The Practice Manager's Guide to Time Management

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If travel is required for a conference or a meeting, check any alternative or quicker options. If youare required to attend a meeting which requires extensive travelling, consider using ateleconference or Skype instead.AN EXAMPLEIssues relating to finances, where a meeting with an accountant could involve hours of travelling(particularly if a rural doctor is concerned), can be substituted with a Skype conference, eliminatingtravel time.Skype is free of charge, as long as both parties to the conference are online at the same time, andmost new laptops now come with an inbuilt video camera which makes this option even easier.Once Skype is installed, and doctors are comfortable using it, a video conference meeting can beheld, even if it is only 20 minutes away, avoiding the need to travel in traffic or search for parking.Naturally, any travel related to provision of medical services cannot be substituted via a Skype videoconference, but this option should always be used where practicable. Skype can be downloadedhere: Install Skype .The telephoneThe telephone can be a big time saver, or alternatively, a big time waster. Properly handled it is apowerful tool that generates significant savings and efficiencies, and is an integraltelecommunication tool in the day-to-day operation of the clinic. For a practitioner, the mostimportant telephone rule is to have an effective screening mechanism. Calls must be filtered, so onlyurgent calls are taken straight away and other important calls are deferred until it suits thepractitioner. A staff member should handle less important calls, and other calls should be, if notignored, handled briskly and efficiently by a staff member. Staff should be encouraged to tell anunwanted caller (for example a salesperson), in a professional manner, that their call is unsolicited,and not to call back. This is the best way of making sure no more time is wasted.The other potential problem is spending too much time on a call. Politeness is essential, butdigression from the purpose of the call should be skilfully managed. Use verbal cues to directincoming calls to business issues, and exclude non-business issues: “what can I do for you” isbrilliant. It smacks of service, is an offer of help and focuses on the issues at hand. Practised lines forending the call are also needed. To close politely say “well, we will see you next Tuesday at 9.00am”or similar words to tell the other person the call is closing, and then close it. And if something elseneeds to be discussed this is a very quick way of prompting it.Effective communicationClear communication can save a significant amount of time for doctors and practice managers. Thisinvolves listening, reading carefully, and speaking and writing meticulously, to clearly understandwhat information is being conveyed. A staff member coming back for a further explanation of a task,costs time for both the doctor and the staff member. There is also the time spent by the staffmember inefficiently, before deciding to revisit the issue with you. When instructing someone, test8
for receptivity. It is important to ask questions and invite feedback to gauge understanding. Clearlyand succinctly explaining instructions initially saves time in the long term.For matters of clinic policy, consider a memorandum on the topic and give it to everyone involved.Think about amending the practice manual so there is a permanent note on the matter, toencourage retention of information and for future reference when training new staff. Considerreferring the question to someone else “John can show you how to do that”, therefore, staff traineach other and the onus is not left to one person.Delegation of management tasksResponsible for treating patients, doctors should be doing very little in regards to managing thepractice. Each practice should have a practice manager, who deals with all other managerial andadministrative issues of the practice. All employees of the practice should be focused on assistingthe doctor with providing efficient service to patients, as this the focus of the practice, and withoutwhich the practice would not exist as a viable business.Some practitioners hold the view that unless it is done their way, it is done the wrong way.This is a very self-limiting view of the world. By undertaking to do everything oneself, it is unlikelythat much will be achieved, or at least not as much as if the art of delegation had been mastered.Delegation is an art, and an essential feature of all good practices. The most effective concept is toemploy qualified staff, train and induct them thoroughly, and to empower them to undertake theirroles. Comprehensive position descriptions and clearly outlining responsibilities are very important.Communication is also important to ensure all team members are aware of the “big picture”, ormission of the organisation, and the part they play in it.Doctors’ time is a scarce commodity, and it makes sense to ration it. Delegating all appropriate tasksto responsible people, and concentrating on patient service delivery, is the key to running asuccessful practice and getting home before dinner each night.Many doctors find delegating tasks a challenge. If a task taking three hours is delegated from apractitioner to a staff member, the practitioner is able to see fifteen more patients. This may add,say, $300 to the week’s profit (remember, the incremental patient does not add to fixed costs, sothe extra fees are almost all profit). This means the staff member undertaking the particular task hasmeant $300 in extra profit for the practice. If the staff member did not undertake the task, practiceprofits would be $300 less. Therefore, the extra profit can be attributed to the staff member.This outcome is the essence of delegation: free up the practitioner’s time so the practitioner canearn profits. “Support staff” is a very accurate term. Staff should support doctors by takingresponsibility for non-medical tasks, and allowing them to concentrate on treating patients. Whenmore patients are seen, the practice will improve its reputation (from a patient accessibility point ofview), and profits will commensurately increase.9
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