What Should You Pay Your Front Desk?
- Imran
- Jan 30, 2023
- 8 min read
Hiring for the front desk at a medical office seems trivial but is pretty difficult. The average front desk employee makes $15-20/hour nationally but most clinics have not adjusted wages for inflation. The net result is that real wages for medical office front desk employees has dropped over the years and no one is talking about it.
I recently began the search for hiring a new person for the front desk at one of our clinics. I put out a job posting with our standard $16/hour rate that my previous front desk person used to make and received over 25 applicants via Indeed. I figured this would be a pretty simple process: Select the best candidates, interview, and hire. Should be done in a couple days....right? I was dead wrong.
This process has been nothing short of a train wreck. I interviewed over 30 people for 2 roles and was nothing but disappointed with the candidates that came forward. What was I doing wrong? After much introspection, research, and speaking to other practice administrators, I've come up with the following list:
Put Together a Better Job Posting for the Front Desk
My first problem was that I just pasted a generic job posting that I found online without much thought. In general, this approach is a good way to start things off, but I've since learned how important it is to personalize the job listing for things that are applicable to our practice.
Include the software proficiencies you need
We use tools like athenahealth as our PM/EMR, Solv for our appointment scheduling, and Health iPASS for our front desk check in. However, my original job posting had nothing specific to any of the technologies we used...which is fine. The bigger issue is that I didn't really stress how technologically sound you had to be to work at our clinic. We have clearly embraced software to make our workflows better. It has really made a huge difference in our productivity and profitability as a practice. It has also made hiring the right employees more difficult.
I can no longer hire someone with basic technical proficiency. The generic standard of "familiar with Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint" just doesn't fly. I needed someone who grew up using technology or embraced technology.
Someone who can navigate new software and was familiar with what buttons to click and when to click them is not as simple as hiring a millennial or Gen X'er. It's not as simple as standing in front of a mural with angel wings and pulling in the next teenie bopper taking selfies and posting dances on TikTok.
You absolutely need to incorporate technologies you use in your job posting. Don't be afraid to talk about software and stress how important it is. It helps weed out candidates that end up sucking your time. I would also highly encourage using the Indeed screeners to not spend time talking to the technologically inept if this is something that you are looking to screen.
Include your benefits and perks
It's competitive out there. The impact of COVID and the tight labor market have made it so that staff are quitting their jobs in droves. Job satisfaction is more important than ever and making sure that you have an environment that cultivates good vibes is important. The average tenure for someone at the front desk is just about 1.5 years. We need to incorporate things in our job description that cater to our staff.
To start with, make sure you understand the demographics of those who typically work at the front desk. According to Zippia, ~85% of front desk are women and ~15% are men. The average age of someone who works the front desk is 41.
What does a 41 year old female care about? What are the perks and benefits that your office can provide to make it a place people want to work. Some random ideas that worked for us include:
Do you offer benefits? Healthcare, Dental, Vision? 401K? Its not typical...but if you do, you will definitely attract a much better talent pool.
Do you offer free coffee? A Keurig?
Can you accommodate a schedule conducive to someone who has young children in school?
Is your clinic prepared to offer someone continuing education benefits to advance in their careers?
Are you close to highways or childcare services?
Is there down time for students to study at work?
Can you subsidize lunches or bring in free lunches once a week?
Do you have incentive competitions that allow the front desk employees to win free Starbucks gift cards or something of that sort?
These perks make a big difference in the happiness of your employees...but making sure you market them in your job postings is the key. Our clinic was already providing donuts once a week and had a team outing once a quarter....but we never put it in our job postings. Don't make that mistake!
Job Description Example
Below is a template job description that you can use. Hopefully its helpful but feel free to adjust anything as needed. Just make sure you give us a shoutout or reply in the comments if it worked:
We are seeking a highly organized and friendly individual to join our medical team as a Medical Front Desk Worker. The ideal candidate will have a passion for providing excellent customer service and experience in a medical setting.
Responsibilities:
Greet patients and visitors in a professional and friendly manner
Schedule and confirm appointments using our software tool Solv Health
Maintain accurate patient information in electronic medical records system (proficiency with athenahealth would be highly desirable)
Answer incoming calls, take messages, and redirect calls to the appropriate person using RingCentral
Manage patient check-ins and check-outs using our software tool
Process patient insurance information and payments
Handle basic administrative tasks such as filing, copying, and faxing
Follow up with patients regarding outstanding balances
Collaborate with other medical staff to ensure efficient patient flow
Requirements:
High school diploma or equivalent
2+ years of experience in a medical office setting
Strong customer service skills and a friendly demeanor
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Ability to multitask and prioritize in a fast-paced environment
Highly proficient with technology. Someone who is a digital native is highly preferred
Proficient in Microsoft Office and familiarity navigating electronic medical records systems
Why You Should Apply for this Job:
For the right candidates, we offer a competitive salary and benefits package, as well as opportunities for growth and advancement within the organization. We also take pride in creating a work culture that people enjoy. We provide:
Unlimited coffee using our in office Keurig. Have a flavor you want, simply ask!
Flexible schedules to accommodate childcare and other life events. If you work hard and are smart...we'll work with you.
Wednesday donut days in the office!
