BUSINESS

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Fly High in 2015

Use a systems approach to run your practice like a well-oiled machine

GARY GERBER, O.D.

I don’t enjoy flying. Yet, I’m still in awe that the National Air Traffic Controllers Association reports more than 87,000 flights per day take place in the United States. That’s about one flight every second, 24/7.

Hundreds, if not thousands of tasks must happen to ensure a safe and on-time flight. That really is nothing short of a miracle.

Food for thought

Even something as seemingly simple as the in-flight “food” service is impressive. The proper amount of food, drinks, cups, napkins and ice must be allocated, ordered and delivered.

In advance of this prep work, a budget was set up to ensure profitability. Negotiations with food suppliers occurred.

On the day of the flight, the delivery truck had to be fueled. Someone made sure the truck passed all the necessary safety, mechanical and security checks. Of course, the person driving the truck was vetted and trained.

On the plane, someone ensured the food cart was in working order. Flight attendants were trained on how to stock the cart. Once airborne, the captain made a decision on when it was safe to feed the passengers based on years of training and experience. He hit a chime, which someone inspected. All this happened before the first Coke is served!

Get back on the ground

In the office, things are sometimes different. “My staff may do a task properly a few times, but then they revert back to doing it wrong or not doing it all,” many doctors lament.

Yet if we broke down all the steps involved in a given task, for example, a patient encounter — from the first phone call to next year’s recall — we’d most likely find fewer steps than there would be to fly a plane.

Planes fly. Offices run. Yet, why do we seem to have so much trouble with compliance of systems? Even if systems cause passengers like me to dislike what they do, the point is that the airlines consistently execute their systems.

The big difference? When things don’t go as expected, airlines examine systems and doctors criticize staff.

Airlines and other large companies operate under the premise that a well-run system should be executable by anyone who has had the proper training. If that doesn’t happen, then the problem is either the training or the system, not the person. O.D.s think the opposite. “If someone can’t remember the proper way to book a contact lens checkup, the problem is the person, ­not the act/system/process of booking the appointment.”

Focus on the system

This seemingly small point has profound repercussions. Using the system-focused approach, you’ll find that your training program (if it exists at all) probably lacks a few essential elements. One is testing. After a skill is taught, is it tested at regularly determined intervals? Are there consequences for not passing the test? Another gap we typically find is the lack of clear and concise checklists. We also find that when checklists do exist, they aren’t always used.

Make 2015 the year you commit to running your practice like a well-oiled machine. Doing so will require that all the “parts” (training and systems) are in place before you actually put a focus on specific employees. OM

DR. GERBER IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE POWER PRACTICE, A COMPANY SPECIALIZING IN MAKING OPTOMETRISTS MORE PROFITABLE. LEARN MORE AT WWW.POWERPRACTICE.COM, OR CALL DR. GERBER AT (888) 356-4447.