UMC Physician Network Services Shares Success Strategy with MGMA Members across the Nation
Medical Group Management Association, Inc. (MGMA) began as a small network of clinic managers,
called the National Association of Clinic Managers, in 1926. The association's name was changed to the Medical
Group Management Association in 1963. MGMA has long been the gold standard for PNS and many other healthcare organizations nationwide which is why PNS is
honored to have been chosen to share their success strategies with others in the healthcare industry.
Highlighted in the January 2009 edition of MGMA’s publication, Performance and Practices of Successful Medical Groups,
the Success Story will feature PNS, highlighting the achievements the company has made since its inception in 1996.
Below is an excerpt of the story that will appear in the publication:
Success Story:
UMC Physician Network Services
by Alys Novak
"A physician practice management group, UMC Physician Network Services (PNS) is associated with UMC (the University Medical Center based in Lubbock, Texas). As Paul Acreman, Chief Executive Officer, notes “Some of our success is our organizational structure. We are part of the UMC health system, but we are not run by the hospital. We have separate officers, facilities, staff, and Board of Directors. As a separate corporation, we have a lot of autonomy.” Formed in 1996 to build a broad primary-care base of patients for the hospital; PNS started by managing seven UMC community health centers. To this beginning base, it added primary-care groups from throughout the region. Today PNS has 100 primary-care providers (60 physicians and 40 mid-level providers) with 370 non-provider staff. It produces more than 380,000 patient encounters annually.
Efficiencies
PNS corporate headquarters provides centralized administrative support to 45 practice sites. Acreman characterizes it as a “conglomerate of small practices. We keep the practices small -- from one physician to four or five. They are more efficient to operate in terms of group dynamics. Each has a clinic manager, but we handle all billing, collections, human resource matters, finance, and purchasing centrally. EMR implementation is underway. Purchasing is where economies of scale work well. Since we represent 45 practices, our purchasing power is huge. We can buy very efficiently at good prices."
Staffing
Acreman says, “Typically when expenses grow, we look at staff costs. Staffing levels must be managed carefully at every level. We want people who are inspired to work hard at every level, to be productive and we compensate them accordingly.” The CEO cites these specifics:
• Recruit highly motivated people. They will be highly productive;
• Reward accordingly. Use a compensation model that looks at salary cost, productivity and related overhead;
• Create the right environment. Productivity occurs when people feel comfortable in the work setting;
• Hire clinic managers as practice administrators who know their jobs and will do the job. Insist that they be actively involved in managing. They should be up and around working with the front desk, helping nurses, checking on patients in the waiting room – not sitting at their desks shuffling paperwork. We want engaged practice administrators;
• Engage the office staff. Make sure they know what to do through careful training, orientation and ongoing supervision; and
• Develop the best support staffing ratio based on productivity and physician preference – always keeping cost management in mind"
Welcome Our Newest Members to Our Family!
Marissa R. Yates, M.D.
Marissa R. Yates, M.D., is a native of El Paso, Texas. She received her Bachelor of Science in Microbiology
from the University of Texas at El Paso in 2001. She attended medical school at TTUHSC School of
Medicine and completed her residency in Family Medicine at the
TTUHSC Department of Family Medicine in Lubbock.
Dr. Yates stated, “As a family physician I have the privilege of being
able to care for members of this community of all ages and from all
walks of life. Whether they are coming in for an acute or chronic
illness or for a well visit, I feel that my role is to help patients and
their families live healthier lives by providing the highest quality,
comprehensive care and by offering health education with an
emphasis on disease prevention.”
Lee Thomas, M.D.
Dr. Lee Thomas received his medical degree
at Texas Tech University Health Sciences
Center where he also completed his residency
in Internal Medicine. As a specialist in adult
medicine, Dr. Thomas focuses on the
prevention, diagnosis and treatment of adult
diseases and welcomes Medicare patients.
THE WORKING LIFE - Ben Edwards
Andrea Valdez of the Texas Monthly magazine has
an insightful article about Dr. Ben Edwards of Garza County fame. It is available in September's (2008) issue of the magazine.
Here is an excerpt of the article:
"Edwards is a solo practitioner at Garza County Health Clinic, in Post, and the only physician serving the county (population: 4,872).
Raised in Belton, he holds degrees from Baylor University and the University of Texas Medical School at Houston.
He completed his residency at Waco’s McLennan County Medical Education and Research Foundation before moving to West Texas in 2005."
Read the full article here.