"When you're finished changing, you're finished." - Benjamin Franklin
The same could be said for any medical practice, no matter how big or small. If you are not changing, improving, and looking for ways to stand out, your may and your shelf life is much shorter than expected. In this post we are going to discuss a few basic tips to improve your practice's overall efficiency. We have discussed making your practice stand out in the past, as well as how your patient how can impact your revenue cycle process. Here, however, we want to focus on one easy step to make your practice more efficient.
Look, if you do not have a practice manager or a lead person to manage your front-end office staff, you are not getting the most out of your staff. At the opposite end of the spectrum, if you have a practice manager or office manager but they are doing the brunt of the work, you are not getting the most out of your staff. To maximize productivity and longevity within your clinic staff you must and balance. Too many of my clients, the easiest way to and balance with their front-end office staff is to set clear expectations in the form of clear job descriptions for each position. By setting clear job descriptions you can also manage expectations for your employees, and thereby empower them to succeed within their role. This function also helps practices who have management staff that are currently carrying the yoke for the entire operation of the office.
In many cases, your practice manager will benefit as much, if not more, from establishing clear job descriptions for each employee. Additionally, by establishing clear job descriptions you now have a litmus test against which to measure your employees. When your practice manager sits down with each employee monthly or quarterly, they should be evaluating the productivity of each employee against the specific job description that has been established for the position. This also allows both employees and management the ability to measure job performance and productivity in a more efficient manner. Next, update your website and get on social media! If your website still looks like it predates the “.com” bust, it is time for a makeover.
At the end of the day, your website is often the first impression you make for new or potential patients. The second impression is the voice of the person answering the phone when the patient calls to schedule an appointment. For this reason, it is crucial that your scheduling staff is properly trained on effective communication, tone, and proper phone etiquette.
Finally, when your patient presents for treatment on the day of their appointment, your front office staff will be the first people that greet the patient and the last people that bid farewell to the patient at checkout. Again, since your practice's reputation in the community is at stake based on patient experience, it is crucial your staff is properly trained in interpersonal communication. Many practices solely focus on the medical operation of a clinic, but we are here to tell you that staffing and effective practice management are two of the fundamental roles that need to be addressed to ensure your long term success.