Sally McKenzie, CEO McKenzie Management Printer Friendly Version

Small Changes = Big Return

Certainly, the last year brought more change than most care to think about, as much of it was not easy. For many practices, 2009 was 12 months of panic. Dentists were distraught about holes in the schedule, the proliferation of no-shows, and the decline in treatment acceptance. The irony is that dentistry, while not recession proof, is recession resistant. And the issues and problems that came to the forefront for many practices in 2009, which were blamed on the economy, had been percolating beneath the surface long before the Great Recession hit. Had effective systems been in place, 2009 might not have been a breezy walk in the park, but I can guarantee it wouldn’t have been the calamity that it was for many dentists. If you don’t ever again want to face a year like you just did, I strongly suggest you commit to making economic change of your own in the coming months and ensure that regardless of the financial sector’s projections of  boom or bust, you practice is well positioned.

Change #1 - Massage Your Message
This starts with the messages that you and your team regularly communicate to patients. Does your staff convey ordinary or outstanding, state of the art or status quo? Is the excellence of the team and the dentistry routinely conveyed to the patient? And, most importantly, have you even considered the messages you’re sending to your patients in every interaction, from the first phone call, to the emergency appointment, to the routine visit? If not, it’s time to listen up and script your success.

Use a well-crafted script to discourage patients from canceling appointments. When a patient calls to cancel, your business staff should ask for permission to put them on hold, access their file, and use the information to motivate them to keep the appointment. For example: “Mrs. Jones, I’m looking at the doctor’s notes and she emphasized that there is significant decay in that tooth. I know it is very important that you keep the appointment, would you reconsider?” The patient may still cancel, but in some cases, they will be convinced to keep it. Moreover, calling specific attention to the patient’s need for the appointment further underscores the value and importance of pursuing the recommended treatment, and emphasizing the need for care has never been more critical. Particularly since even in the best of economic times, many patients will put off certain procedures for as long as possible. Additionally, ensure that there is an established protocol to follow-up with patients who cancel. In many offices, it is months before anyone follows up on a cancellation.

Change #2 - Maximize Your Number One Resource
That would be your team. In practices from Maine to California the single, biggest contributor to inefficiency and mismanagement is a poorly trained practice team. The lack of instruction provided to business staff, in particular, costs dentists thousands upon thousands of dollars in lost revenues. Yet in today’s dental marketplace, a wide variety of affordable training options are available - many are right at your finger tips online or just a phone call away. Establish a training protocol in your practice to ensure that each member of your staff is prepared to fulfill their responsibilities to their fullest potential. You, doctor, will be the one to reap the greatest benefits of this change.

Change #3 - Monitor Your Management
If only the success of your practice were contingent solely upon the quality of your dentistry. But there are 22 systems and dozens of variables that affect your practice, all of which require ongoing assessment and monitoring. Hold regular staff meetings at least once per month to monitor management systems and lead your team in the right direction. Develop an agenda that includes all areas that affect the success of the practice, from new patients, to production, to the schedule, etc. Designate the amount of time you will spend on each item, and discuss only what is on the agenda. Involve the entire team by assigning each team member to report on their area of responsibility. Determine who will be responsible for carrying out tasks or changes identified in the meetings and establish deadlines. If possible, hold meetings off-site to eliminate outside interruptions.

Now is the time for change in your practice. A few relatively minor adjustments in your practice and no matter what financial twists and turns lie ahead for the economy at large, your financial forecasts are far more likely to be stable, if not robust.

Sally McKenzie is CEO of McKenzie Management, a nationwide dental management, practice development and educational consulting firm. Working on-site with dentists since 1980, McKenzie Management provides knowledge, guidance and personalized solutions that have propelled thousands of general and specialty practices to realize their potential.

Interested in speaking to Sally about your practice concerns? Email her at sally@thedentistsnetwork.net or call 1.877.777.6151.

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