North Texas Dentistry Volume 10 Issue 4 | Page 28

management

FEAST or

FAMINE

by Bethany Petty

Ithink I ’ ve used this phrase “ feast or famine ” no less

than one hundred times in the past nine months . The phrase summarizes so much of what I have heard my clients say through the wake of the current pandemic . There have been highs . There have been lows , and there simply has not been much in between . Gone are the days of steady , constant , and predictable . The days of feast or famine have arrived , and we simply have to adjust to the more volatile environment that now exists . How does an office survive and thrive in this environment ? While it is understandable to think back and pine for the good ‘ ole days , we must realize that our systems and our mindset must change to fit the new normal . We absolutely must learn to make the most of the times of feast and hold steady during the times of famine .
I sometimes think back on consulting lessons that I taught prior to the pandemic and wonder if I will ever be able to teach those lessons again . With my feet on the ground and my nose to the grindstone , I am cultivating new lessons that help offices navigate these difficult days . The lessons often sound counter to my former advice but changing and adjusting are the new norms for businesses . Let ’ s start with how dental offices can make the most of the times of feast .
Same day treatment . While this is not a foreign concept , most offices ran such a tight and productive schedule that same day treatment was not usually possible . Almost all of my clients now have schedule changes constantly . People lose their jobs and need to cancel their appointments . People come into contact with someone with COVID-19 and need to quarantine . People feel anxious as virus numbers spike and then decide not to come in for their dental appointment . These are the new norms . How do we solve a schedule that is daily falling apart ?
Expect the day to fall apart . I never thought I would say this before , but this is now normal . We cannot become overwhelmed and anxious when the schedule crumbles . So , get your mind and emotions in check each morning and find a way to keep calm when the schedule changes .
Watch closely for illegitimate cancellation reasons . Just because we cannot and should not pressure a person who is feeling sick to come in does not mean that we cannot apply some pressure to those who are canceling for lesser reasons . Make sure that your team is equipped for those cancellation calls and texts . What is a good cancellation reason ? What is an illegitimate excuse for cancelling ? Then , make sure you and your team decide on an approach for handling the cancellation reasons that are not related to health issues . How will your team apply pressure to the patient trying to cancel ?
Do your homework . Each day , someone on your team should be scouring the next day ’ s schedule to find hidden potential . Are there unscheduled items on your patient ’ s plan ? Are there family members who might want an appointment if we had an opening ? Are there extra services that can be offered to your patients while they are in your chair ? We need to know a day in advance what potential levers we can pull to increase productivity if / when our schedule falls apart .
Make room for same day treatment . While we all want to work at a pace that we like , we should make every effort to offer same day treatment for patients – even if it means they come back later in the day . Same day treatment is not always possible . If they need to see a specialist first or if they need a medical release or if they need to be on or off certain medications , then same day treatment is not a viable option . However , there will be plenty of patients who have a need that is certainly a viable same
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