Do you end your workday feeling defeated and frustrated because you didn’t accomplish what you hoped to? Maybe your team focused on other important tasks but not the right important task? Or maybe your practice isn’t as successful as you want it to be. The result leads to frustration and disappointment.
When I start working with my clients, they are often in the same boat. We all know, each role in the practice requires different job requirements and expectations. At any given point, our team members are juggling many different responsibilities and are faced with the option of what comes first. What can I set aside and do later?
By implementing a System for Success hierarchy, your team will have a guide that will lead them to know which balls need to stay in motion, delegate to another team, or put off until later. Your team will also have a clear understanding of what matters most in your practice. This is the foundation for a successful business!
To have a successful business, you need to create a hierarchy of your systems processes to understand where they fall in importance. I feel there are 5 basic systems that go into the overall hierarchy. The intention for the hierarchy is to set the team up to successfully work on the business which will provide more productivity and success to our team, patients, and practice.
I break down the systems into five main categories: Team, Patients, Schedule, Collections, and System. You must have a team to care for patients, you must have patients to keep a schedule, you need a schedule that providers treatment to collect on, you need to have money to run a successful business to provide excellent jobs and care for patients, and finally, your systems are what keep it all running with intention.
Let’s break it down into each system, but I also encourage my clients to further customize this to meet the needs of their practice.
1. Team
The team comes first! Without a team, you can’t care for your patients!
By putting your team first, it creates a culture where you have team members who are with you long-term.
Team Check-In - How is everyone?
Are there any unfinished tasks from yesterday that we can help complete?
Does anyone need help to make the day successful?
Start the day off right on a positive note, help each other out, and thank one another!
2. Patients
Without patients, your team doesn’t have a job.
They are our purpose for each workday! Besides the team, they are the next most important part of the day!
The focus is on the patient when a patient is near. Make a 10-foot rule – If the patient is within 10 feet, our current focus is paused, and we help our patients. Unless we are with another patient.
Give your patients the same experience for all appointments just like their first appointment.
Get to know your patients. Try to learn three things about your patient and document it in your practice management software. That way you will be able to remember them and make them feel like you know them.
3. Schedule
Without a schedule, your team doesn’t have patients to care for.
Know your office's daily and monthly goals! Work towards meeting that goal every day.
Work to fill the next day that is not at your daily goal. The days that are not at goal, are the days you are focused on filling first.
Communicate schedule changes to your team.
Every patient leaves the office with their next doctor visit and recare appointment.
4. Collections
Without money, there is no business to provide excellent jobs and patient care.
Collect at the time of service.
Follow the AR Systems.
Dedicate time each day to have focused time to work on claims/patient balances.
5. Systems
The systems are what work together to provide a successful dental practice!
This is where you add all your other systems and processes for your practice.
How is it helpful to have Systems for Success hierarchy? Each time your team has downtime or is faced with an opportunity that interrupts their current task, this will help them to understand what is most important, urgent, and least important. Our overall goal is to spend our time where it is most important. Maybe your practice manager is focused on working on the insurance aging report, but the schedule is open for the next day. Since the schedule is before collections, it lets the team know they can focus on the schedule and then get back to their original task once the schedule is filled.
When our team has downtime, they are often faced with not knowing what to do or maybe they focus on the task that needs to be done at some point but might not be productive for that moment in time. It also helps promote a team environment where they can come together and support each other.
If your practice hasn’t been as successful and productive, try implementing Systems for Success in your practice or reach out to us today, so we can help you!
Amie Spurlock, Consultant
Amie Spurlock began her career in the field of dentistry in 2002 and has successfully held every position in the office, excluding the dentist and hygienist. She has also worked with many offices as a Certified Dentrix Trainer to help each office improve their workflows to better care for their patients and the overall practice. Amie is passionate about training and coaching teams to become key players in helping run a successful dental practice. With her experience she is able to identify and diagnose areas of opportunity and give workable and practical solutions.
Amie can be reached at: amie@gtsgurus.com