Medical Practice Admin Models: Which One Is Right for You?

You already know your admin is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your practice. But here’s something most of us don’t hear during training: there’s more than one medical practice admin model.

The classic 1:1 is what you probably saw in residency – and it’s great. But depending on your practice, a different medical practice admin model might serve you better.

Here’s a breakdown of some other common options.

The 1:1 Model – The OG

One admin, one doctor. This person handles everything: scheduling, paperwork, billing, patient calls – the works. They can work in your office or, if you don’t need a physical space, completely remotely.

The reason this model dominates? It works.

Your admin knows you, your patients and your idiosyncrasies (ahem…quirks) inside and out. They know when to slip a snack onto your desk without being asked. That kind of intuition is earned and it’s genuinely valuable.

The Shared Admin Model

One admin, two (or a few) doctors. The task list looks similar to the 1:1, but since they’re juggling multiple practices, effectiveness matters a lot more here.

In our practice, that means using templates instead of transcription, entering our own billing codes and reducing patient callbacks with automated appointment reminders and optimized post-procedure handouts.

A critical goal in this model: protect their time so they’re not drowning.

The upside? Lower overhead per physician, likely more seamless coverage when one of you is away and one EMR for the whole clinic. Honestly, a lot of upside.

The Admin Group Model

More common in larger group practices. Instead of each admin doing everything, a few admins divide responsibilities across the group – one owns OR bookings, another manages booking consults and follow-ups, one leads billing, etc. Or any combination.

A colleague works in a group with 7 surgeons sharing 3 admins. Each admin is highly skilled at their specific role, which means things get done faster. There’s also redundancy so when one admin is away the team can cover more easily.

And 7 surgeons splitting the cost of 3 admins? The math maths.

The Virtual Admin Model

Virtual admin companies handle your practice admin work remotely – either all of it, or specific tasks you define upfront. A few different people at the company may rotate and work on your practice, but from your end, the agreed-upon work is getting done.

The big win here is reduced headaches: no hiring, no training, no managing vacation time. You pay a monthly fee typically based on how much the company is doing for you.

The potential downside is there is no one in person and you don’t control which company employees are doing work for your practice. Depending on your setup, that may or may not matter much.

The Hybrid Model

This is any combination of in-person and remote support. A virtual admin company handles the behind-the-scenes work; a part-time or full-tme in-person admin handles what actually needs a human presence.

A surgeon friend works mostly in the hospital and sees patients in clinic just one day a week. A virtual admin company manages her practice the rest of the time – but on clinic day, she pays her colleague’s admin to greet patients, collect paperwork and handle the in-person stuff. Efficient, flexible, and cost-effective.

There are multiple medical practice admin models, the key is to find the one that suits you and your practice the best.

Now that you know the models, there’s no right or wrong way to do it. And great news, you can change as your practice evolves. But thinking about your resources and what you actually need your admin to do upfront can help save a lot of time, energy and cash.