5 Steps to a Better 2005

Click any of the links in this article to see how AppointmentsPRO can make your goal-setting program more effective

     January 1 is less than a month away, so it’s not too early to start thinking about New Year’s resolutions for your practice. Maybe you’d like to increase referrals...reduce no-shows...improve patient communications...or all of the above!

     By dedicating some time to goal-setting during the month of December, you’ll be ready to launch an effective company-wide initiative in January that can help you achieve those goals.

     The new year is a great time to introduce positive changes to an office staff that may be set in its ways. This five-step program can make it easy and your SpectraSoft AppointmentsPRO system can help you every step of the way: automating time-consuming tasks...analyzing areas for improvement...and tracking achievement throughout the office. Just follow the hyperlinks you’ll find throughout this article for tips on using AppointmentsPRO to support an effective goal-setting program.

Step 1 -- Review your past performance and set a goal for the coming year

     Any goal you set for your office should be realistic, challenging and (most important) measurable. The links below will take to the appropriate sections of a previous PMN article, "Managing By the Numbers," that will show you how to calculate each of the following practice measures. Typical practice goals involve:

• Patient visits
• New patients
• Referrals from physicians and other sources
• Case types and average visits per case type
• Cancellations, no-shows, late arrivals
• Staff productivity
• Patient wait times

     To set a goal, review your past performance and then establish a reasonable level of improvement for the coming year. For example, if you want to see more new patients each month, run reports for the past three months to determine the average number of new patients you are generating now. You may then decide you want to increase your new patient volume by 10-12% by the end of the year. That works out to about a 1% increase each month. Use this percentage increase to calculate your goal for each month in 2005.

2. Determine the action steps, rewards and consequences you must take to achieve these goals. Action steps may involve...

• Setting aside time, such as an extra hour each week to work on referrals;
• Investing in equipment or technology that will make your team more productive;
• Changing the basic processes your staff uses to get things done.

     You may want to discuss some of the action steps you have in mind with your staff -- not only to get their input but also to increase their level of involvement.

     You will find it is very hard to get people to change their ways unless those changes are tied to rewards or consequences. Consider throwing a pizza party if a monthy goal is met, or paying a bonus if you reach your annual goal. Promotions and raises could also be tied to achieving goals.

3. Meet with your staff. Once you have set your goals, action steps, rewards and consequences, bring your staff together to review your plan. Be ready to share how these goals will strengthen the company and in turn enhance each member’s job security and career growth. Then explain the action steps, rewards and consequences associated with each goal. Be receptive to any reasonable suggestions from the group that don’t compromise your ultimate objectives.

4. Establish monthly reviews. At the end of each month, run reports to chart your progress in each goal area. Post the results office-wide so everyone knows where they stand, and be sure to meet with the appropriate people to review sub-par results and take corrective action.

5. Follow through on rewards and consequences. Accountability is an important part of any successful goal-setting program. You must keep any promise you made at the start of the year regarding rewards or consequences.

Conclusion. Goal-setting is a critical skill for any successful business. By implementing a structured program that establishes challenging, reasonable goals...sensible methods to reach those goals...and a fair system of rewards and accountability, you can expect to see steady growth throughout the year.

Let us know how you’re doing and if this article was helpful by emailing PMN at newsletter@ssoft.com.