© 2009 National Athletic Trainers Association (800)TRY-NATA Practice Administrator Community Based...

© 2009 National Athletic Trainers’ Associationwww.nata.org (800)TRY-NATA

Practice AdministratorCommunity Based Orthopedic Practice

A Day in the Life of a Certified Athletic Trainer…


LETTER TO ATHLETIC TRAINERS

Dear certified athletic trainers and students:

Your undergraduate education was just the beginning of your

professional career. The most important skills that you

learned were time management, to be thorough in your

assessments and that your workday is not defined by the time

clock but by getting the job done and mastering clear

communication techniques.

These are core skills that, if mastered, can open up doors

and other career paths that allow you to expand your

professional horizons and, at the same time, continue to

serve the athletic training profession. As you progress in

your professional career, keep your eyes open for

opportunities. Good luck and work hard.

~Bill Hyncik, ATC, LAT Practice Administrator- Princeton Orthopedic

Associates



I am an Orthopedic Practice Administrator

NAME: William G. Hyncik, Jr.

CREDENTIALS: ATC, LAT

JOB TITLE: Practice Administrator

EMPLOYED BY: Princeton Orthopaedic

Associates

JOB LOCATION: Princeton, NJ


Orthopedic Practice Administrator Job Description

DEPARTMENT:Administration

REPORTS TO: Board of Directors

JOB SUMMARY:The administrator is responsible for planning,directing, coordinating and controlling the operations and activities of the practice (except those directly involving the practice of medicine) within the scope of policies established in the authority delegated by the Board of Directors

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:Formal training which will probably be indicated by five years prior health care managerial experience; B.S. degree in Business Administration or equivalent education. There are no special physical requirements for this position

NOTE:This document is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed. It is not intended to serve as an exhaustive list of all duties, skills, and responsibilities required of personnel so classified


Practice Administrator Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain an effective organizational structure to ensure achievement of the office's objectives

• Ensure the cooperation of the medical and support staffs

• Maintain adequate staffing levels

• Direct the preparation of operating budgets, financial statements, and other management reports

• Obtain maximum productivity from computer systems and other equipment and supplies

• Develop, review and evaluate job standards and appraisal systems; recommend salary and incentive programs

• Approve all purchases

• Assist the Board of Directors in obtaining strategic projections, setting objectives, and developing effective business plans and operating policies

• Ensure that operating policies conform to current regulatory requirements relating to the delivery of health care

• Increase the effectiveness, efficiency and profitability of medical service departments by evaluating methods, procedures and staffing patterns and implementing appropriate systems to ensure maximum service levels at minimal cost


Practice Administrator Key Responsibilities Continued

• Ensure that facilities in medical service departments are well supplied

and maintained to achieve optimum efficiency

• Conduct special investigations and projects to improve the performance of medical service departments

• Keep abreast of current developments in the ambulatory health care field, and instruct subordinates as appropriate

• Take responsibility for all relationships between the management and stockholders of the corporation

• Communicate to the Board of Directors on all goals and objectives of the corporation

• Communicate to the Board of Directors regarding the performance of the corporation, including comparisons with the objectives and goals of the corporation

• Take responsibility for all relationships between the corporation and its clients and vendors

• Maintain an adequate return on invested and borrowed capital

• Maintain the quality of communications in the entire corporation



• Establish and maintain throughout the corporation a keenly developed sense of purpose and responsibility

• Ensure that personal development programs are set up for individual managers to help them carry out their responsibilities in an acceptable manner

• Instill in all employees a sense of purpose for individual growth and capability to increase performance in a position or to grow into a more responsible position

• Establish, maintain, evaluate and rearrange the organization's functional management units to secure optimum performance at minimum cost

• Plan and prepare to effectively cope with current policies and procedures of government and regulatory agencies

• Prepare reports for and attend meetings with governing body and allied committees regarding the total activities of the institution

• Prepare and revise the long‑range plan documents

• Collect and analyze information needed for decision‑making

• Document and follow‑up on practice's progress in meeting goals and objectives



• Stimulate and encourage new ideas and projects

• Conduct feasibility studies for new ideas, projects, and endeavors to include complete operational and financial plans

