How to Thrive and Survive in the Healthcare Industry

No matter what sector of the healthcare industry you’re in, chances are it’s controlled chaos. There are hundreds of responsibilities going on behind the scenes at any given moment, and dropping any of them could negatively impact a patient.

This high-stress, high-pressure environment makes it hard enough just to survive the day, but you want to thrive!

To go beyond living in the day-to-day routine, try these tips and learn how to excel, no matter what the healthcare industry throws your way.

1. Don’t Let Your Standards Slip

This sounds like a no-brainer, but it’s scary how many healthcare professionals start out strong and slowly get beaten down by the system.

If you want to work it in your favor, stay true to your highest standards no matter what the insurance companies and other physicians tell you. Eventually, your reputation will speak for itself and word-of-mouth will do its trick.

You’ll become a busy, in-demand professional and still be able to keep your values, morals, and ethics high. It’s a win/win for everyone except the other “professionals” who might have to step up to stay relevant.

2. Keep Up With the Times

The times, they are a-changing, and there is no industry that feels the evolution quite as strongly as the medical field. It’s a fast-paced rush to find better technology to treat patients, more efficient software to save time, and cost-effective methods for all of it!

Even the most seasoned healthcare professionals must keep up with the changes. If you’re still using your outdated methods of diagnosing and treating patients, be careful.

Not only is this inefficient, it can also be dangerous. New technology is available to catch and diagnose problems quickly. New treatments are regularly accessible to manage and eliminate medical conditions.

By not using them, you could harm a patient and set yourself up for a lawsuit. To thrive in the medical field, you must make yourself comfortable with today’s technology and that of the future.

3. Get Your Own Affairs in Order

The rush and stress of your daily schedule may not leave a lot of time for a personal life. What you do have, you want to enjoy!

This is perfectly fine, but you have to take some time to complete a few necessities to protect your future.

What are your goals for your family, health, and finances? Set those goals and begin planning today to meet them later. Common responsible tasks (even if they aren’t fun) include:

• Reading and understanding your health and auto insurance policies to make sure there are no surprises when you need them
• Taking out mortgage, life, and disability insurance policies because accidents happen
• Opening and filling your savings account with at least six months’ worth of bills
• Starting a college fund for your children
• Investing in retirement plans and setting up a financial portfolio

Once you have all of these monotonous tasks done, move to the more engaging things! Try writing a bucket list, then cross things off one at a time, or set other life goals.

4. Build a Network of Professionals

Your reputation isn’t just about the work you do. It also includes the net of physicians you refer from your practice. “Guilty by association” and “you are who you hang out with” extend to the physician’s referral network.

Pay close attention to the reputations of those you choose to use to co-treat your own patients. There will always be those physicians who are known for a rough bedside manner or for appropriating those referred to them.

It may be disappointing, but to thrive, you have to cultivate a carefully honed referral network. The doctors you choose to care for your patients must have the same values and high standards of treatment that you do.

5. Watch Your Online Presence

Even if you don’t have your own web page, you have an online presence. This reputation is crucial since research has shown that nearly 80% of people seek out their future physician by looking online.

This doesn’t mean you have to get on social media platforms with your personal life. There are professional sites, like LinkedIn, that you can use to build your reputation. Hire a website designer to set your practice up with an impressive page, or invest in a social media marketer to do the work for you!

Ignoring your online presence can be dangerous. One negative review amongst hundreds of positives might be just enough to set off a snowball effect that damages your reputation.

Conclusion

There’s no doubt about it that you’re busy doing what you do best. The world needs you out there with your skills, helping people with their health problems! But you can’t neglect your own future.

These five strategies can be done in the background of your day or a few minutes after hours. Use them to set yourself up to thrive in the healthcare industry and your own life!