How do I know if my medical practice is properly staffed?
- Jan 30
- 2 min read
Many medical practices feel constantly busy, yet their profits do not always reflect the workload. While others worry that they are overstaffed and carrying unnecessary wage costs.
Getting staffing levels right is essential in the medical profession as it helps protect cash flow, improve patient experience, and support sustainable growth.
Common issues we see include:
Practices hiring reactively due to workload pressure
Overstaffing admin roles without reviewing efficiency
Understaffing clinical roles and limiting revenue capacity
Not tracking staffing costs against revenue
Understanding whether your practice is properly staffed helps you:
Control wage costs
Improve patient flow and satisfaction
Maintain profitability as you grow
Plan hiring decisions with confidence
Review revenue per practitioner
A well-staffed practice generates consistent revenue per doctor or practitioner.
Key questions to ask:
Is each practitioner working at or near capacity
Are appointment slots consistently filled
Is revenue per practitioner stable or improving
Best practice:
Track revenue per practitioner monthly
Compare current performance to previous periods
Identify underutilised capacity before hiring more staff
Analyse wage costs as a percentage of revenue
Wages should scale in line with revenue, not outpace it.
What to review:
Total wages including super
Wage percentage compared to total revenue
Trends over the last six to twelve months
Best practice:
Monitor wage ratios regularly
Set clear benchmarks for your practice
Investigate any increases in wages that are not matched by revenue growth
Assess admin efficiency and workflow
Admin staffing often grows faster than necessary when systems are inefficient.
Ask yourself:
Are admin staff spending time on manual tasks
Can systems or software reduce workload
Are clinicians spending time on non-clinical work
Best practice:
Review task allocation across the team
Streamline booking, billing and follow ups
Use technology to improve efficiency before hiring
Do:
Fix process gaps first
Do not:
Add admin staff to compensate for poor systems
Check patient demand and service capacity
Proper staffing aligns with actual patient demand.
Review:
Appointment wait times
Patient cancellation or reschedule rates
Missed revenue opportunities due to lack of capacity
Best practice:
Use appointment data to forecast demand
Identify peak periods and staffing gaps
Adjust rosters before adding permanent roles
Plan for sustainable growth
Staffing decisions should support long-term growth, not short-term pressure.
Before hiring, consider:
Your cash flow position
Profitability trends
The cost of additional staff vs expected revenue
Whether demand is consistent or seasonal
Best practice:
Base hiring decisions on data, not stress levels
Review staffing regularly as your practice evolves
Not sure if your medical practice is properly staffed?
At Rise Accountants, we can help medical practices assess staffing levels using their financial and performance data.