By Justin Bazan, OD
Create protocols for an office that operates efficiently whether you are on site or not. With technology, you can free yourself to visualize your long-term plan.
Many optometrists dream of the day they can move into a management role and become more of a CEO than a day-in-day-out, hands-on doctor. To achieve a role as a practice manager and visionary, you first must put staff systems and protocols in place that make delegation reliable rather than a gamble. Here is how I empower my staff to handle day-to-day business without the need for my daily presence in the office.
Google Documents:
Easy-to-Access Office Protocols
Google Documents is a free resource that can be set up to be password protected. It is an ideal place to document office protocols as the files can be accessed anywhere, anytime and are easy to search. Here are some of the key protocols we have stored to Google Documents:
Systems to Ensure Consistency of Service
Think about the tasks that comprise a day of office operations and then create protocols for each of those tasks so that staff members do not have to consult with you about how to get it all done. For example, we have protocols for each position in our office–from front desk reception to the role of optician. The optician doesn’t have to guess or consult with me or another staff member to know the proper procedure for placing an order for eyeglasses and the front desk receptionist doesn’t have to wonder how to open up the office in the morning. We have office opening procedures that detail each specific task required to open the office properly including which lights need to be turned on and how each computer system and instrument must be readied for the day.
We keep these protocol documents online on Google Documents where anybody on staff can access them at any time. Google Documents is an excellent, free way to document process as the technology makes it easy to quickly find and access files. If a staff member calls me with a question, the first thing I ask him or her is whether they checked Google Documents yet to see what we have on file about the task that has stumped them.
Have Staff Submit Daily Reports
In addition to protocols, we also use Google Documents for daily staff summaries. I have a form on file on Google Documents for staff to use to fill out a report of the highlights of their work day. For example, staff detail key points about the patients who came through the office that day including any issues that arose such as billing or insurance confusion, or, on a positive note, a patient who was very happy with the eyeglasses they received and mentioned that they referred a friend. These reports give me peace of mind that my staffers are staying on top of their responsibilities, but it also allows me to follow-up with any ongoing challenges such as a patient who has an unresolved vision-related or service-related problem. The reports also let me know where my staff members are having difficulty and may require additional training.
Have Ability to Access Desktop Files Remotely
I can review our electronic health records and other materials housed within our desktop computers from anywhere thanks to free cloud platforms such as LogMeIn and GoToMyPC, which is free for the first 30 days of use. Using these systems along with Google Documents and our cloud-based EHR, allows me to be virtually “there” no matter where I am physically.
Encourage Associate Doctors to Be Private Practitioners
It’s one thing to hire an associate and it’s another to empower your associate to build their own practice within your practice. Doing this makes associates take ownership of their role in the practice thereby leading to better service for patients. Thinking of an associate as more of an equal than as just another staff member gives them the autonomy they need to provide full service to patients even when you are not on site. I realize that an associate who has built up her own base of patients within my practice is likely to open up her own practice someday, but I don’t mind because it’s good for my community and for our profession.
Related ROB Articles
Deliver Great Service with Staff Policies Based on Your Mission Statement
Be Comprehensive in Orientation for New Hires
Staff Retreat: Team Building and Goal Setting
Justin Bazan, OD, Park Slope Eye, Brooklyn, NY, started his own practice cold. He speaks regularly on strategies for marketing your practice via social networks. Contact: dr.bazan@parkslopeeye.com
