Overseeing the business side of medical practice is the main work of a practice manager.
When appearing for an interview for a practice manager position, make sure that you know what the process will entail.
At the interview for a practice manager position, you will be asked about your skills in hiring and managing administrative staff members and handling records.
You will also be tested on your ability to ensure state compliance of the practice that you represent.
Focusing on previous experience and acquired skills are important when preparing for a practice manager interview.
Here are some questions that you may be asked during the process:
Practice Manager Interview Questions and Answers
1. Tell me a little about yourself. OR Why do you want to work for us?
Combining my love for working in a medical environment, and knowledge of business and office practices led me to decide to work in this position. Also, I have 5+ years of experience working as a practice manager, at one of the busiest medical practices in the city.
2. What duties have you performed in the role of a practice manager?
As a practice manager, I have been busy handling many duties, including ensuring that the medical office is opened and closed on time and creating and implementing staff schedules. In addition to this, my work involves hiring and training new staff members, reviewing products, and making required adjustments. Also, my responsibilities include working with physicians to develop business strategies and patient services.
3. What skills do you depend on to work successfully as a practice manager?
I possess a wide array of skills, including knowledge of overseeing daily practice operations, including appointment scheduling and follow-up. I am also well-versed in managing patients’ records and interacting with patients to provide information, and gain feedback. Moreover, I possess demonstrated expertise in monitoring the practice’s progress in meeting its targets. All these make it possible for me to work successfully as a practice manager.
4. What do you find most challenging about this work?
I feel that coordinating all aspects of a busy medical practice is quite challenging.
5. How do you handle this challenge?
The best thing about me is my organizational skills, which make it possible for me to coordinate all aspects of the medical practice that I work for. Even when it gets challenging, I know that my ability to handle challenges will help me in overcoming it.
6. As far as patient contact is concerned, how active are you?
I am very active where patient contact is concerned. Since a practice manager has to keep in constant contact with patients in order to ensure high-quality services, I make sure that I reach out to them on a regular basis.
7. How do you handle adversity at the workplace?
I am an extremely busy individual who does not have time for petty engagements. If I find myself in the midst of adversity, I try to find out what is making it this way so that I can resolve the issue and move on.
8. What is your greatest strength?
My greatest strength is my ability to tactfully handle issues pertaining to business strategies.
9. What is your biggest weakness?
I wouldn’t call it a weakness, but I do find it a tad difficult to handle billing processes. But I am actively looking into it so that it remains a problem no more.
10. What do you do when you encounter a problem employee?
I am a solution-oriented individual. When I encounter a problem employee, my focus is on resolving the employee’s issues so that they do not hinder work.
11. What do you do to keep costs under control?
My method is simple – do not invest in things that do not have a direct impact on the practice. My choice of vendors and suppliers is always right, as I choose the most economical, yet best ones. And I have a rule which dictates that overhead costs need to be looked into on a constant basis to ensure that they do not go out of hand.
12. Have you ever made a mistake in the workplace? Recount what happened?
Mistakes are not uncommon when you have so much on your plate. Thankfully, no major mistake has come about in my career. However, recently, I did make an error while posting a billing element, which could have been quite an issue if I didn’t have checks and balances in place.
13. What is your leadership style?
I do not think of myself as a boss. I lead by providing a good example to people working under me. And I ensure that I help and mentor them throughout so that there is no lack in the services.
14. What qualities would you look for when hiring someone for the front desk of medical practice?
I would want a front desk representative to be knowledgeable about both the work of the practice and receptionist duties. I would hire someone with exceptional organizational and communication skills.
15. How do you ensure that the practice never runs out of important medical supplies?
In my present place of work, I have a system in place which provides an alert when any resource or material is going out of stock. This inventory system helps me in ensuring that the practice never runs out.
16. Describe your ideal work culture.
I believe that ideal work cultures do not exist. And it is unrealistic to expect them. Near-ideal work culture will be one where everyone works together to reach a common goal.
17. What creates a positive patient experience?
All people within a medical practice, doing their job perfectly ends up in positive patient experience.
18. If we choose to hire you, when can you join us?
I can join your medical practice as soon as the notice to my present employer expires.
19. Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now?
I see myself in a consultant capacity, providing training and mentorship to administrative staff at medical practices.
20. Do you have any questions for me?
I would like to know how you handle so many different medical practices within one building and still manage to provide excellent services.