Define yourself

All companies have a mission, a reason for existing. So too, medical practices benefit when their mission is clearly identified, well-defined and enunciated in a mission statement. Thus the answer to the question, "why do we exist?" as an organization, is clarified for all who work within and all who interact from outside the practice. Yes, it's fairly straightforward and simple for most of us -- "our mission is to take really good care of patients". In what manner? What subgroup of patients (e.g. Pediatric, Obstetric, etc.)? Putting some effort into this relatively simple exercise forces deeper thought about what the practice wants to accomplish and how it wants to do it.

This naturally leads to the next step in forming a successful organization, identifying the firm's goals, vision for the future, core values and ultimately its strategy for accomplishing those goals.

More on that later...