Periodic bonuses and incentives to increase your take home pay
If you are a motivated and customer-oriented individual, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity.
To apply, please send your resume and a cover letter to [Insert contact information here].
Pay Your Front Desk the Right Hourly Rate?
I was stuck paying my front desk staff $16/hour and thought that was a fair rate. Little did I know that Amazon down the street was taking people with less skills and paying them $20/hour with better benefits. How was I going to compete for the best talent. Why would someone choose to work for our clinic?
This led me down a wild path of figuring out what front desk staff members are getting paid across the country. Overwhelmingly, the answers are in the range of $15-$20 /hour and haven't changed all that much since 2010. This may have been fine when inflation was pretty limited. However, in this day and age when inflation is skyrocketing, I think its worth asking if we are doing a disservice to our team members. Can they support a family on the income that we are providing.
The other thing is that they are making far less on an inflation adjusted basis. If you look at the table below, it shows that someone in 2010 making $18.00/hour would need to make $24.43 in todays environment to have the same spending power.
On a very real basis, the income for a front desk staff member has gone down!
Year | Average Hourly Wage | Inflation Adjusted Wage |
|---|---|---|
2010 | $18.00 | $24.43 |
2011 | $18.00 | $24.00 |
2012 | $18.00 | $23.65 |
2013 | $19.00 | $24.24 |
2014 | $19.00 | $23.88 |
2015 | $19.00 | $23.54 |
2016 | $20.00 | $24.04 |
2017 | $20.00 | $23.71 |
2018 | $21.55 | $23.37 |
2019 | $20.00 | $23.02 |
2020 | $20.00 | $22.68 |
2021 | $20.00 | $22.33 |
2022 | $20.00 | $21.60 |
2023 | $20.00 | $20.00 |
When I first started digging in, I was besides myself. The front desk staff are already some of the lowest paid employees at our clinic. With inflation, my providers were getting more money on a take home basis because charges were up...but the front desk staff was still expected to work for the same wages that we were paying them ten years ago.
Things had to change and its important to pay reasonable wages. Short term pain and probably not something that the physician board wanted to hear...but it wasn't a tough argument to make at the end of the day. It also explained why we were not getting the quality of candidates applying for the role and our productivity as a practice was starting to fall off a cliff.
For what its worth, according to Indeed...we weren't far off from the averages in our state...but I'm not sure that's a good thing:
Screen & Test applicants for the right traits
A front desk employee is the face of the medical practice and the first point of contact for customers. Their role is crucial in creating a positive first impression and maintaining the image of the organization.
When recruiting front desk team members, it is essential to consider more than just their hourly wage. Here are some key traits to look for in a front desk candidate:
Communication Skills: A front desk employee must have excellent communication skills to handle customer inquiries and provide information accurately and effectively. They must be able to communicate with customers in a friendly, professional, and empathetic manner.
Organizational Skills: Front desk employees are responsible for managing a large volume of tasks, including answering phone calls, scheduling appointments, and handling customer inquiries. Therefore, it is important to look for candidates with strong organizational skills to ensure that the front desk runs smoothly.
Attention to Detail: Front desk employees must pay close attention to detail to avoid making mistakes and to ensure that they provide accurate information to customers. Candidates with strong attention to detail will be able to handle their tasks efficiently and effectively.
Customer Service Skills: Front desk employees are the first point of contact for customers, and their ability to provide excellent customer service can significantly impact the customer's experience and the image of the organization. Look for candidates with a strong commitment to customer service and a proven track record of providing exceptional customer service.
Flexibility: Front desk employees must be able to handle a wide range of tasks and be able to adapt to changing circumstances. They must be flexible and able to handle multiple tasks simultaneously. Candidates with strong multitasking skills will be able to handle the fast-paced environment of a front desk.
Problem-Solving Skills: Front desk employees are often faced with complex customer inquiries and problems. They must have strong problem-solving skills to find creative solutions to these issues and to ensure that customers leave with a positive experience.
Professionalism: Front desk employees must present a professional image and maintain a high level of professionalism at all times. Candidates with a strong sense of professionalism and a commitment to maintaining a professional image will be an asset to any front desk team.
Test general knowledge
This one may be a bit unpopular and I apologize if I end up offending you here. But the thing that dismayed me the most when interviewing candidates was just how few candidates could answer basic general knowledge questions. Why does this matter? Mainly because it indicates to me a propensity to learn and an awareness of your surroundings. 6 out of 10 people got the following questions wrong:
If you had $10 and someone purchased something for $6, how much change would you give them?
Who is the current president of the United States of America? Who is the Vice- President?
What are three things that have happened in the news recently?
What is 50% of $100?
I know it seems trivial and pointless to ask these questions...but it has helped me screen out applicants who just weren't a good fit for our clinics. I don't think I'm expecting too much when asking these questions, but I've been surprised.
In conclusion, Pay Your Front Desk Staff!
When practice administrators evaluate their employee costs, on an aggregate basis, what you pay the front desk is a fraction of the costs you pay providers, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and medical assistants. Is it worth skimping on what you pay the front desk and get left with a revolving door of people that you have to train. These people are the front line of defense when speaking to patients and provide the best first impressions and have a huge impact on the reviews your practice will get online.
The data speaks for itself!
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