Celebrating the 100th practice manager training

HCA Healthcare Physician Services Group (PSG) Training and Development recently celebrated  its 100^th orientation for practice managers throughout the organization. PSG has offered the course to new practice leaders since 2005, when the organization recognized a need to connect practice managers nationwide to their HCA Healthcare partners in Nashville and their peers across the country.

Fast forward more than a decade and 100 sessions later, the program, now coined “Practice Manager Orientation” or PMO, has reached nearly 2,000 practice managers across the country.

Jeff Rydburg, vice president of PSG Support Services Group, launched the course, originally named HCA Healthcare Physicians Services (HCA HealthcarePS) University. “We knew we were hiring great practice managers, but we needed to ensure they knew how to connect with their corporate partners and manage in a fashion consistent with our operations,” he said. “We originally built the program to tell practice managers what we think they needed to know. Today, it’s the practice managers who tell us what they need to know,” Rydburg added.

The program started with one class and 15 attendees in its inaugural year. Since then, it has grown steadily to an average of eight classes and more than 110 total attendees per year through 2017.

Practice managers ensure effective operations of HCA Healthcare-affiliated physician practices to provide patients with the best possible experience. The class, which has evolved through the years to remain relevant to today’s manager, consists of interactive presentations and content, automated registration and administrative process, personalized learning paths and more robust feedback and evaluation processes.

“The opportunity for professional development and one-on-one time with the presenters was extremely helpful,” commented an HCA Healthcare-affiliate practice manager who attended the orientation.

After 13 years and 100 sessions, word of mouth about the course has proved extremely valuable to the program. “We consistently average around 4.7 out of 5 for all 19 presenters,” Susan Silva, director of PSG Training and Development said. “It’s pretty amazing that our teams have been able to maintain such a consistently high average.”

Practice managers find value in the program because presenters strive to give participants two to four action items they can put into place right away. Silva said, “I call it a Swiss cheese filler; practice managers come in with a basic understanding of practice management and walk away with all of the holes filled in.” In addition to gaining “new tools in their toolbox”, Silva encourages discussion among participants. She said, “They learn new ways of dealing with issues from one another, and often make connections that last for years.”

Visit here if you’re interested in joining HCA Healthcare as a practice manager. Watch the video below to learn more.

HCA Healthcare 50th Anniversary
In 1968, HCA Healthcare was conceived by two physicians and an accomplished business leader — Dr. Thomas Frist Sr., Dr. Thomas Frist Jr., and Jack Massey. This year, HCA Healthcare celebrates its golden anniversary and the culture of caring established by our three founders 50 years ago. To help us celebrate our 50th year, we’ll share stories here that reflect HCA Healthcare’s mission – above all else, the care and improvement of human life – and our pledge to improve life and make history for the next 50 years and beyond.