SedRate Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 Our group has recently grown, and management has had issues with turnover and finding the right proportion of MAs to surgeon-PA pairs. Currently we have 1:2 at any one time (so one MA handling the issues of two pairs). But on clinic days, it actually comes out to 2:1, so two MAs for one pair. However, those two MAs are also handling issues of the other two providers who are in the OR that day. So that means fielding phone calls, pharmacy stuff, rehab issues, etc. I wanted to reach out to you fine folks to see how you guys function and if there are any suggestions. How many MAs does your office have? Do you have one dedicated MA just for your own surgeon-PA pair? Do you guys share an MA with another pair based on your different clinic schedules? Do you have a "floater" and/or designated triage nurse/MA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthropathy Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 We have 1 MA per PA/MD pair. Most days this is adequate. Surgeon is in the OR 2 days, I'm in the OR 1 day plus 1 day is just morning clinic. So she has 1.5 days to deal with paperwork which is adequate. But on a busy clinic day when we have 56 patients, it gets very hard to field phone calls, apply casts, set up injections, etc. Do that 2 days in a row and everyone is ready to blow their brains out, staff and patients alike. I would love to have a second MA 1 or 2 days a week but definitely not needed full time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SedRate Posted April 29, 2017 Author Share Posted April 29, 2017 Does your MA work with another team on your non-clinic days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AbeTheBabe Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 In my surgeon-PA team we have one MA and one practice coordinator who handles the surgical scheduling/preop/etc. They are both full time and only work with us. When we are not in clinic, they are doing paperwork. In clinic, non-urgent calls go to voicemail and they call back when we are not in clinic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SedRate Posted April 29, 2017 Author Share Posted April 29, 2017 Are you in the clinic 3 days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AbeTheBabe Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 I'm in the clinic 3 days, surgeon in clinic 2 days. OR the rest of the time (except for 1/2 day administrative time / leave whenever time on Friday afternoon). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthropathy Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Does your MA work with another team on your non-clinic days? No, she still fields phone calls manages our panel, cast changes, refills, and mostly paperwork etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reality Check 2 Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 3 providers - one doc, 2 PAs 3 MAs - one not certified - just registered - long ugly story. NO LPNs, NO RNs Office Manager is listed as MA supervisor..................... uh huh, ponder that one. No real subs, no back up. Pretty much bites - my MA is super smart and has common sense. I do way more work than I should have to do not having an RN or LPN to delegate to legally with a license. Cost effective? Not really if you consider all I have to do and not really get paid for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SedRate Posted May 3, 2017 Author Share Posted May 3, 2017 3 providers - one doc, 2 PAs 3 MAs - one not certified - just registered - long ugly story. NO LPNs, NO RNs Office Manager is listed as MA supervisor..................... uh huh, ponder that one. No real subs, no back up. Pretty much bites - my MA is super smart and has common sense. I do way more work than I should have to do not having an RN or LPN to delegate to legally with a license. Cost effective? Not really if you consider all I have to do and not really get paid for it. That definitely leaves things tight for all in a primary care office. I'm mainly asking in reference to ortho practices where providers may not always be in clinic. Didn't you work with an orthopod at one point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reality Check 2 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 That definitely leaves things tight for all in a primary care office. I'm mainly asking in reference to ortho practices where providers may not always be in clinic. Didn't you work with an orthopod at one point? Yes, I was in ortho. A large multi-location group. We had RNs who managed the MAs. Each Doc/PA team had their own MA and about 1 RN per 3 teams. We were in clinic T/Th and OR on M/F and every other Wed. The MAs were usually set to the team but the RNs floated. The MA we had was nasty special and widely hated - no one else would allow her to work with them. A lot of why I left - long story. She answered phones on OR days and only for our patients. She roomed all patients on our clinic days. So, pretty set MA match to doc/PA team with very little overlap and consistency for the patients which was nice. I like the consistency of one person. My situation with the megalomaniac was unique and painful. I still know very successful teams in that group. Don't be an MA for your group and insist on licensed, trained, mentally stable staff to reflect positively to your patients and your professional integrity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SedRate Posted May 3, 2017 Author Share Posted May 3, 2017 Don't be an MA for your group and insist on licensed, trained, mentally stable staff to reflect positively to your patients and your professional integrity. Definitely. The main issue at this time is that we have had turnover. Our patients don't have that consistency and that reflects poorly on us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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