sas5814 Posted July 25, 2023 Share Posted July 25, 2023 23 hours ago, kettle said: I agree a support staff shortage is what the topic was, it turned into another PA's need to unionize thread. I'm open to suggestions how individuals can make a huge medical machine or government agency staff properly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWR Posted July 25, 2023 Share Posted July 25, 2023 6 hours ago, Hemmingway said: I'm open to suggestions how individuals can make a huge medical machine or government agency staff properly. Deafening silence!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SedRate Posted July 25, 2023 Share Posted July 25, 2023 7 hours ago, Hemmingway said: I'm open to suggestions how individuals can make a huge medical machine or government agency staff properly. I'm interested to hear other suggestions as well. Anecdotally, going to management and explaining how it is affecting my productivity and delivery of quality care, discussing with the board/c-suite and directors, and discussing with other PAs hasn't helped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas5814 Posted July 25, 2023 Share Posted July 25, 2023 1 minute ago, SedRate said: I'm interested to hear other suggestions as well. Anecdotally, going to management and explaining how it is affecting my productivity and delivery of quality care, discussing with the board/c-suite and directors, and discussing with other PAs hasn't helped. That was kinda my point. I have been rabidly anti-union most of my life. Having now spent a few years in a large system where the dept chief (physician) thought PAs and NPs were idiots and dangerous, and now with the VA who can't be moved by congress, I don't see any defense for the worker bee but a union. The VA just settled a multi million dollar suit about unpaid OT for PAs and didn't change their behavior so now there are 3 more cases. It would never happen without union representation. And sorry this devolved into a union discussion but sometimes these threads just go like that. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kettle Posted July 26, 2023 Share Posted July 26, 2023 14 hours ago, Hemmingway said: I'm open to suggestions how individuals can make a huge medical machine or government agency staff properly. Working for a large corporation is a choice. I've helped 6 previous positions only for NP's now posted for both NP's and PA's. I might add this is for a federal agency. Also starting to work for one place that has never had a PA only docs. Did my research, knew what the travel docs cost them. Presented them with a different option and they grabbed at it. Wage double the national average. If a job sucks, pays little or has a hostile environment I walk. Not my job to make it better or worth my mental health to endure it. To teach their own, but I'm paving my own way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas5814 Posted July 26, 2023 Share Posted July 26, 2023 10 hours ago, kettle said: Working for a large corporation is a choice. I've helped 6 previous positions only for NP's now posted for both NP's and PA's. I might add this is for a federal agency. Also starting to work for one place that has never had a PA only docs. Did my research, knew what the travel docs cost them. Presented them with a different option and they grabbed at it. Wage double the national average. If a job sucks, pays little or has a hostile environment I walk. Not my job to make it better or worth my mental health to endure it. To teach their own, but I'm paving my own way. I have generally done the same. I am not particularly altruistic but when I see system wide abuse or impropriety it makes me want to do something. It is always very easy, and I have said it myself, to tell people to quit and move or change jobs. That isn't possible or practical for the vast majority of people. Also, if everyone took the "I got mine" attitude towards their work life nothing big would ever improve. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted July 26, 2023 Administrator Share Posted July 26, 2023 18 hours ago, SedRate said: Anecdotally, going to management and explaining how it is affecting my productivity and delivery of quality care, discussing with the board/c-suite and directors, and discussing with other PAs hasn't helped. They don't care about quality. Make a case that an MA more than pays for herself or himself in revenue. ETA: and they don't care about lawsuits or payouts. They pay malpractice insurance to manage that risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SedRate Posted July 26, 2023 Share Posted July 26, 2023 3 hours ago, rev ronin said: They don't care about quality. Make a case that an MA more than pays for herself or himself in revenue. ETA: and they don't care about lawsuits or payouts. They pay malpractice insurance to manage that risk. As you said, they don't care. Or it takes them way too long to accept that things need to change and even longer to finally effect that change. Further, I still don't understand why businesses focus on the bottom line and not how turnover and understaffing affect that line. But I suppose that's once again because, like you said, they don't care about quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas5814 Posted July 26, 2023 Share Posted July 26, 2023 1 hour ago, SedRate said: As you said, they don't care. Or it takes them way too long to accept that things need to change and even