• Plan for the future growth of the practice through addition of new services, providers and offices

• Direct market research, planning and development for marketing programs, services and business expansion projects

• Develop and maintain an effective patient relations program involving physicians and staff members

• Conduct staff education programs consistent with marketing and Quality Assurance goals

• Work closely with other departments to ensure the success of marketing programs

• Develop strategic implementation plan specific to each new Project

• Supervise and coordinate personnel and operations within a project department for a finite period of time to facilitate the efficient and expedient merger, acquisition or divestiture of two or more groups or entities affecting the practice

• Maintain, negotiate, revise and update all outside contracts for ancillary services with other facilities and individuals on an annual basis


Princeton Orthopaedics Associates – History

• Princeton Orthopaedic Associates, PA, was formed in 1974 by Dr. David M. Smith and Dr. Dudley Hawks. Dr. Hawks was tragically killed in a plane accident, however the practice continued to grow with the addition of Dr. Robert N. Dunn and Dr. Richard E. Fleming, Jr., who joined the group in 1979

• Together, they constructed what is now the main office of Princeton Orthopaedic Associates, PA, located at 325 Princeton Avenue, Princeton, NJ

• This is a 25,000-square foot state-of-the-art facility that was opened in 1987

• In 1986, William G. Hyncik, Jr. (CERTIFIED ATHLETIC TRAINER) joined the practice as the Administrative Director sharing the responsibilities with Robert H. Simpson, Jr. for management, business operations, and planning for the group

• Later the same year, Steven R. Gecha, MD and Jeffrey S. Abrams, MD joined the group followed by C. Alexander Moskwa, Jr., MD in 1988

• A facility in Monroe Township/Jamesburg was opened in October of 1991 in conjunction with Princeton Radiology Associates the Forsgate Medical Building


Princeton Orthopaedics Associates – History Continued

• In 1992 the six orthopedic surgeons of Orthopaedic Associates of Princeton merged with the three orthopedic surgeons of Princeton Orthopaedic Group to form a nine-member practice entitled Princeton Orthopaedic Associates

• The Forsgate facility was expanded and remodeled to include facilities for physician examination rooms, cast room, and x-ray. This new renovation permitted complete orthopaedic and physiatry evaluations and care as well as a state-of-the-art physical therapy and aquatic therapy facility

• The adjoining radiology suite provided MRI, CT scan, ultrasound, bone density scans, and fluoroscopic ancillary services

• In January of 1995, the group opened its newest office, the Princeton Neck & Back Institute, located at 727 State Road in Princeton, New Jersey. The facilities at this location include physical therapy with a large in-ground pool for aquatic therapy services, Strength and conditioning equipment, and an outpatient surgery suite for arthroscopy, hand surgery, spinal, non-operative treatment and other procedures

• An internal medicine group is also located in the same building. Since then, several additional surgeons have joined the group including: Jon W. Ark, MD in 1995, David J. Lamb, MD in 1998, and his brother Marc J. Lamb, MD in 2000. Dr. Ark and Dr. Marc Lamb provide subspecialty hand surgery expertise and Dr. David Lamb specializes in spine surgery, instrumentation, and minimally-invasive spinal techniques


Princeton Orthopaedics Associates – History Continued

• In August of 2003, the group announced the opening of their state-of-the-art MRI facility located at the main office on Princeton Avenue. This new state-of-the-art GE 1.5 Tesla short-bore super conducting magnet allows for precise orthopaedic musculoskeletal diagnosis and treatment to be completely coordinated within our facility

• In February of 2004, Stuart E. Levine, MD joined Princeton Orthopaedic Associates from his previous affiliation with University Orthopaedic Associated located at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. Dr. Levine joined Princeton Orthopaedic Associates with a full practice that would benefit from sophisticated management and operational assets of the practice. Dr. Levine is a foot and ankle specialist with a wide range of patients including sports through diabetics

