The article cited a survey of 1000 consumers in which 25% of the respondents said they stopped seeing a physician due to communication problems.
You say, "But I talk to my patients all the time, my communication with them is great!"
Okay, point taken, but we have to remember, (and your spouse will tell you) communication is a two way street. It does not mean just talking, but LISTENING. Case in point, this morning I was at the dentist, and had just began a prophy when my worst fears came to realization...
Grape flavored prophy paste... YUCK!!!
Now, I have been going to the same dental office for the last 3 years, and every time I experience this little bit of discomfort. I am not a big fan of these "flavored" pastes at all, and prefer either the regular mint, or the No Flavor paste. (Who taste tests these anyway?)
I have let the office know this every time I have been there, and yet every time I go in it seems I have to tell them again. And, usually I am the one left with a bad taste in my mouth.
Being in the industry, I know there are places in the practice management software, or special "alert" stickers that can be placed on a file. These are usually reserved to alert the dentist to any allergies, or special conditions. In other words, the best interest of the practice.
Now, in my case, there is no alert sticker, note in my file, or even a yellow sticky note alerting the hygienist to my request for flavorless paste.
It is almost as if my likes/needs have not been documented for sake of practice efficiency.
All it takes in this instance is a little extra step from the hygienist or dentist (who also noted my flavor choice aloud) to write this in or on my patient file, or make a note in the fancy computer system, and next time I won't be surprised by the newest sensation in flavored prophy paste.
It's small things like this that make people leave the dentist. You may have done your cleaning and checkup to perfection, but when I taste grape in my mouth by surprise, that is what I (the patient) will note.
So, when communicating with your patients, make sure the patient gets a chance to talk, and make sure you take the opportunity to listen.
Don't leave a bad taste in their mouth.
Action-To-Take Tip: Implement a system that allows for easy documentation of your patients' needs, as well as their likes and dislikes. Put a small piece of paper on the front of each patient's file. Even if the paper remains blank, at least it is there for you to be able to quickly jot down any comments that the patient may make regarding their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with your processes.
"Although dentists want to focus on their patients' dental care, they are distressed that much of their time is spent dealing with insurance companies and business administration," says Gregory Winteregg, DDS, Vice President of MGE: Management Experts, Inc. (www.mgeonline.com) and an expert in dental practice management consulting. "As a result, the vast majority of the 174,000 dentists practicing in the United States are frustrated and professionally unfulfilled."
Further, Dr. Winteregg says that, while dental schools do an excellent job teaching dental students about state of the art procedures and equipment, they fall short when it comes to teaching business and communication skills. As a result, dentists often become dependent upon a business consultant to guide them in practice management. "MGE: Management Experts takes a different approach," says Dr. Winteregg. "By training dentists in business technology, communications, and human resources, they are empowered to efficiently run their practices, which positively influences their bottom lines."
MGE trains dentists, their office managers and staff on subjects ranging from marketing, case acceptance, organization, management, financial planning, and leadership. Collectively, MGE's entire training program is called the MGE Power Program. In a statistical study conducted at the end of 2005, MGE found that the average client starting the Power Program had average monthly collections of $37,000. Within three months, clients increased monthly collections by an average of 31 percent, while after two years, the average monthly collections increased by 132 percent. "After five years, the average MGE Power Program client is collecting $123,500 per month," says Dr. Winteregg. "That's an increase of 232 percent!"
Although almost 90 percent of dentists own their own practices, they often have only basic knowledge about everything from staffing their offices to marketing their services. "As a result, dental practice management is often inefficient and ineffective, which negatively affects dentists' professional satisfaction and profitability," says Dr. Winteregg.
Dr. Winteregg should know, as he spent eleven years in private practice as a general dentist before turning to MGE to help him streamline and build his practice. As an MGE client, he found the principles and tools he needed to have his practice become one of the top four percent of practices nationwide. "I discovered that the keys to growing my practice were learning how to effectively market for fee-for-service new patients so as to stay out of HMOs and PPOs, to hire the right people to staff my office, and to learn how to communicate with my patients to increase comprehensive treatment acceptance," says Dr. Winteregg.
Within two years, Dr. Winteregg decided to dedicate his career to helping other dentists thrive, and joined MGE as a partner with Luis Col'n, a leading national executive trainer and speaker.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment growth in the field of dentistry will not outpace the average growth of other professions or industries in the coming decade. "Because dentistry is not a high-growth profession, dentists must be proactive in building and streamlining their practices," says Dr. Winteregg. "In today's environment, the cornerstone is to attract fee-for-service patients and those with traditional insurance plans, and to avoid the reduced fees and time-consuming overhead that comes with being a member of an HMO or PPO."
MGE: Management Experts, Inc. guides dentists through the maze of business administration hurdles, human resources challenges, and communication barriers that often prevent dentists from feeling professionally fulfilled and reaping financial rewards. Dr. Winteregg concludes, "We're committed to providing professionals with the tools to develop sound dental practice management. Time and again, we've found that when dentists have these tools in place, they not only feel enormous professional fulfillment, but the monetary rewards flow effortlessly."
Both James Erickson & Itmgeditor are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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