Preparation is key to organization

The front desk is a busy place. It’s where new patients check in, and patients who have finished their treatment pay their bill and schedule their next appointment.

The front-desk CA usually juggles working with a computer, scheduling, talking with patients, and answering the telephone.

If your doctor sees 50 patients a day, the front-desk CA sees 100, because he or she comes in contact with the patient before and after every visit.

A front-desk CA must have simplified procedures and must be an efficiency expert. Even the team that is building its practice must be organized and systemized in order to grow and entice new patients.

Beware of the “too busy” mentality. Focus on the patient, not the paperwork! Your patients are your product. When patients are in the office, everyone should focus on the patient and do as little paperwork as possible. Therefore, organization is critical for practice growth.

• End the day with a clean desk. No one likes to arrive for work with leftover work to do! Clean off all work surfaces (paperwork and debris) at the end of the work day.

• Pull files for the next day. Before leaving the office, pull files and travel cards for the next day. If you can’t find them today, what makes you think you can find it tomorrow when the patient and the doctor are waiting?

• Locate x-rays for reports-of-findings. If the doctor is to give reports-of-findings to new patients, locate all of the x-rays and put them with the patients’ files.

• Prepare new-patient paperwork. Compile all paperwork for each new patient and attach a sticky note that has the patient’s name and time of arrival.

• Maintain at least 25 new-patient files. The rule of thumb is to prepare new patient files for as many new patients as you want for that month.

When most preparation is completed the night before, it alleviates frustration the next morning when someone calls in sick or is late for some reason or anything else unforeseen happens which is often the case.

• Arrive early. Get to the office at least one half hour before patients are scheduled. This gives you time to get the office ready to receive patients — such as acting on voice mails, contacting patients, debugging the appointment schedule, and turning on equipment.

• Huddle. Just before patients arrive, join in a morning huddle. The huddle helps everyone prepare for the day. It helps every team member get energized, focused, and ready to serve patients.

Once the patient arrives, you all stand ready, organized, and best of all able to focus on the patient. Trust me, the patient will notice.

Susan Hoy is an award-winning team trainer and consultant. She presents training seminars for teams throughout the country and is the author of two team training manuals. The newest is entitled, Systemize Organize Simplify. Susan can be reached at 215-674-0130, suzzhoy@aol.com, or through her Web site at www.beefitup.net.