The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.
Inefficient workflows can cause faltering in any business process, with medical offices being no exception. In reality, streamlining the workflow of a medical office can positively or negatively affect organizational efficiency. Efficient management of your medical office maximizes productivity, creating more profitability. Having a productive office might mean seeing fewer patients but still retain a solid bottom line. If you feel that your medical practice is not as effective as it should be, you can take steps to regain productivity. Let us look at five ways to streamline productivity in a medical office.
1. Online Scheduling
This is one way to reduce the workload of administrative staff, initiating 24/7 online scheduling. Having your patients’ book appointments online can streamline operations in the following ways:
Since they no longer pick calls from patients wishing to make appointments, your administrative team has extra time to help patients already in the office.
There is time to tend to patients who call the office about other important matters as the phones are not always engaged with appointment requests.
An added benefit is that you will attract new and young patients with online scheduling. This is because many millennials dislike talking on the phone; they will feel confident booking an appointment without talking to anyone.
Another benefit is that you will score new patients and have returning patients. Many patients do not want to wait until morning to make a doctor’s appointment, and if they can’t do that in your medical office, they will look for one who allows the making of appointments round the clock.
2. Adopt New Technology
The use of technology is one of the most significant ways to run a medical office productively. It can save time, improve patient access, and eliminate errors. Technology eases many time-consuming tasks such as follow-up care, newsletters, appointment reminders, and more. One way to do this is by using caretracker software, which can incorporate various tasks in a medical office.
3. Modernize Inventory Practices
Every medical practice has much medical equipment, which takes time in the accounting process. If your employees do inventory by hand, they are undoubtedly frustrated with tracking all the different items. If you want to improve productivity and reduce unnecessary spending at your medical office, consider moving your inventory practices to mobile inventory management. Advances in technology have enabled the development of inventory apps that are easy to use, inexpensive, and accessible from other devices. Some more advanced apps even notify you when products are expiring, the stock is low, or you need supplies replacement.
4. Consider Secure Messaging Systems
Secure online communication such as automated appointment reminders can save your support staff valuable hours. Some of the reasons patients call your office include requesting an appointment, asking a medical question, referral question, prescription refill request, or a medical records request.
Imagine if patients could ask all these questions online, and you could take time to respond to all of them at once at a specific time. Installing a secure communication system can enable you efficiently communicate with your patients at your appointed time. Messaging systems can also be used to communicate with other staff members at the medical office through HIPPA-compliant software.
5. Delegate
It is not practical for you to everything by yourself; it helps to delegate some tasks. Medical providers hesitate from delegating as they do not want to give up control of their medical practice. This should not be a problem if you trust your hiring process and trust your team to optimize practice operations. Follow the tips below when delegating.
Be careful in the delegated tasks
Delegate depending on responsibility, strength, and career objectives of the employee
Teach your employees how to complete the delegated tasks
Accept that employees will not be perfect instantly
After delegating, let go
Start by delegating the smaller tasks and advance as your employees prove that they can handle more responsibilities.
Final Thoughts
Running your medical practice efficiently will lead to increased office morale, which will result in increased productivity and higher profitability. Set your expectations of efficiency will all your staff members by showing them what needs to be done and how to do it. This will be beneficial to everyone as the environment will be stress-free and productive. A more organized and structured work environment leads to a cycle of productivity.
