CAs Can Lead the Way to a Successful Practice
Brandy Brimhall
CPC, CMCO, CCCPC, CPCO, CPMA
The chiropractic assistant is a valuable teammate for the practice who also holds some of the reins in the productivity, development, growth, and general operations of the business. Providers rely heavily on CAs to help ensure the proper functioning of all business processes. Every CA role, regardless of his or her job description, affects the patient experience, professionalism, and cash flow of the practice. Just like when we hear doctors explain to patients that everything in the body is connected and an inefficiency in one region can compromisethe healthy functioning of another, the same truth applies to the departments or roles and responsibilities in the practice.
It can be easy to forget the value of your role as a CA and, instead, find yourself simply robotically navigating daily tasks. As a CA, I recognized how this could easily occur in my own role, and in some ways, already had. I also recognized it among my coworkers. To my advantage, I love to learn and love to participate. Being a CA has been one of the most lesson-filled and rewarding experiences that I have ever had. I've served as a front desk CA, billing and collections CA, table-side CA, and an X-ray CA. The opportunities that I received in learning each of those roles have undoubtedly helped me develop as an individual and a professional.
With that, I would like to share some of the lessons that I have learned and continue to learn. These are not secrets, but they are general tools that I believe can be helpful when developing leadership for any CA role.
• We are all leaders in our own roles. Every role in the practice is critically important to the efficient functioning of the business. Regardless of your job description or job title, your contribution is needed. Demonstrating positive leadership has a way of rubbing off on others. Not to mention, it shows your reliability and commitment, which makes you even more valuable to your practice and can help with professional advancement.
• Contribute. Meetings and training sessions are just a couple of examples of where you can be an active and valuable contributor. This offers you an opportunity to ask questions, suggest new ideas,
offer to spearhead projects, and more. Even in those instances when the topic at hand is practice obstacles or inefficiencies, see what you can do to be part of the solution. That doesn't mean that you're necessarily offering to take on more work, but rather looking at the bigger picture to help determine ways for improvement. Look for ways to be more efficient and effective in your role and in others. Remember, it all fits together.
• Be accountable. Be on time. Meet deadlines. Ask for help when you need it. Don't set responsibilities to the side that aren't favorites and let them pile up, go untouched, or land on someone else's plate. In short, lead by example.
• Be approachable. Being able to communicate and be communicated with by your coworkers, patients, and doctor(s) is critical. You are an advocate to your patients and a representative of your role and your practice. There are many personal
and professional benefits to being someone who can listen, explain, and be trusted.
• Be proactive. No one wants to be the one who has other people frequently waiting in order to do their job so the next step of the process can be handled. Though it can't necessarily always be avoided, it is important to evaluate time management and prioritize responsibilities so you can have your own role running like clockwork and can help other roles accomplish that as well. You also don't want to be the one who has to be frequently reminded or asked to complete your responsibilities. Remember that the functionality of one role will affect the functionality of other roles in the practice. Just by being proactive, we can help ourselves and help others too.
• Understand that change is going to happen.
Any type of growth is inevitable without change. Though change can be difficult, in this field, there is simply no way to avoid it at some level. Also, be willing to make midcourse corrections or improvements to existing systems. Continuing to do something that is inefficient or inaccurate just because that's how it's always been done is a recipe for frustration and possible disaster. A great teammate is someone who can embrace change, or at least have a way to adaptto it peacefully.
• Set goals. Individual roles and even entire practices can plateau just because nobody has their eyes on a target. Set individual goals and team goals that are manageable and achievable. Too many goals can be overwhelming and will cause you to feel scattered, and iftheyareall big goals, it can be deflating if you don't reach them as quickly as you intend. Having goals also allows you to monitor progress and achievement. This serves as great motivation for CAs and the entire practice!
• Be willing to learn. Without the willingness to learn, your role and even the practice can become stagnant. Additionally, with rules and regulations that we have in place today, an unwillingness to learn can also be very dangerous territory. It is necessary for CAs to stay up to date with current rules and have current resources on hand for quick and easy verification and reference. It has helped me immensely over the years to recognize that I don't have to know all the answers. Neither do you! We just have to know how to find them. Use your resources and reach out for help rather than making guesses, assumptions, or havingthe burden of feeling as if you have to know it all.
• Make Time For Professional Development. Last but not least on this list for leadership is training and education. Every role that I've had has been very humbling to me because it taught me that there is so much more I can learn. Continued education and training can come in many forms. You may pursue a certification that is important to you or will benefit you professionally. Perhaps you would like to attend seminars or listen to more webinars on topics important to your role and your practice. Even reading books or articles can give you a greater understanding and useful tools to improve your role and your practice. All of this, along with other training and education mechanisms, will be empowering and invaluable to your important role as a CA.
In closing, being a CA isn't just a job, and everyone likes to know that they are contributing to something larger. Be proud to be a CA and embrace your role as a leader. You hold a key element to the health of the practice and provide an indispensable service to others.
Brandy Brimhall, CPC, CMCO, CCCPC, CPCO, CPMA, has worked in chiropractic since 1999 and has performed many roles in this field. She currently serves as the director of education
for ChiroCode and director of compliance sendees for Chiropractic Compliance Solutions. You can contact her at 602-944-9877.
