Strategies for implementing change in medical dental offices in 2022
We have all seen changes in the offices and their administration right from the start of our cognition. Regardless of the office, its location, or the sector to which it belongs, change is evident, and the medical and dental offices are simply not an exception.
The medical offices, which are ever-evolving, have seen a lot of change lately, especially with the emergence of the new technologies that the digital world has brought in, and so are the dental offices. Gone are the days when healthcare providers booked appointments face-to-face or via telephone calls. The digital age has vastly improved the methods of the dental and medical offices right from the appointment phase. Yes, the previous appointments that were exhausting and swooped away with half of the time of the providers and their staff have now been replaced with the efficient online patient appointment schedulers that trusted providers like GrowPractice brings in.
The modern medical office and practice management software and tools have largely started not only to change but to entirely revolutionize the healthcare industry, especially the medical and dental offices that form the core of the industry.
Though we have been noticing changes in almost all of the medical offices and dental offices, and all of these appear to be running smooth, implementing all these changes isn't always picturesquely smooth, and is rather ridden with challenges of all forms.
The need for the change in the medical and dental offices!
High patient volume is really desired by healthcare practices, but only some can handle it. Handling an increase in patient volume becomes really difficult sometimes for the practices if they are not equipped to handle it. A sudden increase in the patient volume may result in overburdening the medical staff, postponing of the tests and treatment, long queues for checkups, and in worst cases, it can also lead to a breakdown of the healthcare unit.
Change is evident and we simply cannot avoid it but embrace it with all our might. The healthcare industry is one of the core industries, which should always be gearing up to serve the patients in the best possible way, to keep the world a better place to live.
The diseases, their types, our bodies, their functions, and everything else is changing, and the healthcare industry must keep pace with it and help the patients be alert and aware of the changing environment outside and keep them hale and hearty. Thus, there is a constant need for change in the healthcare industry, which the sector has already admitted with all the research and development going on in the field. There are many things and departments in the healthcare industry that will be propelled by the changes in the industry, and would again drive more changes for the same for good. However, the changes should then be tactfully implemented. So, let's dive into them:
• Discoveries - Discoveries in medical science are needed to find out all the wrongs that the medical and dental practices were doing and to set them right efficiently. Besides, we all know that the diseases are multiplying like never before, therefore, to know more about them and keep them at bay, the medical providers need to come up with discoveries. From polio to autism and their remedies and treatments have all sprung from changes and the search for newness. Therefore, the spirit of change should be there to find out something new, leading to game-changing discoveries.
• Advancement of the technologies - Technological advancements have also happened through the need for changes and are something than constantly calls for the need for changes. Advanced tools for scheduling patient appointments, performing diagnoses, running tests, medical office management software, including billing software, and more are needed by the healthcare providers today to provide satisfactory treatments to the patients. Reports say that around 52% of the US hospitals use 3 or more connected health technologies. Furthermore, 4 out of 10 or 60% of the patients are inclined to stay connected to their providers now, after the COVID-19 outbreak. Besides, the use of telehealth has been up by over 50% since the pandemic broke out. All of these needs for advanced technologies can now easily be fulfilled by GrowPractice, with its smart, efficient, and trusted medical practice management software and solutions.
• Changes in the regulatory bodies - The regulatory bodies like HIPAA, Medicare, ACA, and more make sure that the healthcare industry along with its healthcare providers practices well and in the interest of the patients. However, the demands of these bodies are changing each year, and thus, the healthcare providers should change to stay in line with them. Reaching out to GrowPractice can also come in handy here because the revered medical office management software solutions provider assures the practices of secure software products that are HIPAA-compliant, safeguarded by multi-layered security, and are built with strong data-encryption technology.
• Reduction of the costs - Reduction of the costs is a major driver of the healthcare industry today. Healthcare costs are increasing more than ever before, so much so that the surveys reveal that at least around half of the world's population cannot obtain even the essential healthcare services. Changes in the number of medical staff, hiring process, etc., can certainly bring in a reduction in the overall costs.
• Changes in patient behaviors - Patient behaviors change, and they are more likely to be changed because of the changes in the healthcare industry. However, the healthcare providers should also develop proper strategies to cope with the patients' behaviors by improving engagement and the overall quality of the treatment.
Best Strategies to Implement Change in Medical/Dental Offices in 2022!
Now that we know that the changes are necessary, it is important to drive the changes systematically in the practices and healthcare units. Some of the proven strategies to implement change in the medical and dental offices today in 2022 are:
Robust leadership is necessary
As it is the leader that decides everything in a team, similarly it is the core team containing the key leaders that decide things, especially the changes in all the industries, including the healthcare.
There should be one, shared vision
The leaders and the people working under a company or a healthcare service provider might be many, but the vision should be one, which should be shared among all of them. Having a particular vision is really important for a healthcare practice, which would surely drive the change that is needed!
Being digitally progressive should be the motto
Digital is the age, and why not we all embrace the digital ways? Over 78% of the patients have used digital portals for patients, which clearly gives an idea of how tech-savvy today's patients have become. This need for digital progression shall surely help the healthcare providers of today go for the change that is much-needed for the practices. Reports have further revealed that around 59% of Gen Y patients have shown an urge to switch their medical providers to achieve better online access.
Communication is the key
Proper communication between the staff, doctors, nurses, and the medical practice owners and managers is something very essential for the change that is needed in the medical and dental offices. Therefore, never shy away from communications to usher in the change that is needed!
Monitoring the performance of the medical and dental offices
Monitoring the performance of the medical and dental offices and comparing the performance and the relevant stats of their peers bring out the difference, which helps much in bridging the apparent gaps between the two.
Inviting suggestions and implementing them
Inviting suggestions regarding the change that is needed is crucial in creating the need for the changes and planning and executing them without any hassles. Both medical and dental practices thus, need to invite more suggestions from whoever is relevant and then implement them in the best way possible!
Holding formal and informal meetings
Holding meets regularly with the healthcare staff and other officials is required in healthcare practice. These formal and informal meetings do always come up with something new and all of these can be approved right then and there and help in bringing a change in the workflow and the working of the healthcare provider, thereby leading to a growth of the practice size and revenue.
Involving teams in brainstorming and implementation
Fostering a team culture sometimes becomes really efficient in bringing in some much-needed changes in the working style of the medical and dental offices. Therefore, several teams can be involved in the healthcare practice by brainstorming something new. Along with finding out the required changes, the ideas that will help in the proper implementation of these changes can also be discovered with the same!
Winning over the hurdles
There are hurdles everywhere, including in healthcare practices that restrict the generation of ideas and the implementation of the changes that are frequently ideated. These challenges need to be spotted at once and dissolved. GrowPractice is one of the best software providers that brings with it an array of medical office management software that has been helping the healthcare providers hugely to date.
With the trusted and secure medical practice management software from GrowPractice that is efficient both for the medical and dental practices, the healthcare providers of today can rest assured. If you are wondering how the GrowPractice software and solutions have helped the medical practices and dental practices alike, then check out some of the facts below:
• GrowPractice has helped healthcare providers boost 20% in collection rates.
• The GrowPratice solutions have helped the providers gain more than $60,000 in revenue
• They have increased new patient appointments by more than 8% and increased patient retention by 48%
• They have successfully reduced patient no-shows by 89%
• The GrowPractice medical practice management software has reduced 75% of the staff time on the phone
• GrowPractice has boosted patient satisfaction rating by 97%
These are some key highlights of the changes that GrowPractice has driven. Check out GrowPractice and its solutions for these changes and more, and grow your practice effortlessly!