| Problem | Solution | Solutions Hyperlink | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. You | Owners are not clear on personal direction | Strategic | More about You Read on… |
| Each owner should be clear on what they want and how their work will meet this purpose. | Lack of clarity is the number one reason why practices are inefficient. | Think about what you want to achieve and your financial security first. Then relate this to your work/practice | More about You Read on… Strategic vision for the future – A vision built to last! |
| You are wasting your time and money and everybody else’s, if you don’t know where you are going | |||
| 2. You | No time or too busy | Operational | Read on… Effective Time Management |
| Owners/ managers should use an electronic diary system that integrates with key personnel | If you have difficulty managing priorities if you can’t see the big picture and set a priority. It is not a priority if it is not important to you. | Effective time management practices are critical. They are easy to implement. Work on the things nobody else can work on. Start by having an end point in mind. | More aboutYou Read on… |
| If you are not organised and operate a structured diary so you can work in and on your practice/business you will find you will be spinning wheels. This will also make delegation difficult if there is no system in place to deal with your work loads. | As an owner your objective should be to fire yourself in three years. Working should be a choice and not a responsibility. Do this by working on the business and not in it. | ||
| Focus on planning, systems, training and delegation. | |||
| 3. Have a Road Map | Practice/Business owners and staff pulling in different directions | Employ a practice manager or personal assistant to handle the detail. | Read on… High Performance Management Planning |
| Build a Vision Built to Last. | Practice/Business Owners have no shared vision and plan | High Performance Management Planning | Read on… Daily Individual Morale & Productivity Survey |
| Specifically and boldly list projected revenue, system and staffing changes and when – 12mths, 3 years and 5 years. | The number one reason why practices are inefficient. | ||
| You would not get into a taxi without knowing where you were going. So why take yourself and everybody else for the same ride?Get rid of the handbrake of doubt make; create realistic short term goals before you start driving change. | |||
| 4. Inspire and Empower Staff | Share big ideas and sell a Vision Built to Last. Bigger the easier because it is more exciting and compelling. Everyone will want to get up in the morning. | ||
| Be enthusiastic and lead by example. | Show leadership at meetings – motivating staff is critical. Involve your owner-directors and potential owner–directors, e.g. medical staff, and set up and delegate key strategies to small task forces within the practice. | Individual Morale & Productivity Survey | Read on… High Performance Strategies -Empowering Your People |
| Provide appropriately skilled and experienced internal and external mentors. Empower staff by showing them they are being heard. | High Performance Strategies -Empowering Your People | ||
| 5. Use Great Systems Thinking | Have a plan and make people accountable. | Processes and Systems – working smarter not harder | Read on… Processes and Systems – working smarter not harder |
| The Buck Stops Here | Test your systems regularly – use a daily error reporting system see staff daily productivity survey. | Ideas to improve the returns and managing your practice | Read on… Ideas to improve the returns and managing your practice |
| Keep focussed on strategy and measure outcomes regularly. | High Performance Strategies Empowering Your People | Read on… High Performance Strategies Empowering Your People | |
| 6. Use Great Systems Thinking | 4% of all organisations in the world focus on systems. This makes them great and not just good businesses. | Practice Surveys | Read on… Practice Surveys |
| Do more with less by focussing on the right structures, systems and processes. | Blame the process and not the person first. Then train before you blame | Read on… Ideas to improve the returns and managing your practice | |
| We use Mind Mapper to design and improve systems fasthttp://www.mindmapper.com | |||
| We use Camtasiahttp://www.techsmith.com/camtasia/ to record procedures, and record all presentations to avoid sessions being repeated, including to part time staff who miss meetings. |
If any of these issues are of significant concern to you then talk to us. For peace of mind for a lifetime – get the facts and get it right today. Contact us for more information.
Also review our Best Practice Management Tips program read on…
For more insights visit our blog.
About me: David Dahm BA (Acc.), CA., FCPA, CTA, FFin, CPM, FAAPM, FAIM, FGLF.
Chartered Accountant, Chartered Tax Adviser, Registered Tax Agent, Former AGPAL Surveyor 10 years of service
David Dahm is CEO and founder of the national medical and healthcare chartered accounting firm Health and Life and global Founder and CEO of the not for profit project the International Healthcare Standards and Ethics Board (www.ihseb.org)
After a serious work related car accident in 1989, and nine operations later I continue to be a patient and provider advocate. I enter my third decade as a national Chartered Accountant for Medical and Healthcare practices in Australia. I am a former 10-year Australian General Practice Accreditation surveyor. I come from a medico family. I have served on the AAPM national Board and was the inaugural national Chair of the Certified Practice Manager CPM post nominal. I continue to provide accounting tax and practice management advice to many practices all over Australia.
You know who you are and I thank you for this real honour and privilege to serve you and your community through you. Note, I am not a lawyer please seek appropriate legal and accounting advice. This information is for general information and discussion only.
