Behind every successful business is a dedicated, empowered, and motivated team that is equipped with the tools and training needed to be the best they can be. Twenty years in practice has taught me a thing or two about how to build a dream team and make sure every piece of the puzzle is a perfect fit. These are the top steps that I have found to be the most important aspects of turning your staff into a dream team.
1. Map out Your Patient Process
Your goal is to grow your practice and provide the best possible care and services to your patients. Working toward that goal, your practice needs to have a clear map of how to get there. Start by clearly mapping out that process, understanding where each staff member fits within that process, and then optimize each step along the way.
For example, I use the Skin Type Solutions system in my practice to make it more efficient, improve patient compliance and increase skin care sales and repurchases. The STS system matches a patient’s Baumann Skin Type® with efficacious products. (I can choose what products to retail form 40+ brands.) The STS System was designed to empower your staff to help you provide the proper skincare advice to your patients.
If you take a look at the image below, the process starts with the green star on the top left, which is step 1. In step 1, the patient takes a Digital Skin Type Questionnaire that asks medical history and questions about the skin’s condition. The computer automatically identifies the “barriers to skin health” and diagnoses the skin type. The software generates a corresponding skincare regimen and educational material. The regimen can be customized by the provider, and prescription medications can be used instead of cosmeceuticals. The STS regimens are designed to treat facial skin issues such as acne, rosacea, melasma, dryness, oiliness, or aging.
2. Optimize Each Step
Now that we know the steps of diagnosing the skin type and generating a corresponding skincare regimen, we can begin to optimize each one. For example, the receptionist needs to be trained to give every patient’s the tablet or mobile app based diagnostic questionnaire. It is taken in the waiting room before the patient sees an MA or the doctor. Once the quiz is finished, the MA’s consult will be much faster because they have so much information at their fingertips. They can review the results with the patient and explain the characteristics of his or her skin type. The questionnaire also collects information about procedures that the patient may be interested in discussing. For example, bringing up the topic of Kybella can be difficult. You can’t look at a patient and say, “I see you have excess neck fat – would you like to hear about Kybella?” Rather, the questionnaire identifies patients who are interested in discussing Kybella in a more discreet and comfortable manner.
In step 5, the physician approves the quiz results, corresponding regimen, and treatment plan. This requires minimal effort because the regimens are automatic. This allows the provider to focus on more important issues. The staff, who has been trained by the Skin Type Solutions company, discusses and stresses the importance of the correct customized skincare and treatment options with the patient. Educational material for the patient automatically appears, which can be emailed or printed for the patient by your staff. If the patient would like to purchase the recommended products in your office, the cashier knows exactly which products to sell to the patient. The convenience of retailing the products in your office helps improve compliance by removing the barrier of having to go and find and purchase them. The patients can easily refill through the mobile app, physician office, or online.
3. Set Goals for Each Step
To measure success and work out any kinks in the process, it is important to set clear goals for every step, as well as clearly communicate those goals to your staff. I set a goal for my receptionist to administer the Digital Skin type Questionnaire to every patient. My MA’s goal is to generate a skincare regimen and take a Canfield photo of every patient at every visit. Your cashier’s goals can be how many patients purchased products at the end of their visit, and how many scheduled a follow up visit. You can reward your staff based on their achievement of these goals. This helps you to identify staff members who are not following the process, as well as engage and motivate your team. Most people love goals, and studies show that we are most productive when we have a set goal in mind.
4. Educate Staff
Not only do staff members need to understand what their goals are, but they also need to be given the right tools in order to achieve them. A large portion of building your dream team involves staff education.
The Skin Type Solutions methodology ensures that all employees receive consistent ongoing training and are able to accurately answer patient questions and provide skincare and procedure advice. With the STS system, staff members who have no cosmeceutical science background can provide the same efficacious skincare advice that you can. Aestheticians love the system because it helps them differentiate themselves from aestheticians in the non-medical setting. (The STS system is only available through medical practices).
5. Compensate and Motivate
Fairly compensating and motivating your staff are the final pieces to the puzzle. Turn goals into games to help encourage staff members to meet and exceed their goals. Incentives like extra PTO days, bonuses, and prizes can motivate your staff even more, and don’t forget to thank your team and let them know when they are doing a great job!
In Summary
Investing in your team is one of the best ways to grow your practice. Turning your staff into a dream team takes time and effort but Skin type Solutions makes this process much easier. The payoffs of running like a smooth, well-oiled machine and better serving your patients are well worth it.
My goal is to help other physicians grow their practices and share their knowledge and experiences. If you have other tips for motivating and encouraging your team,look for me on LinkedIN. If you want to join the 100+ doctors using the STS System- find out how the Skin Type Solutions Franchise system works, fill out our secure online contact form, or give us a call at 305-714-5322.
©2018 MetaBeauty, Inc.
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