• In August of 2004, Alfred F. Faust, MD, a spine surgeon, joined Princeton Orthopaedic Associates after completing his Fellowship at John Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore. In August of 2006, Kyle T. Stier, MD, a physician in physiatry medicine who joined Princeton Orthopaedic Associates after his Fellowship at the Kessler Institute

• Over the past 4 years, Princeton Orthopaedic Associates has invested heavily in the infrastructure of its practice. It has installed a new integrated practice management system along with digital x-ray, a PACS system to integrate the digital x-ray with the MRI, a document management system, and digital dictation. In conjunction with the initiation of these systems, the information technology backbone of the practice was upgraded and brought to a sophisticated level with its servers and inter-communication among its 4 office locations


Princeton Orthopaedics– Products & Services

Princeton Orthopaedic Associates is an integrated musculoskeletal community-based practice

Princeton Orthopaedic Associates provides orthopaedic surgeons, physiatrists, podiatry, physical therapy and MRI services in an effort to provide a complete musculoskeletal program


Princeton Orthopaedic’s Staff TOTAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES:

– There are a total of 120 full-time employees and 16 part-time employees

EMPLOYEE BREAKDOWN– 45 of the employees are revenue-generating

employees

– Employees consist of: x-ray techs, MRI techs, physical therapists, physical therapy assistants, physician assistants, orthopaedic surgeons, physiatrists and podiatrists and athletic trainers

– We also employ a number of registered nurses, medical assistants, billing and coding specialists and many other support staff that are integral to the day-to-day operations of the practice

TOTAL # OF CERTIFIED ATHLETIC TRAINERS EMPLOYED

– There are two athletic trainers. One athletic trainer is in charge of the durable medical groups and I am the other


Princeton Orthopaedics – Patients AVERAGE AGE RANGE OF PATIENTS: 5 years old - 95 years old

PATIENT POPULATION: We have a mix of patients that visit our facilities that include:

– Athletes of all ages including recreation athletes, middle-aged active population and senior citizens

– Many are looking for treatment ofage-related orthopaedic problems such as total knee, total hips, and spine treatment, workers’ compensation patients, motor vehicle accident patients as well as the general public, which is why we are considered a community-based practice

MOST COMMON INJURIES TREATED: The only injuries that we do not treat are severe trauma and pediatric/congenital orthopaedic problems


Suggested Experience

LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE REQUIRED FOR YOUR JOB:

• Organizations such as mine hire individuals with medically related experience. A job in athletic training, such as Head Athletic Trainer, would provide solid experience

• 5 years of related experience. It is more important to focus on the related skills so that you are a good administrator

• I would recommend formal education in business management so that you understand accounting principals, human resource skills and management concepts


HOW TO GET STARTED“The most efficient way to work into a position as the administrator of a

large orthopaedic group with a number of ancillary services is to begin when the group is small and grow with the group and be the one

instrumental in adding the new employees and ancillary services as

the practice grows .”

Getting a Job Like Mine:

SPECIAL SKILLS NEEDED FOR THIS JOB: – Good organizational skills – Good interpersonal skills – Good time management skills – Appreciation of the team approach – Willingness to continue to learn and research the

unknown– Ability to negotiate with payers (insurance

companies)

THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT IS ON-THE-JOB TRAINING:– Flexibility with your ideas and expectations – Learning as you go – Willingness to evaluate things from a number of

different perspectives – Being able to listen to your support staff and

management team


A Day in the Life of a Practice Administrator

TYPICAL SCHEDULE FOR MY JOB:

• HOURS PER WEEK : 55 - 60 hours

• DAYS OF THE WEEK : 5 - 6

• TYPICAL SCHEDULE:6 a.m. – 6 p.m.


Educational Background

MY ATHLETIC TRAINING PREPARATION:

• Bachelors of Science Degree, University of Delaware in 1977

• Masters of Science Degree from Long Island University in 1979

• Licensed Athletic Trainer, State of NJ


Practice Administrator Salary & Benefits

SALARY RANGE:– $65,000 – $250,000 – Incentive bonuses & performance bonuses

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS: The benefits associated with my job after 21

years of service, include:

– 4 weeks paid vacation

– Participation in the 401K

– Profit-sharing retirement plan

– Family health insurance

– Long-term disability insurance

– Ability to attend professional conferences and conventions and being reimbursed for those expenses


My Career Path WHEN YOU WERE AN ATHLETIC TRAINING STUDENT, WHAT

WERE YOUR ASPIRATIONS?

