If taking care of patients and making them feel warm and fuzzy isn’t ranked #3 on your top priorities in a practice, something is lacking with your team.

The heart and soul of a practice is managing (and manipulating) the schedule.  It’s your livelihood, it’s what pays the staff and keeps the doors open.  This definitely has to be at the very tippy top of the list, right?  Of course it’s important but there’s something that must be put above all…the individuals on your team making a conscious effort to look out for everyone else should always be #1.

Easier said, I know.

Now I’m not insinuating that you and your group should be hugging it out at the end of your day, everyday (and that’s totally fine if you actually do) but instead be able to read nonverbal cues and know how to communicate at the highest level and in a more compassionate way.

For example, your assistant is managing her time well but your hygienist is not and needs help catching up, getting the next patient in who needs x-rays.  The assistant recognizes the crisis and just happens to get a mysterious cramp and heads to the bathroom.  The anxiety spikes on the hygienist as no one is making themselves available and stepping up to aid her.  It’s all over her face, she’s bent about it.

What went wrong here?  Why would the assistant quietly bow out when she knew there was a need? Maybe the hygienist has never bagged an instrument in her egotistical life and the assistant is done being the only person who handles it.  The doctor may be completely oblivious to these petty things going on in the background but it’s imperative it gets addressed before heads roll or affects your bottom line.

If every team member isn’t taking the best care of those to their left and right, it will trickle down and negatively affect every other item on your priority list. Eventually, your patients will start catching the bad vibes and the moment they start to feel awkward in a historically uncomfortable place, they will be boltin’, like Michael (Bolton).

(Yep, stick with me and the bad jokes will be relentless.)

On a positive note, a little team building exercise here and there with periodic, structured meetings that allow everyone to interact and vent on issues will help even the hottest of heads from popping off. (You’d be amazed how far that big bag of trail mix from Costco can go, the one with the M&M’s, by keeping everyone cheerier while they work…but not so amazing for the germaphobe on your team.) It’s an ongoing, ever-changing process and someone in a leadership role must be designated to drive it for it to be successful.

To recap:

#1 The Team

#2 The Schedule

#3 The Patients

You don’t have to agree with me but you should at least elaborate on why you feel differently.  I’d love to hear it.