Your office has lots of moving parts: computers, software, digital imaging, scanners, toothbrushes, water filtration systems, pumps, people, emergency systems and protocols, etc. The list is long and we not only have to purchase it all, but we have to maintain it and train our team on it!

Chances are you have at least one team member that doesn’t know the full line of products you offer, or how much you charge for them, or how to properly care for every last piece of equipment in the office. It will save you so much time, money and headache to get everyone on the same page:

Practice Management Software – Get regular training for your team! I’ve seen a huge amount of questions on social media that could easily be remedied by getting regular training for the team, especially when something new comes out. Get yearly training on updates, and tips and tricks in general. Even if you don’t have a live person do the training remotely, search the vast amount of online training resources.

Now don’t get me wrong – asking questions on social media is completely acceptable! But if you find you are doing it often, it might be time to compile a list of your most frequent questions, and call to make an appointment with a trainer.

This applies to all the programs you use, not just the practice management software. You should get regular training on your patient communication programs, insurance systems, etc.

Equipment – Imagine if you never had hardware or equipment issues and never had anything break! Though we know this is impossible, you can greatly reduce the amount you spend on repairs and replacement by making sure your team is trained on the equipment you have. Make sure your staff receives proper training on usage and maintenance of equipment, as it can be crucial to the ongoing success of your practice.

Training is the perfect way to hold your team accountable as well. Document when and where the training was, who was in attendance (it should be mandatory) and record it for each employee as well. You will no longer run into the problem of one person knowing how to use everything and having to scramble when they are gone or sick for the day.

Products – How much product do you have in your office collecting dust? I recently spoke with an office that had to throw away expensive products because they had expired, but what was worse is hardly anyone knew anything about it!

Refer to the above section about training. Make sure to have proper training EVERY YEAR to train on new products or perform a refresher course. If you are going to carry products your entire team should know what products you have, how they will benefit the patient, and they should know how they work.

Don’t forget to train your NEW team members when they are hired! Proper on-boarding is a process, and this should be a part of it. Have a senior co-worker show them where everything is and how it works. Make a checklist along with your standard OSHA, HIPAA documentation, etc.

Utilize current meeting time for training. For example, if you discovered a shortcut in the practice management software, take a couple minutes during the morning huddle to share with everyone. If you find that your monthly meetings are not that productive and you don’t need all the time you allot, schedule equipment training during this time.

All of the above saves you time and money, it empowers your team members, and makes them happier and more valuable! It’s a win-win!

Bridget Fay, BBA, FAADOM