I have always admired speakers and consultants who dare to share their ideas and systems in the public forum and open themselves up to criticism in the process. Having your ideas sized up and critiqued by your peers is not a fun task. I remember when I wrote my 2ndarticle ever about a particular bonus system we were using at my office that was really helping us achieve our goals. I received an anonymous letter from some supposed dentist. I’ll quote it, “I read your article, it is asinine. You are an idiot. That article was a mass of cotton candy for the brain…It is a shame that people like yourself stoop to these little games instead of being a health care provider…Do you think your internist plays these games????” Do you think my feelings were hurt? You bet. It was a long time before I ever submitted another article.
A few years ago, I became interested in efficiency. My staff and I spent hours timing ourselves and reviewing video of ways to improve our procedures by cutting down procedure times and improving quality. We came up with some strategies which have improved our lives to the point that I felt I wanted to share them with others. I really believe that if anyone reading this or watching our videos makes the proper effort and follows our lead, immense changes in their practice and lives will occur.
I guess the most profound change in my life has been the ability to cut my practice down to 3 days. I never dreamed that possible when I was struggling to get a paycheck while working 6 days per week just a few years ago. Now our practice would be considered a very good production office ANYWHERE in the country. Don’t even mention that we are in a tiny market with some of the lowest incomes in the country and lots of competition. I believe that if you are fast and good, the patients will flock to your door. Of course you will need to learn, just as we did, how to get them to your door. Once there, these systems will give you the tools to put a fence around your practice. You won’t be able to run people off.
Getting back to the 3 day practice week, I can’t tell you how great it is to know that I will have time to get caught up on things EVERY week. I don’t get behind anymore. My staff stays caught up. The practice is always as clean and neat as I want. The little things don’t fall through the cracks anymore. Life is just better. I truly hope to make your life better, too.
This is not some pie in the sky idea. These systems can be done by anyone, and if I can do it here, you can do it anywhere. Enjoy.
So, there you have it. You’ve just learned one of the biggest secrets that high production offices all share. You must give up and delegate to your staff if you want to really get out of the way of your practice and grow it. As an added bonus, you might just be able to keep your sanity, too. One of the greatest findings of Dr. Griffin during his consultation with dental practices has been that once all staff members are aware of their specific duties, they can resolve longstanding issues and enjoy, fun, profitable growth to superstar levels. You can get your free CD explaining the 5 most common Staff Secrets at http://www.dentalstaffsecrets.com.