Management Essentials

If General Patton Were an Ophthalmologist

By Farrell “Toby” Tyson, MD, FACS

Growing up in a military family, I was introduced to George C. Scott's outstanding performance as General George S. Patton at a very young age. In the opening scenes of this epic movie, Patton addresses his troops disheartened prior to going into battle. This speech has had a lasting impression on me. The words, although meant for war, are also applicable to running a successful ophthalmology practice.

A Few Good Men

When Patton delivered his speech in the movie, he was taking over a demoralized and beaten American army in the North African desert. His job was to inspire and uplift his troops, while leading them to a much-needed victory.

In a practice, the staff looks to their doctors for this leadership and inspiration. To be successful, you need to be the head cheerleader of your team every day. You need to surround yourself with energetic and upbeat staff members who exude vitality. This esprit de corps will permeate through the practice and into patient care. Those that do not exude this positive attitude may soon become casualties of your workforce.

“Americans love a winner. Americans will not tolerate a loser,” states Patton later in the movie. This is very true in ophthalmology. If you look around, patients and good staff migrate to the leading and up-and-coming practices. They want to be part of that success.

This is one of the reasons your practice needs to continue to advance — whether in patient service or technology. Investing in your practice builds excitement and provides the staff with new challenges. Patton also states, “I don't want to get any messages saying, ‘I am holding my position.’” He under stood that if you are not moving forward and growing, then you are stuck — and no one can afford to stay in place.

Perfect Discipline

Patton did not mince words — he called it just as he saw it. In a medical practice, honesty and truth need to be expressed — the good and the bad. By clearly stating expectations, there is little room left for personal interpretation. While many administrators and doctors avoid confrontation with their staff, this only allows problems to grow and fester. It is far better to address a problem early on so it can be corrected and learned from.

Patton was an effective leader not because of his speeches but because he took action after delivering them. Upon taking command of the army, he inspected all the troops to see if they looked sharp and then followed them to ensure they were performing their duties.

Every ophthalmologist must do the same. We need to review all aspects of our practice, from front desk to billing and everything in between. This not only helps connect the staff with the doctor, but also educates the physician on different aspects of his practice.

General Patton held his army to a higher standard — just as we need to do with our staffs. Patton once said, “If you can't get them to salute when they should salute and wear the clothes you tell them to wear, how are you going to get them to die for their country?”

In our practice, we have assigned employee parking and a dress code with uniforms. If an employee can't park in the appropriate spot or conform to dress code, how can I expect him not to fabricate IOP readings or skip over patient histories?

Patton said, “An army is a team. It lives, sleeps, eats and fights as a team.” Every team needs a captain and whether you like it or not, when you're the physician, you are that captain. Exuding leadership skills and sound policies, you can lead your practice through these tough economic times and prevail.

As with Patton, you will always be held to a higher standard. You need to continually project a sense of calm and control no matter the circumstance. If you do this, just like with Patton, your troops will proudly follow you into battle. OM

Farrell C. Tyson, MD, FACS, is a refractive cataract/glaucoma eye surgeon at the Cape Coral Eye Center in Florida. He may be reached at tysonfc@hotmail.com.