longer to finally effect that change. Further, I still don't understand why businesses focus on the bottom line and not how turnover and understaffing affect that line. But I suppose that's once again because, like you said, they don't care about quality. We just got an email that our med center got a 1 star rating (out of 5) from CMS. The center administrator is stunned! He has set his team to looking into the causes and solutions. Chronic under staffing. Insanely excessive administrative garbage designed to make nice metrics at the expense of good health care. Burn out. High turnover. Etc etc. This has been discussed ad nauseum for years and nothing has changed for the better. I suspect now that some big cheese has his head on the chopping block something will happen. I also suspect that something will best be described as putting glitter on a cow pie. 947 days.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SedRate Posted July 26, 2023 Share Posted July 26, 2023 3 hours ago, Hemmingway said: We just got an email that our med center got a 1 star rating (out of 5) from CMS. The center administrator is stunned! He has set his team to looking into the causes and solutions. Chronic under staffing. Insanely excessive administrative garbage designed to make nice metrics at the expense of good health care. Burn out. High turnover. Etc etc. This has been discussed ad nauseum for years and nothing has changed for the better. I suspect now that some big cheese has his head on the chopping block something will happen. I also suspect that something will best be described as putting glitter on a cow pie. 947 days.... Geez... I feel like you can insert pretty much any facility name and it'd be similar. Glad to hear they created a task force of administrators to look into it I guess I shouldn't be surprised when medicine continues to be run like any other for-profit business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kettle Posted July 27, 2023 Share Posted July 27, 2023 14 hours ago, Hemmingway said: Also, if everyone took the "I got mine" attitude towards their work life nothing big would ever improve. A bit far from that, if I can get mine and help others I will. Switching federal jobs from NP only to PA as well took countless phone calls and emails over 14 months. I didn't end up taking the job but a PA can now. Also getting paid well and being the first PA at a place is great but I have to show them what PA'S can do, if all goes well they'll hire more in the future. I'm all about advancing the profession and thus advancing my career as well. 16 yrs in medicine and about 3 yrs out of PA school and I think my advocating has been positive. Numerous conversations with recruiters about the difference in PA and NP training 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted July 27, 2023 Moderator Share Posted July 27, 2023 On 7/26/2023 at 3:50 PM, Hemmingway said: We just got an email that our med center got a 1 star rating (out of 5) from CMS. The center administrator is stunned! He has set his team to looking into the causes and solutions. Chronic under staffing. Insanely excessive administrative garbage designed to make nice metrics at the expense of good health care. Burn out. High turnover. Etc etc. This has been discussed ad nauseum for years and nothing has changed for the better. I suspect now that some big cheese has his head on the chopping block something will happen. I also suspect that something will best be described as putting glitter on a cow pie. 947 days.... Funny, that you don't mention that they are putting some front line docs, nurse and PA on the committee, just more admin folks - just should lay off 1/2 the admin folks and let the providers run it! On 7/26/2023 at 7:07 PM, SedRate said: Geez... I feel like you can insert pretty much any facility name and it'd be similar. Glad to hear they created a task force of administrators to look into it I guess I shouldn't be surprised when medicine continues to be run like any other for-profit business. nope - I support the ACA but it totally destroyed the private practice (via the facility fee) We are now facing the results of having docs, pa, np as merely employees 19 hours ago, kettle said: A bit far from that, if I can get mine and help others I will. Switching federal jobs from NP only to PA as well took countless phone calls and emails over 14 months. I didn't end up taking the job but a PA can now. Also getting paid well and being the first PA at a place is great but I have to show them what PA'S can do, if all goes well they'll hire more in the future. I'm all about advancing the profession and thus advancing my career as well. 16 yrs in medicine and about 3 yrs out of PA school and I think my advocating has been positive. Numerous conversations with recruiters about the difference in PA and NP training Great job, strong work! I advocated hard for about 15 years and it just wore me out. But I was the first one credentialed for a lot of things in my system and other systems as well. Many firsts but still an "ASSistant" exhausted me in the long run. We need fresh eager energetic young blood to force change through visionary leadership and advocacy.... 2152 days till I am done!