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Solidifying Guiding Principles
By Dr. David Edward Marcinko; MBA, CMP™
[Publisher-in-Chief
]
The mission statement is an important and fundamental document that reminds doctor’s why they are in medical practice. This document reflects the physician-executive’s beliefs about life, practice, patients, employees, reimbursement and medical vendors. It serves as a guide for him or her to make choices about how to allocate time and medical practice resources.
Essential Elements
There are no firm rules about what a medical practice mission statement should contain or how long it should be.
For some doctors, a succinct statement is appropriate; for others, it may take two to four pages to capture the mission. However, the critical element in every mission statement is the physician-executive’s belief that he or she can uphold every principal in the statement.
Prepare and Revise
To help doctors prepare or revise a mission statement, they should create a list of things that make their patients, practice and employees unique, and then incorporate them into the statement.
Some doctors prepare multi-page mission statements that include up-to-date biographies, along with a list of personal commitments and a vision for the future.
Others write a paragraph or two on their beliefs, goals and practice philosophy, detailing how they plan to hold themselves accountable to their mission statement.
Mission Statement Elements
Here are some other important elements of any medical practice mission statement:
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It should include both a local vision with global beliefs, because this view helps keep things in perspective when patients get caught-up in their day-to-day business and personal lives; and healthcare needs.
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A mission statement should include steps that support the doctor’s vision. These steps can be written in either a list format or incorporated in paragraph form. It is sometimes important to commit to specific facts, figures, or goals in your mission statement. Mission statements are designed to communicate principal beliefs and ideals, but a statement of specific goals and outcomes should be included as well, to suit the doctor’s purpose and patient’s needs.
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It must be stable, yet flexible. Because a mission statement is about who the doctor is and what he or she believes, the core elements should remain relativity stable. However, as patients and doctors age, medical care philosophy and needs may change. Doctors should review their mission statements annually and revise them to accommodate any new principles, patient needs or beliefs.
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A mission statement should inspire. Doctor’s mission statements should inspire and motivate potential patients. This is the most important criterion, so have sample patients look at the document and see if it inspires him or her and the family around the practice. They also should be able to return to their mission statements for guidance about how they want to manage their own healthcare.
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A mission statement should also inspire the doctor to do their best professionally. A doctor’s mission statements will have no real value unless it inspires and motivates; internally and externally.
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Finally, a mission statement should include a vision of what the doctor’s practice wants to become. A mission statement should state practice ideals, not current reality. This is a statement about who the doctor wants his patient to become too—and not necessarily what the patient’s health is today. For example: what characteristics does the patient need to improve [blood pressure, weight, cholesterol levels, skin appearance, cardiac output, oral hygiene, etc] for overall health and physical well-being?
Assessment
Remember, a mission statement serves as a guide only if the doctor commits to making it a part of his or her medical practice.
Conclusion
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Speaker: If you need a moderator or speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David E. Marcinko; MBA – Publisher-in-Chief of the Medical Executive-Post – is available for seminar or speaking engagements. Contact: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com
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FINANCE: Financial Planning for Physicians and Advisors
INSURANCE: Risk Management and Insurance Strategies for Physicians and Advisors
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