During recent research for our new office manager training program, we have identified specific strategies that help office managers improve efficiency, which leads directly to higher practice profitability and income. Just as important, these strategies create a low-stress, well-organized daily workflow, allowing doctors and team members to leave work less fatigued and helping to prevent burnout.
Three ways to improve efficiency:
1. Create a checklist for everything. As part of Levin’s research for our new office manager program, we developed sample checklists for nearly every practice function. For example, a front desk checklist may include the following steps:
- Turn on the computer
- Review the day’s schedule
- Identify open appointment times
- Determine where emergency patients can be scheduled
- Review practice production compared to the daily goal
- Text patients two weeks, two days, and two hours prior to appointments
Listing each task within a daily checklist significantly improves organization and efficiency. A key responsibility of the office manager is to train team members to complete their checklists consistently each day. These standard checklists should also be customized to reflect the practice’s unique characteristics, including insurance participation, number of patient chairs, and office structure (e.g., a solo practice or a partnership with associates).
2. Hold a daily kickoff meeting. Highly successful businesses recognize the importance of starting each day with focus and clarity. For example, the Ritz-Carlton—one of the world’s most respected hotel brands—conducts a kickoff meeting at the beginning of every shift. Similarly, Eleven Madison Park, frequently ranked as the world’s top restaurant, holds a pre-meal meeting before guests arrive.
These meetings help organize the day, prevent breakdowns, and improve communication and efficiency. In dental practices, a daily kickoff meeting also gives the team an opportunity to discuss situations requiring special attention, such as a new patient who may be anxious about treatment, a past-due patient scheduled that day, or a potential no-show. Addressing these matters at the start of the day allows for better preparation and fewer disruptions.
3. Delegate tasks appropriately. Too often, office managers spend valuable time completing staff-level duties, which limits their ability to focus on leadership and oversight. Office managers should not be doing work that staff members can do, and senior staff members should not be performing duties that can be delegated to newer or junior team members. When the right people are doing the right tasks, efficiency increases dramatically. Effective delegation allows office managers to operate at a higher level, improving practice efficiency and ultimately increasing practice income.
Editor's note: This article originally appeared in The Bottom Line with Dental Economics, the newsletter that will elevate your inbox with practical and innovative practice management and clinical content from experts across the field. Subscribe here.