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas5814 Posted July 28, 2023 Share Posted July 28, 2023 15 hours ago, ventana said: Funny, that you don't mention that they are putting some front line docs, nurse and PA on the committee, just more admin folks - just should lay off 1/2 the admin folks and let the providers run it! actually I am watching and participating in a quantum shift. I am now on 3 different work groups re-tooling how labs, alerts, tasks etc are created, routed, and handled. There seems to finally be some awareness that admin has been screwing the pooch for too many years trying to create metrics and it has left the providers and staff demoralized. I think it is the start of good stuff. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted July 28, 2023 Moderator Share Posted July 28, 2023 1 hour ago, Hemmingway said: actually I am watching and participating in a quantum shift. I am now on 3 different work groups re-tooling how labs, alerts, tasks etc are created, routed, and handled. There seems to finally be some awareness that admin has been screwing the pooch for too many years trying to create metrics and it has left the providers and staff demoralized. I think it is the start of good stuff. YAHOO way to go!! that is amazing!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SedRate Posted July 29, 2023 Share Posted July 29, 2023 (edited) On 7/28/2023 at 8:43 AM, Hemmingway said: actually I am watching and participating in a quantum shift. I am now on 3 different work groups re-tooling how labs, alerts, tasks etc are created, routed, and handled. There seems to finally be some awareness that admin has been screwing the pooch for too many years trying to create metrics and it has left the providers and staff demoralized. I think it is the start of good stuff. That's great! Did you volunteer to join? Were you asked? Did you have to convince someone to let you in? Just wondering how I can get more involved with these kinds of decisions/discussions. Edited July 29, 2023 by SedRate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas5814 Posted July 31, 2023 Share Posted July 31, 2023 (edited) On 7/29/2023 at 4:47 PM, SedRate said: That's great! Did you volunteer to join? Were you asked? Did you have to convince someone to let you in? Just wondering how I can get more involved with these kinds of decisions/discussions. I am blessed to have a great relationship with a great medical director. Once she got to know me she started using me for small things to help take a bit of her load. Over time I volunteered for a few different things, did a few projects I just thought up and submitted etc. She started inviting me to the table and, over time, this is where I landed. Edited July 31, 2023 by Hemmingway 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShakaHoo Posted July 31, 2023 Share Posted July 31, 2023 **Disclaimer - I did not read any of these posts... Our hospital keeps repeating the same phrases... "It is so hard to retain front office staff" "There is a high turnover rate amongst medical assistants and patient care technicians" "If you know any good receptionists or PCTs please refer them" I have repeatedly asked my medical director and management - how do you expect to find/retain good help in today's world for $17-18 an hour? For the most part these people bust their asses, and are essential to patient experience/satisfaction. When carpenters, roofers, plumbers, tree guys, electricians, town/state employees, etc are making $30-40-50-60 an hour - what makes them think a PCT/MA wants to wipe butts, sponge bathe patients, turn/lift people, clean up messes and spills, and deal with the brunt of unhappy families? I fully understand their dissatisfaction! The only way to hire well trained and professional staff that stays long term - is pay them appropriately for their work. $25-30 an hour is far more appropriate. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShakaHoo Posted July 31, 2023 Share Posted July 31, 2023 (edited) On 7/26/2023 at 10:35 AM, rev ronin said: They don't care about quality. Make a case that an MA more than pays for herself or himself in revenue. ETA: and they don't care about lawsuits or payouts. They pay malpractice insurance to manage that risk. The medical assistants in our office perform urine analysis, drug tests, breath alcohol tests, spirometry, vitals/vision, audio tests, draw blood, process referrals, etc. At a hypothetical rate of $20/hour, I believe our office makes hundreds of dollars a day off of our medical assistants - and on busy days - possibly thousands. Edited July 31, 2023 by ShakaHoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turnedintoamartian Posted July 31, 2023 Share Posted July 31, 2023 Locally we had a huge exodus when other jobs began to pay more and offered benefits. It seems the prior premium wage/benefits of any healthcare job evaporated as the pandemic went on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted August 1, 2023 Moderator Share Posted August 1, 2023 23 hours ago, ShakaHoo said: The medical assistants in our office perform urine analysis, drug tests, breath alcohol tests, spirometry, vitals/vision, audio tests, draw blood, process referrals, etc. At a hypothetical rate of $20/hour, I believe our office makes hundreds of dollars a day off of our medical assistants - and on busy days - possibly thousands. hammer, nail - SMACK Yup a productive MA has less bargaining then we do (and we don't have much) Someone has to support the 1/2--5mil compensation of the CEO and then all the layers of management..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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