Orthotown March 2014 - (Page 14)

orthotown.com // message board Assistants Scheduling Appointments How do you handle problems with scheduling? Orthotown.com > Message Boards > Non-Clinical Topics > Front Office/Staff Issues > Assistants Scheduling Appointments drgscott Member Since: 03/09/09 Post: 1 of 9 Related Message Boards Schedule - Need Help! Scheduling Doctor Time Scheduling Doctor Time I am at a point where I need to hire a second receptionist or possibly hire someone to sit behind the scenes and just answer the phones. I don't think my receptionist is able to keep up with the phones adequately. The treatment coordinator and bookkeeper help with the phones, but it can be hard, especially if one of them is out of the office. Up until last year, I had a second treatment coordinator who helped pick up the slack. An alternative to hiring another staff person might be to install one or two workstations near the front where my assistants could schedule the appointments. They talk to the parents at the end of every visit anyway. Adults could be scheduled right at the chair. This would free up my receptionist to just greet patients and answer the phones. Does anyone do this? I have a part-time sterilization person but I would probably hire a full-time or another parttime one to turn over the chairs. This seems like it would be a good system. n MAY 3 2012 sharperdds Member Since: 05/01/05 Post: 2 of 9 If your practice is big enough to have two treatment coordinators, you need two receptionists. I have two very busy receptionists and only need a part-time treatment coordinator. Cross-train everyone in the office so they can fill in where needed. n MAY 3 2012 njtxortho Member Since: 05/05/08 Post: 3 of 9 If your practice is big enough to have two treatment coordinators, you need two receptionists. Agreed. You don't want to get to the point where your customer service really suffers before you hire someone else. n MAY 4 2012 zxzxzx Member Since: 02/28/03 Post: 4 of 9 You have to balance profit with service unless you are running a low-fee practice. In that case, patients understand they sacrifice service for the low fee. I always like to run with half dental assistant too much. Yes, when things are slow, it bothers me a little, but when things start to get busy, I like having the extra staff because service does not suffer. n MAY 5 2012 fesdds Member Since: 05/22/08 Post: 5 of 9 For most scenarios it makes better sense for your assistant to schedule the next appointment. They should be talking to parents anyways about today's visit and then they schedule for when that next visit is. Ninety-nine percent of the time my assistants schedule the next appointment. We have the child go get parent and bring them back. If I am free I will talk with parent, but otherwise the assistant will talk to parent and schedule visit. Tops allows us to print out a receipt type appointment reminder from a Dymo printer. We have one at front desk and one in clinic. They print that receipt, give to parent and now the front desk usually doesn't have to take time with checkout. All other staff has basic training to handle most phone questions sufficiently. I like having extra assistants on hand in case of emergencies that can support front rather than a part-time second front desk. n MAY 6 2012 14 MARCH 2014 // orthotown.com http://www.orthotown.com http://www.Orthotown.com http://www.orthotown.com/MessageBoard/thread.aspx?a=11&s=6&f=718&t=160578&g=1 http://www.orthotown.com/MessageBoard/thread.aspx?a=11&s=6&f=693&t=150140&g=1 http://www.orthotown.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Orthotown March 2014

Orthotown.com Highlights
Wired for Success: A Case for CBCT Volumes and Intra-oral Scans to Replace Plaster and Digital Models
3D Printers
Assistants Scheduling Appointments
How to Turn Consultations into Bandings?
New Products
Best Direct Bonding Protocol
Integrating Technology into the New Patient Exam
You Should Know: Pacific Dental Services
Ad Index

Orthotown March 2014