How Much Staff Does A Solo OD Need?
By Jerry Hayes OD | in
|
5/11/2010 - 4:05 pm
Dear Dr. Hayes,
I recently moved to a new location and want your advice on my doctor to staff ratio. I work 26 hours per week and see an average of two full exams and one follow-up visit per hour.
My current staff includes three 'full time equivalent' employees (FTE's). I have a full-time optician, a full-time receptionist, a part-time receptionist who works 20 hours per week in a billing person who averages 15 hours per week.
Please let me know your thoughts on how I can most efficiently staff my office.
Thanks so much for your help.
Michael Collins, OD (name changed)
Dear Dr. Collins,
I use three metrics to evaluate overall staffing levels and productivity for private practice OD's;
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Staff Expense
Jerry,
I have generally followed your recommended guidelines/metrics for cost containment. They have been very helpful to make sure we are on the right track. But I disagree with one employee for every $125,000 of practice income. This only allows for $12/hr. employees. It is difficult to find anyone with half a brain that will work for $10-12/hr, especially after a couple of years of employment. It is definitely better to have higher paid employees that are smart, dedicated, and good workers. We have 13 employees, 5 of them are good refractionists, and come in at your recommended 19%. I recommend higher better employees, who will make a more positive impression, and be of more assistance.
David Miller
Staff expense
Dr. Hayes,
I was curious about your 20% cost of staff benchmark. For any given practice, you are suggesting $25k per FTE based on your one FTE per $125k of production. With taxes and benefits, you are looking at $10-11/hr. I don't see how one can develop and retain a well trained professional staff on that kind of compensation. Are these benchmarks skewed toward rural depressed areas? Even at 25% for labor you are looking at $31k per employee.
Love reading your insights. Keep them coming.