Dr Gyl On Staff As A Success Driver
Professional Hearing Services, St. Joseph, Michigan
Today I would like to introduce a guest post by Gyl Kasewurm. Gyl Kasewurm is A lifetime resident of southwestern Michigan, Dr. Gyl Kasewurm obtained a Masters Degree from Western Michigan University and went on to earn her Doctoral Degree from Central Michigan University. In 1983, she founded Professional Hearing Services in St. Joseph, Michigan. The office has grown from a small practice to one of the most successful audiology practices in the USA. Both her Practice and herself personally have been recognized for their exceptional service through many awards.
Dr Kasewurm speaks regularly on Practice Management and building long lasting relationships with Patients. I find that more often than not our views are aligned. Dr. Kasewurm has recently begun a blog sharing the resources that helped her success. The blog can be seen at Inspiring Audiologists and Entrepeneurs to Win So without further adieu on to the article.
A Key To Success
| THE ONLY TRUE MEASURE OF SUCCESS IS THE RATIO BETWEEN WHAT WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN AND WHAT WE HAVE BECOME.― H.G. WELLS |
I am often asked, “What’s the key to success?” Being a top notch professional always comes first, but running a close second is having a key employee who is friendly, efficient and capable of performing a multitude of duties in the practice. Most practices employ at least one person in addition to the owner and in a busy practice this employee becomes a key component of the success of the practice. His or her duties may include everything from scheduling to billing to making minor hearing aid repairs, and even calming a patient’s nerves before their hearing evaluation. The key employee should also attempt to get to know patients and their personal preferences.
While duties may vary by practice setting, there is no doubt that this employee is a key component of a successful practice and if utilized properly can lead the practice to another level of success. This key person may hold the title of receptionist but regardless of the title, the role remains the same: to develop good patient relationships, generate leads from current patients, and to ensure that the office runs smoothly on a daily basis. Having a key employee should allow an owner or manager to spend more time doing what he or she does best, which is providing exceptional patient care and generating sufficient revenue to make the practice profitable.
One very important task for a key employee is to squeeze every productive moment out of the schedule. Let the employee know your expectations for scheduling and help them understand the need to confirm appointments at least 24 hours in advance, preferably 48 hours, and then to make every effort to fill last minute cancellations. Every open appointment time is a loss of potential revenue. An employee who can skilfully juggle the busy schedule of a productive office is a valuable asset. However, some employees fail to hustle to fill vacancies because they don’t see it as a priority and actually may think you really enjoy the free time. While most practice owners and managers can easily fill open time, too many open appointments can ultimately lead to the death of a practice. If someone on the staff is extremely busy, the key employee should know it. A scheduler who is informed can help avoid unnecessary last minute drop-ins, without denying legitimate appointments.
The way your phone is answered may not be something you give a lot of thought or attention to, but it can have a tremendous impact on a patient’s opinion of a practice. Ever been caught in the seemingly endless loop of an automated system? Press 1 for this and 2 for this and 12 for…. Imagine using such a system when you have difficulty hearing! A telephone call is often the first real impression a potential patient has of you and your organization. Sure, they might be familiar with your name, have driven by your office, or visited your website but a phone call is typically the first real interaction a potential patient has with their hearing healthcare professional. Whether this experience is warm, positive, and memorable is highly dependent upon the individual who answers the phone in the practice. The right person can make all the difference in the world, while the wrong person can drive potential patients away forever. Good and repeatable telephone etiquette isn’t automatic but rather something you should discuss and even practice with a key employee.
A key employee can assist with marketing, handling your personal schedule, calling manufacturers to order supplies, checking on orders, staying in touch with patients and many other functions that will allow you to spend more quality time with your patients. If you are wondering what an average wage is for a key employee, check the latest Occupational Outlook Handbook http://www.bls.gov/ooh/ to learn what a typical pay scale is for your particular state. Talented key employees can more than pay for themselves through their contribution to the growth and success of a practice. The key employee can also serve as a patient recall specialist by going through the records and recalling patients who haven’t been in for a re-evaluation and may be candidates for new hearing technology. Compensation may include bonuses for getting patients you have lost touch with back into the practice. A key employee truly represents the key components of practice success and should be well compensated if their performance is benefiting and enhancing the practice or organization.
There is no one answer when someone asks what the key is to a successful practice, but certainly having an employee you can count on is a good first step.
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