Redirecting Issues Away From the Doctor
When I first became the Office Manager in our specialty office, one of the most significant issues I noticed was our doctor had a lot of the team coming to him to ask many questions and want resolutions to the issues at hand. This has happened because we needed an office manager up to that point, and there was ultimately no one to go to.
The doctor and I discussed this and how we would fix it. We came up with a great plan to make this an easy transition. We had a team meeting about this, and we all reviewed the new policy we would implement.
Implementing a New Policy in the Practice
The entire team was on board with the new policy, and we implemented it immediately.
If they go to him with any issues, he always asks them if they have talked to me. If they have not, he can redirect them to me so we can work on resolving this situation.
I like this idea because it keeps him out of unnecessary situations that he does not need to be bothered with. If the team and I decide it is not something, we can fix it together and then go to the doctor to see his thoughts.
Hopefully, that doesn’t happen, and we can resolve the issue.
I think it is so essential for the doctor to focus on patient care and keep anything negative off his plate. This is also an excellent way for the doctor to put his trust in me to handle things and know that if an issue arises, it will be handled correctly.
Removing Weight from the Doctor’s Shoulders
It has been a great tool in our dental practice and has kept a lot of unnecessary distractions off the doctor’s desk. The doctor also felt relieved that he did not have to add more to his plate.
This has also stopped a lot of unnecessary situations that weren’t that big of an issue in the first place.
The team has learned this process and has done a fantastic job. I also think the doctors’ trust in me has brought our communication to a new level. We have a lot of respect for each other, and I think when the team sees that, they gain a lot of respect and trust in both of us.
I earned their trust by having one-on-one checkpoints and establishing quarterly meetings. It is amazing that with a little open communication, many situations can be handled quickly and professionally simultaneously.
I truly believe if you have weekly touchpoints with the entire team, it will keep the communication open and honest; then, you won’t be surprised when issues do arise because it is inevitable that they will, and you will be ready to handle it head-on.
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