Wood said that when staff come to her about issues, she will add them to the agenda she prepares for each meeting. “I add new ideas to the agenda about things we don’t want to forget,” she said.
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September 2016Tip 6: Listen to Your Staff
Sometimes, physicians need to meet to discuss topics the whole staff doesn’t need to hear, such as remodeling an office, dividing up profits, or planning a potential relocation, said Stryker. But when physicians want to discuss things more broadly, such as soliciting feedback on staff priorities for a potential remodel, or what the patient experience at that office is, the full staff should be included.
“If you care what your patients think, your staff is a critical resource,” because they interact with patients far more than the physicians do, said Stryker. She worked with one practice where “the doctors thought people were ape over the reception area’s saltwater fish tank; the receptionist told them that patients couldn’t care less,” said Stryker. “They just wish you ran on time.”
The bottom line: Office staff likely hear more candid feedback from patients than the physicians hear, and their input is valid for physicians who want to understand the patient experience..
Cheryl Alkon is a freelance medical writer based in Massachusetts.
Ask for Advice, Not Just Complaints
In Dr. Vaughan’s micro meetings, he will ask one attendee, usually the most junior person there, about what he or she thinks about a specific issue. This is a way to “empower” the non-speakers to talk, and to encourage everyone to “talk from the heart,” he said. “This avoids strategizing and gossiping beforehand, because people don’t know these micro meetings are coming.”
In larger staff meetings, encourage your staff to come up with new ways to handle problems, and not to just air grievances about the problems themselves. “Expect staff people to offer ideas for solutions, rather than just come up with what is wrong,” said Stryker. “Asking them for ideas doesn’t mean you are promising to do what they suggest, but it gives them a voice, and you’ll be amazed what they come up with.”—CA