How to Improve Your Practice Using a Traditional Academic Medical Strategy?

Recently we've looked at being intentional with your actions and the impact of inaction on your practice.

This week we'll look at how to apply a traditional medical strategy to improve your practice. Morbidity and Mortality (M&M) conferences involve the analysis of adverse outcomes and provide opportunities for learning.

These traditional conferences utilize information to change behaviors and prevent mistakes moving forward. Simply stated, M&M’s are designed to be a safe space to learn from mistakes.

Our clients utilize a similar strategy to improve and grow their practices, it's called Weekly Learnings. Weekly Learnings are a component of each staff meeting and provide the framework for the staff to develop a growth mindset.

Through the utilization of a consistent communication strategy that involves key performance indicators, patient and staff feedback, practice leadership can identify trends and outcomes that have a negative impact on practice results. For example, if the new patient goal is 100 for the month, and at the mid-point of the month, you are at 40, you can brainstorm with the staff to determine reasons and what may be done to improve the result.

One of our clients with a similar result, noticed an increase in calls forwarded to her service and determined that the office phone was being forwarded during office hours. The staff acknowledged that they had forwarded the phones the last half hour of their shifts to provide them the opportunity to complete administrative work. Instead of demanding that the phones are left on, the physician asked what ideas the team could come up with to ensure the phones are answered and also provide the staff time to complete tasks. After collaborating, the staff decided to rotate covering the phones at the end of the day, ensuring that patient calls were answered while also providing the staff with the opportunity to complete their tasks. The positive impact on new patient bookings was immediate.

Providing a space for your staff to focus on learnings from unfavorable situations, encourages your staff to think differently but can only be accomplished when your staff feels safe to do so. Your staff must believe that your intention is growth, theirs, and the practice.

Using mistakes as a learning opportunity requires that we ask questions with the goal of understanding and improving to move forward. Providing the time and safe space to reflect and grow from mistakes is key to developing your staff and growing your practice.

If you’re ready to move your practice to the next level, contact me smays@impactpracticeconsultants.com.