Gather information and answer questions
BEFORE a patient arrives
We’ve all seen it. A patient arrives, doesn’t know what his or her procedure costs, hasn’t provided insurance information, wasn’t sure if they should have taken their daily medication before their appointment, doesn’t know how long the procedure will take. It’s easy to waste 15-30 minutes doing what should have already been handled. In my office, absolutely everything gets done before the day of the treatment. It saves us time. Minimizes confusion. Gives the patient a sense of security. And keeps us on schedule.
A properly staffed office has the time to prepare patients
Having enough manpower to handle the phones is one of the keys to efficiency. Importantly, I want anyone talking to a patient to have a warm and friendly demeanor and provide all necessary information and instructions; answer questions; confirm their symptoms; get insurance information (and later call the insurance company); and put the patient at ease. In addition, we provide a questionnaire so that we have a good sense of who that person is, what they’re concerned about etc. so we can be as supportive as possible when they arrive. For maximum efficiency, you need the right people in the right places.
Wasted time eats into your bottom line
Consider other aspects of your practice. Where are you and your staff wasting time? What could your staff do to lift tasks off your to-do list? Often, my clients are shocked when we drill down and look at their average day. We discover that a lot of time is spent inefficiently and we also look at how responsibilities can be better delegated. Read our blog, “The Power of Delegating” for more information.