My career aspiration as an athletic training student was to be the

head athletic trainer at a major college program with all the major sports. My long term goal was to become an Athletic Director

BRIEFLY DESCRIBE YOUR CAREER PATH AND HOW YOU CAME TO WORK IN THE EMERGING SETTINGS:– Started working as a student athletic trainer at the

University of Delaware

– Worked as a summer intern with the Philadelphia Eagles

– Combined three years of athletic training experience at the United States Military Academy at West Point with active military duty

– Military duty was followed by an 18-month stint at the University of Michigan working as the Assistant Athletic Trainer

– Worked five years in the pharmaceutical industry as a clinical research associate which gave me corporate business experience and managerial experience which led to a position as an orthopaedic practice administrator in a group of three orthopaedic surgeons


How Athletic Training Prepared Me

The non- medical related skills acquired in the Athletic Training profession have helped me to transfer into my role as Practice Administrator

Specifically, athletic training taught me:– A sense of responsibility – Accomplishment – Service– Hard work

“The skills learned as an athletic trainer are all transferable skills to other professional

management opportunities”

– “Athletic training gave me a core knowledge of medicine and musculoskeletal injuries and illness, that helped me

step into the role of Practice Administrator.

– Athletic training helped me to understand the corporate

culture associated with private practice of

orthopaedic surgery.”


Daily DutiesThe following is a list of duties and responsibilities that occur throughoutthe day and can occur on any given day:

Review previous days’ list of incomplete tasks such as:

– Complete performance reviews on managers

– Review of accounts payable list– Review monthly and yearly budgets– Review statistical reports on

utilization of PT, MRI, patient visits, surgeries and payer data

Make sure the managers have ample staffing to support the physician and other providers

Review e-mails and voice mails


Daily Duties Continued

Staff meeting with the management team

Meet with physicians to discuss practice management issues

Prepare the agenda for monthly Board of Directors meeting to include ongoing tasks and issues

Respond to patient issues

Communicate with hospital administration regarding related operational issues

Review patient survey responses from our surgery center and MRI patients

Review invoices for accounts payable processing



Communicate with vendors

Respond to physicians’ inquiries for jobs

Respond to problems brought forth by the managers

Review regulatory information pertaining to health care matters on the state level

Follow political and legislative matters pertaining to health care and business in general

Review budgeting parameters on a quarterly basis



Evaluate capital purchase requests and recommendations

Evaluate corporate benefit options and malpractice considerations

Interface with corporate accountants and legal counsel

Interface with bank personnel and manage the financial relationship of the business

Participate in community service organizations such as the Rotary Club

Provide service to the community by serving on the School Board for 15 years and as Fire Commissioner for three years

Participating in community programs such as the Boy Scouts


Other Duties As Assigned Active member in the local Rotary Club

Active member of the Township Fire Commissioners

Organizer and sponsor of an annual charity run

Provide in-service programs and presentations to local fitness facilities

Making health-care related presentations in the local school system

Chairman of the NJ State Board of Medical Examiners, Athletic Training Committee

Member of the Montgomery Township Traffic Advisory Committee

Past President of American Association of Orthopedic Executives (AAOE)

Served 15 years as the VP of the MontgomeryTownship Board of Education


Additional Helpful Credentialing / Knowledge:

IS IT HELPFUL TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL CREDENTIALING FOR YOUR POSITION?

