Hijack #1 Employees
taking away aspects of Patient Interaction they do not believe “you are capable
of doing.”
What does it mean to
be “hijacked” by the employees in your practice? Have you ever spent time
discussing treatment with a patient, only to notice details later were changed
without your knowledge?
Often, Dentists will
tell me that they feel excluded from the details of the daily routine and the
daily events in their own business simply because the employees make decisions
without the owner’s knowledge. They also say when they ask questions
regarding financial reports or why someone didn’t schedule treatment, team
members respond blasé or make them feel they are terrible for asking.
One-way employees
“hijack” the dentist is by changing treatment plans and making financial
decisions per what they feel is best for the patient based off assuming they know
this patient’s financial and personal need.
This is especially common in newer ownership where the team may view the
new dentist as inexperienced or doesn’t “know” the patients as the previous
owner or the experienced team members.
The problem with this
mentality, is employees will make the choice to “give a discount” or change
treatment per what “has always been done” and therefore leaving the dentists’
specific treatment plan devalued and giving the confused patient the impression
the dentist is only looking to line the pocket book.
One example is seen in
the dental hygiene department. A
long-time patient is seen with perio pocketing depths and heme that is consistent
stage 2 Periodontal disease that the new Dentist believes needs to be addressed. When the new dentists shares the concern with
the hygienist, he/she is met with the hygienist response of “it’s always been
that way, and Dr. Previous-owner always watched those areas, and besides
long-time patient doesn’t have the money for periodontal therapy, so I just do
a prophy and hope for the best.”
The new dentist is
unsure how to respond, as questions loom through his/her mind; Where is the
patient education on how this condition affects the entire health of the
patient? How can I legally treat a
patient with a prophy, when that is not the accurate condition? “Why is my hygienist making the treatment
decision for the patient?”
Employees hijack your
business culture by not supporting your treatment plans.
By: Corey Jameson-Kuehl
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