The modern medical practice typically resembles one of two very different pictures. The first picture looks like a tired athlete, running full speed on a treadmill, set to the highest incline. This is the practice that still tries to be an expert in everything, even while everything is changing. This practice, in addition to providing medical care, tries to stay on top of coding changes, hire and constantly re-train staff, and follow up with multiple payers with ever-changing rules. This practice ends up in the business of financing patients who can’t afford their high deductible plans, attempts to implement the latest technology, must be a marketing expert to compete and attract new patients, and also must stay on top of complex regulatory requirements. Spread too thin, less and less time is spent on clinical care and face to face interaction with patients.

The other picture of the modern medical practice is much more balanced. This practice has accepted that no one can be the best at everything, all the time. Leadership has taken a careful, critical look at both the practice’s strengths and its vulnerabilities. This practice has realized that by thoughtfully carving out certain aspects of nonclinical, ever expanding administrative duties, it can refocus on its core mission of providing quality care resulting in high levels of patient satisfaction. This practice has discovered hybrid models of outsourced billing solutions, which move in tandem with collections and cash flow. Realizing that if it’s not our core business, it’s a distraction, this practice has found a competitive advantage over those who are still trying to keep up with too many moving parts. The successful modern practice knows when to outsource, when to automate, how to staff (or reduce staff) to maximize profitability, and where to focus its resources. This practice has likely found that the optimal solution is a hybrid, a combination of both in and outsourcing, not “all or nothing” paradigms.