The Practicon Viewpoint by Ann Page Griffin

MORNING HUDDLES—ABSOLUTELY THE BEST WAY TO BEGIN A WORK DAY

Over the years we have been “blog mates,” we have discussed five types of team meetings that will boost every aspect of a dental practice when two conditions are met: 

1.    The staff buys in, understanding why the meetings are necessary, what is to be accomplished in each, how follow-up will work, and by participating through input into the planning and occasional leadership of meetings. 

2.    The decisions made at each meeting are acted upon, or the reason for not acting upon a decision is explained. Nothing kills enthusiasm for regular team meetings like waiting for suggestions and decisions to be implemented—only to have nothing change.  

The five types of meetings are:

·         Morning huddles

·         Area meetings in which business and clinical staff meet together, separately

·         Monthly general staff meetings that include everyone, even part-time staff

·         Annual retreats, held off site, in which everyone participates to review the past year and plan for the year ahead

·         One-on-ones in which performance appraisals are given, interpersonal problems are mediated, details of compensation, pay raises, or benefits are discussed, and so on      

If your practice currently does not have regularly scheduled staff meetings, consider beginning the process with a Morning Huddle. A well-planned Huddle should take no more than 10 to 12 minutes before the first patient is seated. Following is a suggested agenda. Customized, perhaps by a senior team member, to meet the needs of your office, the Huddle is invaluable in making each day better organized with a smooth flow.

 

Agenda for Morning Huddle

Operative

·         Number of patients scheduled? Unusual previous appointment with anyone?

·         Medical alerts? Rx for pre-med or prophylactic coverage double-checked—today? Tomorrow?

·         Time for emergencies?

·         Assignment of dental assistants for the day if multi-doctor, multi-chair practice

 Hygiene

·         Number of patients scheduled? Special conditions or needs?

·         Number of new patients scheduled? Special conditions or needs?

·         Medical alerts? Rxs for today double checked? For tomorrow?

 

Business Desk and Activities Report

     ·         Yesterday’s production; % of goal
     ·         Month to Date (MTD) production vs MTD goal
     ·         Today’s projected production
     ·         Tomorrow’s projected production
     ·         MTD new patient count
     ·         Previous collection problem with scheduled patients today? Tomorrow?
     ·         Number of broken appointments yesterday? Number rescheduled?
     ·         Concerns with schedule today? Tomorrow? Through five days hence?
     ·         Review information about today’s new patients.
     ·         Share any personal information about individual patients that will allow clinical staff to relate warmly, on a personal level with each patient.

 

For an orthodontic practice or an ortho component in a practice:

·         Bandings? De-bandings? On whom? Time? Assistant assignment.

·         Appliances? Delivered from lab or completed in-office? Any problems?

·         Impressions? On whom? Purpose?

·         Records? On whom?

·         Consults scheduled within three days? With whom? Work ups complete and reviewed?

·         Appliances due tomorrow? For whom? Type? Ready? Problems?

·         Unusual or special needs today?

·         Follow-ups from yesterday?

 

If you choose, close the Huddle with an inspirational quotation or a thought-for-the-day chosen by team members on a rotating basis. Some practices in which I have worked close each day’s Huddle with a brief prayer.

 

In addition to assuring that the day flows smoothly, with potential problems handled before they occur, the Huddle assures team members’ prompt arrival, allows personal notes about individual patients to be shared so doctor and staff can make positive comments, alerts staff to how production is progressing through the month, and gives the entire team a feeling of cohesion. Try Morning Huddles—I think you’ll find them well worth the effort and time.