As you listen to my webinars, speaking topics, training content and visit my website, you will hear and see a common thread weaved into my business. INTENTION.PURPOSE. RESULTS. It requires a proactive approach to understand the financial health of your practice with intention, for a purpose, to get positive results.  Dental and medical professionals are not typically required to have business training as part of their academic and clinical courses. Therefore, many business owners focus on patient care, treatment plans, case presentation and the new technology they can integrate into the offices, without a clear understanding of how much money is being collected, percentage of write-off’s and courtesies, production per hour or how to motivate their teams.

I worked as a dental hygienist in private practice for many years before I was made aware of how my efforts contributed to the financial health of the practice.  Once I knew, I wanted to improve and reach personal and practice goals.  Working with many offices as a consultant, I can tell you for certainty, your teams want that too. So the question is…how to be intentional when the whirlwind of the day takes over?  One way is to have targeted meetings on specific agenda items with a desired outcome in mind.

There are 5 types of meetings I have found to be critical to increase practice growth and improve office communication. Each one has a specific agenda and focus depending upon what we are trying to accomplish.  For example, the Morning Meeting helps improve the flow of the day, brings attention to new patients, discusses the best emergency time available, recognizes treatment opportunities, any outstanding balances to be collected, and more.  Why would you not want that??  Many times offices know they need meetings, but aren’t sure how to make them interesting and effective.  No one wants to sit through a boring meeting where nothing ever seems to get accomplished. If you want to learn more about meetings, reach out to me and I’ll send you my video series on how the 5 Types of Meetings.

Since we are coming the the end of another year, we are going to dig deeper into Meeting #5:

Meeting #5: Annual Reflection and Projection Meeting

Purpose: To proactively review celebrations, wins and Key Practice Indicator goals for the current year and recognize improvements needed and set realistic goals for the upcoming year.

Some considerations when scheduling time for the meeting.
Block 2 hours
-After working hours? (Ex. closing an hour early and staying late, working a full day and meeting at         night, coming in before patients are seen in the morning)
-Normally scheduled day off (Ex. Typically the office is closed Fridays but the team has agreed to come      in on their day off for the meeting. This is only 1x/year)
-Closing during your scheduled office hours (Ex. block off 2 hours during patient hours. Or use one hour of lunch and block of the second hour. Check with your labor laws if you have a question about scheduling meetings during lunch. California specifically has been known to have specific restrictions)
October or November
-October/November is recommended in order to have time to make up days before the end of the year if goals aren’t being reached and the office decides to add more treatment days for patient care. If you are thinking about scheduling in December or January remember those are typically very busy months and the meeting can feel rushed or get put off. During a monthly meeting in January, review what was discussed to make sure the team is on board.
This is also a time to look ahead into the next year and plan for known vacations in the schedule, training opportunities, and CE courses you know you will be attending and can proactively block the schedule.
Will the meeting be offsite?
– Some offices like to have this meeting out of the office to limit distractions and have a change of scenery. (EX. doctors house, restaurant, hotel conference room, etc.)
How are the team members paid?
– If it is scheduled after working hours, does that put the team into over-time?
-Do you have an employee handbook explaining meeting pay?

Every meeting should have a written agenda as a guide for topics to discuss and to help stay on task and limit side conversation.

Agenda Items
• Attendance: Entire Team should be present (part-time employees and Associates included)
• Review your Vision and Mission
-What have we been doing to represent the Vision and Mission?
• Review of KPI’s, current years goals and progress
• This is a time for reflection and projection
-Celebration of Wins and achievements
-Come prepared to the meeting with specific examples to answer “What could we have done differently?”
-Get feedback from the team
-Proactively plan for next years’ goals and desires. Using a tool such as the Projected Goal Calculator helps with the mathematical formulas
-Document projected goals and desires for upcoming year and then revisit at the close of the year
• Determine any end-of-year modifications to the schedule
• Determine any end-of-year/new year Marketing Promotions (Winter Whitening, New Year New You Ortho or cosmetic, Implant Awareness, Healthy Heart-Healthy Smile, etc.)
• Review and document training opportunities for upcoming year
-New services, new technology, insurance codes, CE courses, OSHA, HIPAA, CPR, internal training, new hire training, etc.
• Finish with a team building activity and note “What did we agree on today?” Pick 3 agreements and put on a whiteboard as a reminder

With any meeting, make sure to have a note-taker, time keeper and common area where the agendas are kept to be able to go back and review.  The team should know where the area is and understand their individual role in the process.  Each and every person on the team brings value and knowledge to the meetings.  By highlighting successes and asking for team input, they will feel heard and motivated to help you reach your goals and attain your vision.

For guidance on meeting agendas, goal settings, team building activities or random questions you want help with…Feel free to text, call, email or submit a form on my website.  I am here to help you and your team succeed with INTENTION, for a PURPOSE to get positive RESULTS!   Amy

amy@bridgethegapcs.com

802.922.8486

www.bridgethegapconsultingservices.com