Most Practices Are Too Small to Hire Human Resources Departments; They're Busy Caring for Patients and Can Be Blindsided by Regulatory Violations and Personnel Problems, Says Human Resources Authority at Marks Paneth & Shron
NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Sep 12, 2011) - A modern medical practice involves headaches, chills, fevers and night sweats -- and that's just when it comes to running the business side of the office: Scheduling patients, tracking reimbursement and keeping the practice profitable.
Now there's yet another cause for those symptoms -- the risk of fines, penalties, lawsuits, higher insurance premiums, and staff drama and turnover that can result when the medical practice fails to keep track of human resources issues and fails to comply with dozens of new human resources laws and regulations.
Personnel management is always complex. In addition, HR laws are under constant revision, and revenue-starved agencies are tightening enforcement. Regulatory audits are a real risk.
But most medical practices are too small to have human resources departments, or even HR specialists. That means they can be blindsided by the complex and overlapping demands of new federal, state and local employment laws and regulatory requirements, and by staff problems that spiral out of control.
"Medical practices are at risk because they're focused on their mission, which is patient care. They often don't have human resources professionals on hand to help manage the complexity," says Eric A. Marks, MPA, MBA, SPHR, Principal of the Human Resources Consulting and Business Advisory Services at New York accounting and consulting firm Marks Paneth & Shron LLP. "Office personnel are focused, first and foremost, on the quality of care, as they should be. But often, that means that HR issues don't get the attention they need and deserve.
"Depending on their size, the practice might have an office manager who is responsible for functions such as billing, bookkeeping, scheduling and marketing, in addition to HR," Mr. Marks says. "It's difficult if not impossible for that person to keep track of all the HR issues. Medical practices should seriously consider an HR compliance assessment to make sure they're current with the myriad laws and regulations that are already on the books or are coming down the pike."
Among the HR risks and issues for medical practices, and the benefits of HR compliance assessments...
"The HR environment is complex and is only going to become more so," Mr. Marks says. "Medical practices owe it to themselves, their employees and their patients to get their HR house in order. A compliance review is the most effective and efficient way for the practice to do exactly that, and be confident that it has its HR bases covered."
For more information, or to schedule an interview or arrange a bylined article, contact Itay Engelman of Sommerfield Communications at (212) 255-8386 or itay@sommerfield.com.
About Eric Marks, MPA, MBA, SPHR
Eric A. Marks, MPA, MBA, SPHR is the Principal-in-Charge of Human Resource Consulting at Marks Paneth & Shron LLP. Mr. Marks provides leadership in strategic human resource and specialized business management issues for the firm and its clients. Mr. Marks is a facilitator and consultant with more than 20 years of executive management experience. He has been responsible for developing processes and systems to improve organizational capability in key business areas such as goal alignment, performance management, accountability, leadership, career development, change management and succession planning.
About Marks Paneth & Shron
Marks Paneth & Shron LLP is an accounting firm with nearly 475 people, of whom approximately 60 are partners and principals. The firm provides businesses with a full range of auditing, accounting, tax, consulting, bankruptcy and restructuring services as well as litigation and corporate financial advisory services to domestic and international clients. The firm also specializes in providing tax advisory and consulting for high-net-worth individuals and their families, as well as a wide range of services for international, real estate, media, entertainment, nonprofit, professional and financial services and energy clients. The firm has a strong track record supporting emerging growth companies, entrepreneurs, business owners and investors as they navigate the business life cycle.
The firm's subsidiary, Tailored Technologies, LLC, provides information technology consulting services. In addition, its membership in JHI, the leading international association for independent business advisers, financial consulting and accounting firms, facilitates service delivery to clients throughout the United States and around the world. Marks Paneth & Shron LLP, whose origins date back to 1907, is the 30th largest firm in the nation and the 13th largest in the New York area. In addition, readers of the New York Law Journal rank MP&S as one of the area's top forensic accounting firms.
Its headquarters are in Manhattan. Additional offices are in Westchester, Long Island and the Cayman Islands. For more information, please visit www.markspaneth.com.
Contact Information:
Contact:
Itay Engelman
Sommerfield Communications, Inc.
212-255-8386
itay@sommerfield.com