Books by Dr. Laura Hills
Dr. Laura Hills, Blue Pencil Institute's president, is the author of four successful books published by academic and commercial publishing houses (see below). Dr. Hills is also working on a manuscript for new book for medical practice employees. The content of this work will be presented in 36 short lessons organized into four categories: Your Unique Role in Your Medical Practice, Working Well with Your Patients, Working Well with Others, and Developing Your Professional Skills. The working title of this book is Becoming a Great Medical Practice Employee: A Whole-Person Approach. Please contact us if you would like to be notified when this text is available.
Lasting Female Educational Leadership:
Leadership Legacies of Women Leaders 
Dr. Hills’ latest book, Lasting Female Educational Leadership: Leadership Legacies of Women Leaders (Springer, 2013, ISBN 978-94-007-5018-0), is based upon her dissertation research -- a case study of women leaders in later midlife in higher education and their legacy strivings and intentions. The 209-page scholarly book explores Erik Erikson's theory that we become more "generative" in midlife and examines who and what earlier in life may influence a leader to be a legacy thinker. It culminates with a model that institutions of higher learning can use to develop legacy thinking in existing and future leaders. It also includes interactive exercises and a template readers can use to craft a leadership legacy statement. The book has been published by Springer as a monograph in their Studies in Higher Education series. For more information about the book, including excerpts, or to purchase the book in print or e-book format, please visit the Springer website.
How to Recruit, Motivate, and Manage a Winning Staff:
A Medical Practice How-To Guidebook 
Dr. Hills' third book, How to Recruit, Motivate, and Manage a Winning Staff: A Medical Practice How-To Guidebook (Greenbranch Publishing, 2004, ISBN 0-9700469-7-9), was published under the name Laura Sachs Hills and is available for purchase from the publisher. The 342-page text includes strategies for developing a team of employees who are committed to the health and well-being of the patients and the practice. Included in the book is a CD-ROM that includes a treasury of staff management checklists in Adobe pdf format; sample letters that enhance staff recruitment, motivation, and management in MS Word document format; and tools for staff training in Adobe pdf format. The book is especially useful for physicians and medical practice managers and administrators to guide them in how to recruit, hire, motivate, evaluate, and when necessary, fire employees.
Praise for How to Recruit, Motivate, and Manage a Winning Staff: A Medical Practice How-To Guidebook:
“These are real answers to the problems I face day in and day out. The CD-ROM alone is worth the price of this book!” – Richard Britton, MD, Moorestown, NJ
“Every physician or practice administrator needs to keep this amazing resource on the shelf or desk for ready reference. I refer to it daily.” – Laurel Bartholomew, Practice Administrator, OB/GYN, Tempe, AZ
“No matter how talented or wonderful a physician is, the employees in the office can make or break a practice. Laura Sachs Hills understands these healthcare-specific challenges, and she has written a book that can help both the seasoned and new medical office manager in their quest for a positive working environment.” – Susan G. Genrich, CMM, Yaphank, NY
The Professional Practice Problem Solver 
Dr. Hills' second book, The Professional Practice Problem Solver (Prentice-Hall, 1991, ISBN 0-13-719956-2), was published under the name Laura Sachs. The 634-page hardcover text is a comprehensive guide that shows what works and what doesn't to manage a professional practice. Units: Laying the foundation for a problem-free practice; basic practice management systems that prevent costly mistakes; managing the money coming into your practice; keeping tight grips on the money you spend; planning for your worst nightmare; establishing personnel policies and anticipating problems; managing problem and special-need patients; managing your physical plant; personal skills development for better practice management. This extremely successful book, which originally sold for $79.95, is out of print. However, Dr. Hills has maintained a supply of this book for sale to interested readers at a reduced price. Please contact us if you would like to purchase a copy.
Praise for The Professional Practice Problem Solver:
“If you buy only one practice management book in your lifetime, this should be it. Here at last are the real answers to the real problems we face day in and day out.” – Allen Schneider, DDS, Springfield, VA
“This practical, no-nonsense book is a ‘must have’ for practice managers, staff and consultants. Laura Sachs is really on target with this one.” – Jackson Coker, President, The Coker Group, Norcross, GA
“Laura Sachs has done it again! This book is a must for the practicing professional and for the professional practice manager. Problem solving is made easy!” – Phil Alberts, MD, Portland, OR
Do-It-Yourself Marketing for the Professional Practice 
Dr. Hills' first book, Do-It-Yourself Marketing for the Professional Practice (Prentice-Hall, 1986, ISBN 0-13-215210-6), was published under the name Laura Sachs. The 252-page hardcover text provided private practice professionals with more than 50 tasteful yet extremely effective marketing ideas, projects, and plans they can undertake within a reasonable budget and with surprisingly little effort. This hugely successful book, which originally sold for $39.95, is out of print. Most of the content is still useful, but some material is now outdated as it was written before computers were used extensively in professional practices. Dr. Hills has maintained a supply of this book for sale to interested readers at a reduced price. Please contact us if you would like to purchase a copy.
Praise for Do-It-Yourself Marketing for the Professional Practice:
“This is the best book I have ever read on marketing in the professions. The book is a well-written approach to tasteful, ethical, effective ways to develop a professional practice.”
– Jon E. Williams, Ph.D, Psychologist, Annapolis, MD
“This book will be a tremendous help for professionals. It covers a variety of marketing alternatives often overlooked by busy practitioners, but potentially even more effective than advertising. The book is a rich source of ideas and deserves to be on every professional’s shelf for ready reference.” – Richard O’Brien, JD, Auburn, ME
“It is easy for today’s health care professional to feel lost and degraded in a jungle of slick promotions and seemingly sharp operators. Reading and using Laura Sachs’ book will help move your practice to front and center. It’s great!” – Mark R. Wolmer, OD, Danbury, CT
