Published: 2010-01-12 02:22:17
Author: Susan Hoy | Chiropractic Economics | January 2010
In the past, the focus of many practice management topics has been about making sure each patient has a good experience in your practice.
At the heart of a good experience is not only feeling good about the comfort and care given by your entire staff, but also the professionalism and efficiency with which the care is given.
Equally important, however, is making sure your staff also has a good experience. After all, the deliverer of the care ultimately sets the tone for the office.
Obviously, once you have fine-tuned your procedures and efficiency with delivering care, you create a less stressful environment where patients and staff can enjoy the process. It becomes a win-win for everyone involved.
Better scheduling means a better experience for everyone, and better patient flow procedures means a better experience for staff and patients alike.
The key to making your office streamlined and efficient is to create a systemized approach to every possible aspect of care including your paperwork, notes and reports, collections, and insurance processes.
The process begins
The systemization process begins by laying it out on paper and then breaking it up into components. Each component of care should be defined, timed, and assigned to a particular staff member.
For example:The new patient visit components include welcome and sign-in sheets, completion of forms, new patient video, consultation, exam, x-ray, treatment, and checkout.
Once you have the components lists, set a time for each process. An average time component will allow you to see the optimal amount of time the system takes and allows you to schedule patients properly. Proper scheduling is paramount in the process of efficient and expedient care. Identify the forms needed for each component as well.
Scripting must be developed for each component and is very important for communication purposes. Scripting should always be delivered in a way that gives the perception that the patient is being served, not the staff, even though it does and should serve the staff too.