A good practice manager can take your practice to the next level. Finding the right fit, however, is easier said than done. For the most part, hiring a manager at all is among the most overlooked steps in building a medical practice.

The first challenge is that physicians, especially those in smaller practices, are far too busy caring for patients to put any significant amount of time into hiring decisions. Not all physicians have a mind for business either, so they may not have the skills necessary to hire the best talent. The role of practice manager is also a very critical one and entails a wide variety of responsibilities, finding someone capable of handling it properly can pose a stiff challenge. The skills needed to handle such a wide variety of responsibilities are just as wide, including bookkeeping and clinical experience, business acumen, leadership skills, interpersonal skills and perhaps even a degree in healthcare administration. With so many requirements, you can see why finding the right person is such a tall order.

The most important of all these requirements is strong interpersonal and communication skills. The practice manager will be communicating with every member of the practice on a daily basis, and thus needs the ability to do so flawlessly. Being friendly, outgoing and composed will help them navigate all of the different personalities present within the practice. Before screening candidates, it is also a good idea to decide on the level of experience and the qualifications you deem necessary.

Once the process has begun, here are 5 important factors to consider when hiring your next practice manager.

Check their qualifications
The level of education needed to be the practice manager will vary based on the unique needs of each practice. However, the ideal candidate should have a college or higher-level education in health administration, along with an MBA. These degrees will equip them with many of the skills they will need in their day-to-day as a practice manager, including health services organization, healthcare laws, ethics, accounting and communication.

Examine their prior work experience
Work experience requirements will, again, vary depending on the practice. While a small practice might be able to make do with an inexperienced manager, giving them the chance to grow with the practice, a larger one with even as little as 3 providers will be better suited to a manger with years of experience.

Larger practices will have more tasks that need to be done, such as finances, staff and bookkeeping duties. Even if an unexperienced candidate has the right education, they may not be able to pick all of these things up instantly upon joining.

Learn More: 5 Things You Didn’t Know Your Practice Management Software Can Do

Make sure they possess the necessary characteristics
On a personality level, there are certain characteristics you will want in a practice manager, such as empathy in communication, compassion and a keen eye for detail. They must be good at communication, with the ability to listen to others and help them work through their problems. Identify the characteristics you want in your ideal practice manager, and write down questions that help you identify them beforehand.

Thus, conducting a background check is important After: healthcare laws, ethics, accounting and communication.

Ensure they can delegate properly
Given how wide a range of responsibilities the practice will have, it is impossible for them to handle everything on their own. As such, delegation is a necessary part of the job; the manager must know which tasks can be delegated and which require their personal attention.

They must have strong leadership skills
The office manager will essentially be in charge of running the whole practice and, as such, must possess strong leadership skills. They should be able to take command of their situation, a skill which will also prove useful when mediating conflicts between patients and staff, or among staff members.