Setting up your clinic to strive in a post-covid era

Making a list and checking it twice

Whether your clinic is already reopened or if you are still planning for it, we put together a checklist to help you and your staff strive under these new conditions.

Patient bookings:

• Determine when you will recall patients and who you will prioritize
  • Pending treatment plans: these could be prioritized first in order to help build a financial cushion.
  • New clients: don't miss the opportunity to make a good first impression
  • Existing clients: prioritize them based on recall dates
• Redefine your booking strategy taking into account new scheduling considerations
  • Time required between bookings
  • Sterilisation protocols
  • Space between patients
  • Opportunities for virtual meetings with patients (are you set up with Zoom?)
• Determine the logistics behind patient booking, screening, arrival and exit.
  • Email to patients confirming no current symptoms and instructions for them to wait curbside before entering the clinic
  • Inform them of any protocols when entering and leaving

Communications : 

• Manage everyone’s expectations
  • Team: any changes to scheduling, new responsibilities and your revised clinic goals
  • Patients: any anticipated changes to patient experience
• Educate and reassure your staff and your patients 
• Prepare communications and signage required in your clinic
  • Develop checklists if required to simplify the process, not only for you but for your team
  • Signage to encourage use of hand sanitizer
• Email templates for clients

Safety Measures :

• Implement and communicate new infection control procedures to staff and patients. 
• Identify and purchase any new required safety material for your clinic 
• Reconfigure your waiting room and common areas. 
• Review the inventory management process to ensure essential items never go missing. 
• Pre-screen patients (employee & staff procedures)

Human Resources : 

• Determine phases of staff return and which workers to recall first. 
• Provide staff training. 
• Consider new legal implications and review certain employment obligations.

Financial Management : 

• Determine how you will accept patient payments 
• Identify new fees and codes for reimbursement tied to additional COVID costs 
• Review and adjust practice expenses 
• Determine how much cashflow you should now have on hand (consider the impacts of a potential second wave)

Contributing Writer

Medical Blossom empowers dental professionals to thrive in all areas of practice management by offering them clarity, vision and guidance to execute consistently on the right strategies.

Veronique’s approach is based on more than 10 years of national and international consulting experience working directly with medical professionals and dentists, helping them develop profitable practices.