Ortho Tribune U.K. Edition

09Ortho Tribune United Kingdom Edition | 1/2015 TRENDS&APPLICATIONS Youmightthinkthatinfinanciallychal- lengingtimesthelastthingyouneedis anewmemberofstaff.Forapracticeto thrive and prosper in a difficult finan- cial climate,however,it has to become more efficient, more competitive and more profitable.One way to do that is to introduce a treatment coordinator (TC)intotheteamorifyoualreadyhave one then to offer appropriate training. ThisisarelativelynewroletotheEuro- pean market,but in the US,where the role is a central part of any practice, it hasproventodramaticallyaddvalueto the patient experience,reduce in chair timeandincreasecaseacceptance. The introduction of a well-trained TC will change your entire approach tonewpatientcare,aswellasincrease profitability. While many practices know how to attract patients, their case acceptance ratio is low. The first contact, first visit and follow-up are the most important elements of the new patient process, yet they fre- quently represent a wasted opportu- nity because of a lack of skill, focus, timeorallthree. In my experience, a major down- fallofpracticesistheunwillingnessof practitioners to delegate the new pa- tient process to staff, or what we call theTCrole.Thisisoftenduetoawide range of factors, including the prac- titioner’s perception that the patient wants communication on his or her treatment to come from the practi- tioner, the perception that patients pay to see the practitioner, a lack of trusttoempowerstaffortimetotrain staff, and the financial implications ofintroducingthenewrole. Relinquishing new patient man- agement to well-trained staff is not a new trend, although its application has been limited in Europe. However, patients’ expectations, competition for private work and the team’s de- mand for career progression and job satisfaction are key drivers for intro- ducingtheTCrole. TheTC concept A TC is someone in your practice who,withtherightskillsandtraining, willfacilitatethenewpatientprocess. He or she bridges the gap between the new patient, the practice and the staff. The TC promotes and sells the practice and its services by demon- strating their true value to prospec- tive patients, frees up the practi- tioner’s time, increases case accept- anceratiosand,resultantly,increases practiceprofits. Consider the time spent by the practitionerwiththenewpatientand calculate how much of that time is non-diagnostic.ATCcanoftenreduce up to 60 per cent of practitioner– patient time. Rather than this being abarriertopatients—whichisindeed what many practitioners perceive to be the case—in my experience, pa- tients actually feel much more at ease with the TC and therefore better informed. Doctor time is not always doctortime.Asatypicalexample:ifan new patient appointment is 30 min- utes, but the clinical part is actually only 15 minutes, there is potentially 15minutesstillavailable.Thinkabout the impact an additional 15 minutes for every new patient in the appoint- mentdiarycouldhave. A good TC will manage all aspects of the patient journey, from referral to case start, and potentially increase your case starts. He or she is the first point of contact. People buy from people, so the development of a rela- tionship and establishing of rapport between the TC and the new patient are crucial to the success of your conversion from referral to start of treatment.TheTCinformallychatsto thenewpatientpriortoconsultation. This helps not only to foster rapport but also to gain a better idea of the patient’sneedsandwants. I recommend to all my TCs to be present at the consultation to listen andunderstandclinicallywhatisand isnotpossibleinordertoallowtheTC to determine how he or she will con- ductatop-notchcasepresentation. The TC carries out the case pres- entation, reiterates the treatment options available to the patient, dis- cusses these, answers any questions the patient may have, and clarifies proposed treatment. He or she also discusses the informed consent, shows before and after photographs of similar cases, and addresses any barriers or concerns the patient may have. The TC also explains the finan- cialoptionsanddeterminesthemost suitable payment method for the pa- tient’s needs, as well as prepares the walk-outpack.Thevalueofawalk-out pack should not be underestimated and should reflect the values of the practice,includingallinformationthe patientneeds,thefinanceagreement or contract, diagnostic report, photo- graphs of the patient (an excellent marketing tool), informed consent and anything else the practitioner feelsaddsvaluetotheconsultation. Too many new patients are lost due to lack of follow-up. A good TC follows up and provides monthly information on patient conversions to assist with strategic planning. All practices should have a patient journeytracker. Fillingtherole: Aninternalsolution? Therearenohardandfastrules.Itde- pendsuponthesizeandaspirationsof yourpracticeandthequalitiesofexist- ingmembersofyourteam.Ifyouhave ateammemberwhofulfilsthecharac- teristicsofaTCandheorshewantsthe challenge,thentheanswerisyes.Keep in mind that you may well need to fill thatperson’scurrentposition. Some practices streamline job de- scriptionsallowingthemtocreatethe new role without having to hire an- otherstaffmember.Whetheritisafull- timeroleornotdependsuponvarious factors, including the size of the prac- tice; the number of practitioners, chairs and patients; and the profit as- pirations. Many practices implement the role and monitor its progress and impact.Thisoftenhelpstheteamtoac- cept the change and gives the practi- tioner the opportunity to assess any training needs of the TC and to access howremunerationwillbeaffected. TheroleofyourTCshouldfitinwith yourpractice’scultureandaspirations forpatientcare.Howeveryouchooseto implement the role, the only guaran- teeisthatyouwillbenefitenormously. Augmenting your team with a well- trainedTCcanreaptremendousrewards for you, the team and your patients. A TC’s tailored and personal approach tocare,follow-upandcommunication withpatientsfosterstrustandincreases patientsatisfactionandretention. Treatment coordinator: The bridge to case acceptance By Lina Craven,UK Y education everywhere and anytime Y live and interactive webinars Y more than 500 archived courses Y a focused discussion forum Y free membership Y no travel costs Y no time away from the practice Y interaction with colleagues and experts across the globe Y a growing database of scientific articles and case reports Y ADA CERP-recognized credit administration ADA CERP is a service of the American Dental Association to assist dental professionals in identifying quality providersof continuing dental education. ADA CERP does not approve or endorse individual courses or instructors, nor does it imply acceptance of credit hours by boards of dentistry. www.DTStudyClub.com Register for FREE! “AgoodTCwillmanageallaspectsofthe patientjourney,fromreferraltocasestart...” Lina Craven is founder and Di- rector of Dyna- mic Perceptions, an orthodontic management consultancy and training ﬁrm in Stone in the UK, and has many years of practice-based experience. She canbecontactedatinfo@linacraven.com AD DTUK0415_33_OT09_Craven 18.09.15 12:35 Seite 1 DTUK0415_33_OT09_Craven 18.09.1512:35 Seite 1

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