how you develop your business.
• Assist you in achieving personal and professional goals
• Assist in the operational management of the practice.