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	Chartless Practice Exit Interviews

Dr. Lorne Lavine
Dental Technology Consultants
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The High Cost of Paper

Paper. It’s everywhere…whether in our charts, walkout statements, insurance forms…you name it, and paper is a big part of daily life. It’s difficult to open any dental journal recently and not see some articles about how to develop a paperless or chartless practice. While many dentists dream about the day that they can eliminate paper from their practices, very few actually do it. One of the biggest hurdles to developing a paperless practice is the cost of doing this, as many paper-based systems need to be replaced by digital counterparts, often costing thousands of dollars, not to mention the time and challenge to be trained on these systems. However, have you ever really sat down to consider how much it is costing you to keep your existing paper-based systems? There are many ways that you can actually save money in the long run by eliminating paper:

The paper-based systems actually have a direct financial cost. I’m not just talking about the paper that goes into your printer…that stuff is relatively cheap. But what about the costs of the printer itself? A decent LaserJet printer for a dental office will run around $500, but as anyone who uses a printer knows, the cost of the consumables (ink, toner, etc) usually far outweighs the cost of the original purchase! If you want to know how much you’re actually spending on printing, there’s an excellent reference at PrinterDB that will show you not only the cost per page, but total cost of ownership over the life of the printer. For some, it’s well over $3000.

Another expensive paper-based system is recall reminders. The majority of offices are still using postcards to remind patients of upcoming appointments. And, then, in many cases, they follow-up with phone calls. The direct costs of the postcards and stamps can be quite high depending on the size of the practice, and often many hours each day are spent on the time and labor to send postcards and make phone calls. The digital counterparts require significantly less cost and time. E-mail based systems like DemandForce and Uappoint, text-messaging like Smile Reminder and phone-based systems, such as Elexity are highly effective and efficient, and at around $200/month, very cost effective as well.

Charts are the bane of many practices. The amount of information that goes into a chart can be overwhelming, and we all have charts that are so stuffed with paper that the chart is beginning to crumble. One overlooked fact of having charts is that not only do you need to deal with the charts but, you need space to store these charts. For new offices or offices undergoing a remodel, elimination of the shelves for charts can often translate into extra room for another operatory, digital pano, or some other high-tech item that can generate more income for the practice. Conversely, if there are no charts, the practice could utilize a smaller space and save on the costs of rent and utilities.

The trick to eliminating charts completely is to find digital systems to replace the need for paper. One of the best systems to do this is Dentforms. The main selling points of Dentforms is that it can take all of the forms that normally require patient signatures (Informed Consent, HIPAA, Medical History, etc) and convert them into digital forms that patients can sign with electronic signature pads. Not only that, but they can also fill out these forms online long before they arrive at the practice…meaning, less time is needed for new patient visits and more patients can then be seen during the day.

There are numerous other digital systems that can replace paper and thus allow the practice to develop into a paperless one. For example, while most practice management programs offer some basic progress notes, Easy Notes Pro takes it to the next level. There are free online-collaboration sites such as Transcend that allow digital images to be shared between offices, rather than duplicating or printing them out and sending them in the mail.

There is no doubt that developing a chartless or paperless practice can be challenging and time consuming. However, dentists should know that as expensive as it may appear to become paperless, the costs of staying with paper are costing more in the long run. With a methodical and well-thought out conversion, any practice can enjoy the benefits and cost savings of being paperless.

Lorne Lavine, DMD is the Founder and President of Dental Technology Consultants. Dr. Lavine holds two prestigious certifications, the A+ Certified Technician designation and the Network+ Certified Professional. These designations demonstrate proficiency in computer repair, operating systems, network design and installation. Dental Technology Consultants provide dentists a full range of services relating to the implementation of technology.

Dr. Lavine can be reached directly at 1.866.204.3398.

Sally McKenzie, CEO
McKenzie Management
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Exit Interviews: The No Cost Insurance Policy for Your Practice

The corporate world has been using exit interviews for years, but small employers, particularly dentists, mistakenly assume that because their operations may have as few as three employees, they don’t need to bother with them. An assumption that is not only wrong, it could be very expensive.

Too often employers with just a couple of workers think they have a handle on what’s happening in the practice, but there is much that goes on that the doctor is completely unaware of even among the smallest of staffs, notes Mike Moore, Human Resources Director for McKenzie Management and author of Employment Policy and Handbook, a template that Mike customizes to address individual practice needs. He urges dental practices of all sizes to establish exit interview processes, noting that the system serves three key purposes, the most important being “insurance” in the event of a lawsuit.

The exit interview, which often times is a form that the departing employee completes, provides a telescope of sorts into the practice allowing dentists to learn about happenings within the office that they may not otherwise be aware of. For example, a dentist may recognize that there is some tension between a couple of employees, but may have no comprehension of the deleterious effect it is having on the team as a whole until a departing employee finally makes the dentist aware of the situation through the exit interview process.

If the exiting employee has a complaint or problem that they never felt comfortable sharing before, the form gives them the freedom to convey that information and opens the door for further investigation. “For example, the employee may suggest that they were unfairly accused of something by a coworker or that another employee had it in for them. You want to know about their concerns or if they have some gripe with you as the boss or someone else on staff. Typically, employees will not share what’s been happening in the office without an exit interview process,” explains Mike.

In practices in which exit interviews are conducted, oftentimes it is only selectively and with those employees who leave on good terms. The other staff members who leave under questionable or negative circumstances typically are not given exit interviews. But they are the ones who are far more likely to sue their employers. “It’s critical that the exit interview be applied across the board to all employees because the real purpose of the interview is to gather information you may not be aware of or learn about a gripe that the employee has that they’ve never shared.”

The process also serves as an insurance policy of sorts in the event the employee decides to sue the doctor at a later date, notes Mike. “People who are terminated as well as those who quit will, in some circumstances, make up reasons to sue their former employers, and sometimes it can be long after they’ve left the practice. This is particularly true in dental offices with regard to claims of sexual harassment.”

In some states, former employees can allege sexual harassment up to six years after they leave or are dismissed from an employer. However, if a departing employee is provided an exit interview form and they do not state on the form that they feel they were sexually harassed during the term of employment, the chances that their allegations will be dismissed increase significantly. “The fact that they did not claim harassment on the exit interview form is devastating evidence against a former employee who later tries to allege harassment,” emphasizes Mike.

Exit interview forms should ask general questions that elicit information from the employee. If the employee brings up issues such as, pay, interpersonal relationships, hours of work, etc., that should prompt further investigation. “Certainly, if the employee providing the information was a bad apple in the practice, you can consider the source but you must also consider the information they give you. The process is of no value at all if you don’t look into the issues that the employee raises.”

Bottom-line, ignorance isn’t bliss. In fact, it’s usually very expensive. You want to know now about potential employee problems long before they become potential employee lawsuits.

To order your customized employee policy manual including exit interview forms go here.

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 systems that have propelled thousands of general and specialty practices to realize their potential. Sally can be reached directly at 1.877.777.6151

Interested in speaking to Sally McKenzie about your management concerns? Email her at Sally@thedentistsnetwork.net