• Practice management credentials can be obtained through the Medical Group Medical Association

• One of the most important aspects of this position is the ability to network with Practice Administrators in your area and around the country. Networking gives you an idea of what similar sized practice are experiencing and what issues and challenges they face

• American Association of Orthopedic Executives (AAOE) is a key organization for practice administrators. AAOE is made up solely of group practice administrators ranging in experience from 1 year or less of experience through 25-30 years of experience

• The AAOE annual conferences is an excellent way to meet colleagues, develop relationships and create avenues for communication through e-mail and telephone calls


Learning Curve

The learning curve is constant

You are always learning new things and learning new ways to manage different tasks

For instance, if you are in the process of developing an ambulatory surgery center, the learning curve is very steep and you must rely on networking with colleagues and association with professionals in those areas


Major Issues Facing Me :

Reimbursement for services

Contract negotiations with insurance carriers and the ever-decreasing revenues

Regulatory and legislative challenges such as:– Medicare reimbursement – Compliance with stark regulations– State limits on the practice of medicine

Development of ancillary sources of revenue

Information technology challenges for electronic medical records/document management systems

Hiring qualified and dedicated support staff

Maintaining competitive employee benefit programs such as health insurance and retirement savings plans


Quality of Life/ Cost of Living Issues

I can go home each night to be with the family and not be traveling.

Even though the position does constitute long hours, I do have control of my schedule to a certain degree so that in the event that there is a daytime program at the school for my kids. I can get away from the office for an hour or so to attend to those activities.

I am fortunate that I am able to afford to live in very close proximity to the main office of the facility so that I have a flexible work schedule.

Some of the cost-of-living issues

associated with the job is that with healthcare-related revenue decreasing on the physician side it is difficult for the physicians to continue to pay more when in many practices the physicians are making less every year. This does encourage the practice administrator practice to develop ancillary services to increase revenue.


MESSAGE FOR THEATHLETIC TRAINING EDUCATORS

I encourage athletic trainers to take elective courses in business development, accounting and other basic business-related courses. This will allow athletic trainers to become more marketable.

Marketing and promotion experience is important to help grow a practice.


Key Resources to Learn More!

• AMERCIAN ASSOCIATION OF ORTHOPEDIC EXECUTIVES (AAOE) MEMBERSHIP

AAOE has a very active Web site and directory of colleagues around the country. Through this association, the networking opportunities with colleagues is enormous and unending.

• LOCAL RESOURCES DAILY The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal help me to keep up with national trends regarding health care and the health care delivery system.

• CONFERENCES & SYMPOSIUMS RELATED TO MY JOB I attend for employment laws and regulations in the State of New Jersey. Those I find helpful are The Athletic Trainers Society of New Jersey, BONES Society annual conference and workshops on regulatory issues on the State and national level.


Key Resources Continued!

• NJ BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION This association puts out a monthly publication as well as weekly newsletter and various e-mails regarding regulatory and legislative issues throughout the State that affect all businesses including health care.

• FEDERATED AMBULATORY SUGERY ASSOCIATION• I stay current with trends regarding reimbursement

with facility fees, operational issues, the latest vendors and the latest equipment on the market.

• ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIPS IS THE LOCAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

• This organization also puts out a monthly magazine reports on local area trends and other related economic issues.


Learn more at www.nata.org

Visit Career Development Resources on NATA Web site and find:

- Videos- Brochures- PowerPoint Presentations- Studies- Marketing Materials- Advisors to assist with your specific questions*NATA members only section

http://www.nata.org/members1/CareerDevelopment/index.cfm

Visit Career Development Resources TODAY

© 2008 National Athletic Trainers’ Associationwww.nata.org

(800)TRY-NATA

Still need more information aboutAthletic Trainers as Practice Administrators?

Contact the NATA National Office Staff:Kathryn Ayres, PR and Marketing Coordinator [email protected] | 800-879-6282 ext. 138

Write to Bill Hyncik: [email protected]


Looking for a JOB? Want to hire an athletic

trainer?

www.nata.org/careercenter

Visit the NATA Career Center today and find resources to help you find a job or hire an athletic trainer.

© 2008 National Athletic Trainers’ Associationwww.nata.org

(800)TRY-NATA

http://www.nata.org/careercenter

© 2009 National Athletic Trainers Association (800)TRY-NATA Practice Administrator Community Based...

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