Administrative Task Professionalism

Why is it important?

It is important to develop good habits for administrative task completion at the start of residency. Here are reasons why this is important:

  • It demonstrates professionalism

  • If you don’t stay up to date with tasks, it can have the following significant consequences:

    • Poor patient care outcomes (not following up on Inbasket tasks on time)

    • Financial consequences (fines for incomplete notes)

    • Removal of privileges as a physician (not completing required trainings, completing licensing paperwork or ABFM requirements)

    • Creates more work for colleagues (residency staff sending reminder emails)


Administrative tasks throughout residency

Most important administrative tasks during residency (the BIG 6!)

  1. Clinic notes: Finish clinic notes within 48 hr of the clinic visit (You have up to 1 week to complete a note before it will be flagged and the service chief notified. The expectation is that notes are completed within 48 hours of a clinic visit.)

  2. Inbasket: Check inbasket at least once daily during the work week, including while on inpatient.

  3. E-mail: Check email at least once daily. Create folders to easily save and find emails. Look for emails that are flagged as urgent or require action.

  4. Work hours: Submit clinic work hours on new innovations at the end of each month.

  5. Rotation evaluations: Complete rotation evaluations in New Innovations after each rotation. This includes faculty and resident evaluations if applicable.

  6. Conference attendance & evaluation: Log conference attendance for Mon and Wed conferences and afternoon conferences. Complete evaluations at the end of each conference

Other important annual administrative tasks:

  • Flex Vacation, CME (including CME approval forms), community health and wellness day requests are due 3 months in advance (email dfmch.schedule.madres@lists.wisc.edu)

  • Full vacation week requests are due six months in advance (email dfmch.schedule.madres@lists.wisc.edu)

  • Submit proof of influenza vaccine each fall

  • Submit annual TB test information (you will get an email about this)

  • Complete required UW Health infection control and other training modules (notified via email)

  • Complete Emergency Contact form each year

  • Annual Faculty Evaluations – Nov/Dec of each year

  • Annual ACGME Survey – Jan/Feb of each year

  • Log Community Health Learning Experience activities at least quarterly. Instructions are on the Curriculum Resource Site.

Specific administrative tasks per year:

R1

  • Complete Patient Safety Orientation modules in fall

  • Scheduling requests due early in Jan

  • Return Outpatient Rotation Preference Form to Vicki Daniels by Feb 1

  • Renew REL in spring

R2

  • Submit your electronic forms to obtain your license and DEA number after passing step 3. This should be completed by early fall of R2 year

  • Scheduling requests due early in Jan

  • Return Outpatient Rotation Preference Form to Vicki Daniels by Feb 1-Start METRIC project in spring, required for board certification

R3

  • Complete American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) requirements (METRIC and Self-Assessment Modules) by Dec 1 of R3 year

  • Sign up for ABFM boards

  • Have scholarly and CHLE projects finished by March of R3 year and send materials to residency staff (Justin Sena) by due date in April R3 year

Tips for staying on top of administrative tasks

  • When on inpatient, check your inbasket mid-day and late afternoon to identify any urgent tasks, and complete those first.

  • Try to do a single touch on emails and inbasket tasks (respond right away when you open the message and then "done"/delete it).

  • Aim to do required trainings/admin tasks immediately or within 24 hr of receiving the notice. If you cannot do this, then put the due date in your calendar to ensure you complete it on time.

  • Set calendar reminders for weekly/monthly tasks

  • Chart preview/pre-chart prior to each clinic session in order to review clinic patients, start clinic notes, and have more efficient patient visits and more comprehensive plans.

  • Please let the program directors or residency staff if you have any questions.

Helpful handouts

  1. Helpful tips for managing your email

  2. Set up an electronic signature for pdfs