If you are going to win a game, you have to be focused on the most important priorities: the leverage points of victory.
When you play basketball, they say “move the ball.”
In baseball it’s “keep your eye on the ball.”
Football, “move the chains.”
There are specific keys to success that depend on the game, the goal and how you win. These “basics” can’t ever be forgotten; else you will lose and lose badly.
Here are the three “basics” to never forget in your Dental Practice, the things every Team Member is responsible for and must always focus on, be aware of and alert to.
#1 – Keep your eye on the Patient…specifically in their mouth, not just on their teeth, but their mouth (of course after making eye contact with them).
We say, “fresh eyes”, we say “see the big picture”, we say “treat every single patient like a new patient…like you are seeing them for the very first time.”
This is the most important characteristic of an effective Dental Professional.
The way to do that is to prepare in advance through chart review, insurance verification (if applicable…though not necessary if you aren’t taking it or dependent on it but if you include it then you have to be ready).
The bottom line is to begin with the end in mind and be ready for your patients of the day. This doesn’t happen minutes before. Someone has to prep the information; either you or a Team Member must be assigned with that responsibility so that no opportunities are missed.
#2 – That leads us to identifying opportunity – whether a patient has a treatment or needs a treatment plan. There are no other options. The purpose of chart review and of the morning huddle are specifically to ensure each Team Member knows of the status of Patient Treatment Plans so that each patient’s visit is optimized in terms of moving the Patient forward with his/her health.
The best way to do this is by presenting comprehensive treatment, at worst case bundled treatment giving each Patient the bigger picture of his/her oral and dental health to help achieve healthiness faster.
It is the responsible of every Team Member to build cases in the minds of their patients and present to the doctor a prepped and readied patient with illustrative proof that has already been conveyed and discussed when the doctor is able to engage.
This saves time and allows each person to make the most of their day.
#3 – Finally, action step number 3, the key responsibility for each team member to embrace…follow-up.
It’s very simple. If you presented it and the Patient didn’t proceed with it, then call the Patient. Check in with him/her. It’s not just on the shoulders of the “money person”, the treatment coordinator. You can work as a team.
At the end of every day, take inventory on your patients and see if there is any necessary follow-up, loose ends or support you can provide to your team members. Working together like this you will capture more treatment acceptance because nothing and no one will fall through the cracks.
When you follow each of these 3 priority actions for daily growth, you will be solidifying the importance of treatment in the minds of your patients because you are prepared, engaged and holding both them and yourself accountable for their health.
This is how to build a complete patient experience, where you do more than spin your wheels talking to patients all day – you score points (effectively and efficiently) to win the game of growth by helping patients get healthy every day, with every patient, in every visit.
