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Physician practices administer annual employee surveys for a number of reasons but often make a common oversight, according to Peter Lucash, CEO of Digital CPE, a physician practice consultant group based in Charleston, SC. "Too many people view employees as costing them money, but they're really your eyes and ears. They're your best asset," he says. "Employees will see things that you won't see as a physician or as a practice administrator. They see everything from a different perspective; patients will say things to an employee that they are afraid to say to a doctor."