HCD & EVG Headlines 9-14-2022

Rachael
Sep 14, 2022
5 min read

Good insight in keeping our minds focused on the present and not conflating the past with the future. Let me know what you think!

The point of power is always in the present moment. ~ Louise L. May

Slowing Down (As Much As We Can)

We recently had a review from a patient at HCD. He said:

You all seem to be too busy. I understand today there were a lot of reasons why, but I had the same experience last time I was in. The dentist was late to see me, and rushed out of the room before I'd even sat up once the work was finished. I had questions and had to scramble to get his attention before he disappeared around the corner.

It's super easy to get caught up in running from one room to another when we have so many patients, team members, and suppliers waiting for answers and wanting answers right away. Gratefully, we now have Dr. Waddle to help alleviate some of the burden of the full schedule. Even with her help, we can still be overwhelmed by what is true emergency, what is urgent, what is important, and what is needed.

At one of our team meetings, we went through a process of figuring out what tasks are what by listing them out in detail. We then placed the items in the boxes we believed they belonged in. Through this process we could see each task for what it was without the emotion of being in the moment or someone breathing down your neck for an answer.

This process is called the Eisenhower Matrix. You can learn more about it by clicking on the image below. As we continue to learn how to work with one another and learn one another's flow, let's remember to take a breath and be in the moment. Whether that moment is with your patient, your team member, the supplier, or some document, just remember that you can do this. You can take one task at a time. You don't have to do it all at once.

And in those rare cases where you do have to do it all at once, then remember to do your best and be satisfied with the results. No one can fault you when you've put your best efforts into your work.

Success is peace of mind attained only through self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best of which you're capable. ~ John Wooden

Closing the Loop

It can be easy to be caught up in a daily routine of moving from one task to another without much deep thought. However, sometimes those routines blind us from completing details that cause small moments of chaos either with or without us knowing! As a reminder, please take time to Close the Loop on any task you undertake.

Water bottles are super heavy - I know. If you notice it's empty and it's too heavy to replace for you, please send a bubble ASAP to request assistance. Same goes for if you don't have time to do it yourself - bubble! :) Let's ensure the next team member has their water needs met without issue.
Updating the status of your appointment - This is a communication tool for the front to let the back know their patient is HERE or they are READY to come to the back. It's also a tool for the back to let the front know their patient is SEATED or their appointment is COMPLETED and is no longer in the operatory. As we take care of our patient, let's close the loop on Dentrix communication regarding the status of our patients.
Changing the Providers' Name in Appt Book - This is a MUST! I cannot tell you how many reports, claims, payments, and adjustments this small move makes in our system. It's small, but it is SO VITAL that it can mess up records and cause major cleanup every time we close the month. Please remember to leave the Provider 1 as the patient's Family File provider. Once they are in your chair, immediately change their name to the Provider they are actually seeing for the day. Yes, it's that important and it's happening more frequently that it's not being changed and I'm having to fix major errors.
Medical histories - Another MUST to do at EVERY visit. Even if the person was in yesterday, acknowledge that they were in and ask if anything has changed. Let them see the screen with the list of their medical conditions, allergies, and medicines. Let the doctors know as soon as they walk into the room about the patient's health history and inform them of any updates including whether or not they're taking Vitamin B. It may seem superfluous, but it is vital to ensure our patients are receiving the best care that aligns with their current health conditions.

Taking Care of Our Finances

As you know, the doctors want to take care of our team members' dental needs and have provided benefits to every person to ensure those needs are met. I know there are times when we can't pay everything at once and we want to work with what's comfortable for you. You can speak with Toni or myself in regards to this need. Let's work on paying off our balances or setting up financial arrangements as soon as our treatment has been completed.

Protecting Assets of the Business

Just a reminder to ensure when we look at the Appointment Book schedule at HCD, that we all see the same thing and we all schedule the same way.

Operatories that should be showing: DAW7, DCH4, DCH5, DKM 2, DKM9, HYG1, HYG3, HYG6, HYG8
2 exams per provider per hour
Block schedule as much as possible to ensure sufficient time for turning rooms, entering notes, etc.
Hygiene times unless otherwise indicated by provider's flags: 60 minutes for prophy/perio maintenance with or without visual exam. 90 minutes for prophy/perio maintenance with x-rays and exam.
Hygiene ops and DAW's op must have 30 minutes breaks in the middle of the day. Please keep these lunches within the time periods of 11:30AM-1:30PM unless specified by the provider.

Closing Out Operatories

Please remember that all vacation and leave time must be approved through myself. This goes for HCD and EVG. You cannot place blocks showing your time out unless it's been approved by myself. This also goes for overtime with all our providers. OT can become a burden to the provider and the practice. DCH and DKM will determine their OT needs. I will assist with the rest.

I understand there are times when I'm not immediately available to respond to your leave requests. At those times, you are welcome to place a temporary event in the space requested showing "OUT-TEMP". This will inform the team of your plans and serve as a reminder for me to confirm.

Please remember I am VERY open to people taking the time they need for their families and taking the time they need to provide care for their patients. This message is to serve as a reminder that we have a gatekeeper for the schedule that ensures we have enough team members to be where they need to be and to provide care as needed.

Thank you all for your continual support in making HCD and EVG as wonderful as they are. I'm not sure if you're told enough how much we appreciate having you as an individual here with us to continue building the practice. You all are contributing to something beautiful and meaningful to the owners, your team, and your patients. You may not see it clearly as you're up close and personal trying to do your thing, but take a moment to step back and see the magnificence of what you've accomplished. Thank you for choosing to be with HCD and EVG! Let me know if I can help or if you have any ideas that you'd like to implement.

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