My program had a once per month practice management meeting. At the meeting our office manager reviewed how the office was performing on the various quality improvement measures, gave the current patient numbers for each resident and how many they had left to meet the ACGME requirements. Someone would pass around a list of patients with outstanding fees owed, but we never talked about collecting these debts or if there was a debt limit. Every 3rd month or so, the vaccine nurse would review the practice's vaccine success. Questions or suggestions were discouraged and sometimes met with hostility.
I read Practice Management articles through AAFP and find it very useful. In residency, I made a point of meeting the biller and asking questions. If I read something interesting or different I'd ask preceptors about it while on rotations, or bug office managers at other offices. Billing is really where it seems like there is always something to learn.
I also tried to think of ways to improve efficiency and patient throughput while in residency. For example, we would have one nurse rooming patients for 3 or 4 docs. So, at 1p she might have 4 patients to room. By the time she finished the first 2 or 3 the 1:15p pts are showing up. I suggested staggered appt times, or having the residents help by bringing their own patients back, or getting a float nurse. All suggestions were turned down, but this was something I remembered as an attending and I'll go get my own patients if my nurse is busy.
I also worked to learn what everyone in the office actually does and with who the patients come into contact.
I would have liked to get a better hand on just how much was billed, how much was reimbursed and just what exactly our expenses were every month. But this just wasn't something residents were privy to. As an employed doc, I don't get to know this now, either. I would like to, though.
I'd suggest flipping through a few practice management magazines.
