Avoid Subprime Results in Your Practice

Measure What's Really Important and Accomplish What Really Matters

by Larry M. Guzzardo  

 

In his groundbreaking book, Thriving on Chaos, Tom Peters proclaims, “What gets measured gets done.” He further explains, “Develop simple systems that encourage participation and understanding by everyone.” In other words, measure what’s important. Create measures of what is happening in your practice and empower staff to take action to achieve improvement. Keep what you track simple, paring it down to a few essential statistics that can capture the vitality of your practice at a glance. Anything you want to improve should be measured and monitored regularly.

 

Determine What is Important.

Determine what is important to the lifeblood of your practice, but don’t ignore non-financial measures, such as laboratory quality control, adherence to hygiene departmental protocol, or patient satisfaction. Ultimately, the staff will consider what you track as important. By not paying attention, you won’t be able to react until it is too late, keeping you from getting things done, making you appear indecisive, and preventing you from delivering on promises and commitments—which is certainly not the formula for a winning team. However, too many offices operate without any real direction, having a direct impact on employee development and practice progress. As a result, individual staff members may form cliques and resort to uncoordinated efforts to get things done.

 

Avoid Inaction.

So, what causes this inability for dentists to take action? Usually, the failure to put the right people in the right jobs leads to problems in the workforce. Oddly enough, doctors admit to knowing there are performance issues with certain staff members, but they choose to ignore it, hoping the employees can resolve it on their own. To make matters worse, the rest of the staff is aware of problematic employees, but the doctor usually does not seek their advice to address the matter. When a staff member is underperforming, ignoring the problem is bound to make it worse. Strong leaders encourage and stretch the abilities of talented staff.

Once the decision has been made to challenge your staff, you must commit to tracking their progress in detail through regularly scheduled review sessions that conclude with comprehensive constructive Actions Plans that outline the employee’s goals until the next review session (usually six months). Effective leaders begin by focusing on clear and specific goals. With clear goals, effective doctors implement them in a way that appears simple, but produces profound effects. At the end of every staff meeting or employee review, doctors should create an Action Plan. Note exactly what is supposed to be done by whom and by when. Then, discuss the steps that should be taken and how you will assist them. You can then review this agenda before you adjourn and make it the first thing you review the next time you meet. As simple as it may seem, this process is the first step in learning to get things done. It is the doctor who brings these habits into a practice where they did not exist before. Now under your renewed direction, the whole tone of the office changes as staff members prepare for meetings differently.

 

Embrace the Routine.

Sure, keeping track of assignments, following up on them, and evaluating progress seems boring, but it’s a routine you should learn to embrace. In underperforming practices, many dentists find no reward in continually improving systems and procedures. They rant, “Why can’t the staff just do this by themselves?” They’re afraid of being seen as too controlling. However, Dr. Dawson teaches us that where there are no controls, you will find control freaks. Ironic, but true, especially if there is no way to determine progress, meaning dentists must constantly check and recheck. This waste of time keeps the doctor from focusing on the staff and patient care. Time-efficient doctors who are engaged in what is happening in their practice are hungry for information, including information about daily and hourly production, collections, bad accounts, the schedule, incomplete treatment, hygiene therapy, supplies, equipment, and even the facility. They never want to be the last to know. They use meetings as an opportunity to have their staff bring data to them to be evaluated. By incorporating measures and tracking results, staff can self-monitor their progress and offer solutions to problems, facilitating their ability to understand the goals and vision of the practice. Developing measures and monitors saves time and allows the doctor to lead the practice and work toward fulfilling commitments and promises.

 

Larry M. Guzzardo who has co-authored two books, “Powerful Practice” and “Getting Things Done,” conducts in-office practice management consultations exclusively for dentists to enhance trust, create organization, increase profits, and develop patient relationships that last. Larry has presented numerous workshops, including “Winning Patient Acceptance,” “Business Communication Systems,” and “The Leadership Challenge.” Larry can be reached at 800-782-5770 or www.larrymguzzardo.com if you have further questions.

Comments

[Wyn Steckbauer]

What a great blog post! Larry's material isn't always the flashiest but without implementing the "guts" there can't be any sustained glory. So true to the Dawson method! When I think about my first meeting with Larry and the state of my practice then compared to now it is amazing. Once I took that first course from The Dawson Academy I knew I HAD to practice that way if I was to be true to myself. The trouble was I was evidently awful at hiring, implementing systems,......... (I could go on), so I found it very difficult to effect change in my practice. I didn't want this to be a testimonial but I know there are others out there that are in the same position I was. If you love what you hear at the Dawson Academy but are having trouble with implementing the systems, myself and my staff without a doubt encourage you to put your trust in Larry. Thanks too to Joan for having him at the courses I attended that allowed me to get to know Larry prior to hiring him.