PSILENT PRODUCTIONS
Dr. Greg Psaltis
5925 Sleepy Hollow Lane N.E.
Olympia, WA 98516
Phone and FAX: (360) 413-5760
Website: www.psaltis.info
E-mail: drpsaltis@orcalink.com
Live Your Dreams
(Cures for common practice headaches)
I. Introduction
A. What are your dreams?
B. What qualifies this speaker?
1. I am in private
practice-- I do what you do
2.
Each concept discussed is something I actually do
3.
My partnership has created a dream schedule for me
4.
A five month sabbatical in Salzburg, Austria was the culmination of my
biggest dream
5. I have identified and can
provide solution for the four areas that I feel
keep our work from being enjoyable, based on my own experience as a
practicing pediatric dentist
We will discuss:
1. Parents (or: Allies, not the Enemy)
2. Demands, conflicts and special requests of employees (or: How to
stop being the Sheriff, the Judge and the Jury)
3. Having to handle "everything" at the office (or: Tapping into the
most vital resource you have)
4. Money matters (or: Do you go to work to serve your debt or to
serve your patients?)
We will then discuss realizing some Dreams
II. Parents (or: Allies, not the Enemy)
A. Prepare them and set guidelines-- teach them positive
behavior
1. Prepare them for their
children's visits
a. Explain
your philosophy and style of empowering their children
b. Outline
the procedures that are to be done
2. Be clear about upcoming
appointment for the child
a. Be optimistic,
but realistic
b. Acknowledge
potential areas of difficulty
c. Discuss
strategies
d. Make
agreements regarding their role
3. Set clear guidelines around operative
appointments
a. Be a
silent observer only
b. Do not
over prepare the child
c. Support
our terminology
d. Leave
operatory when asked (must be agreed upon in advance)
B. Parents in operatory
1. Advantages
a. Never
really know exactly what they want-- I am not a psychic
b. They
will be astonished and appreciative of what you do
c. No more
guessing about "how hard to push" ("stop" buttons)
2. "Difficult" parents
a. Prepare
them in advance
b. Tell them directly if they are not helping
c. Make
clear boundaries about leaving the room if child is acting out
d. Be OK
with asking them to leave your practice
3. Feedback from parents
a. Listen
to understand what the issue actually is
b. Act
on only things that you can change
c. Don't
expect an immediate response or change from parent
C. Model appropriate behavior at all times-- "do as
I do"
III. Staff demands, conflict and special requests (or: stop being
the Sheriff, the Judge and the Jury)
A. Three scenerios
1. Kathy wants to come in
15 minutes late each day
2. Jane thinks Holly isn’t
doing her job
3. Trish wants to miss the
office retreat because of daycare problems
B. Conditions of Employment (Conditions
of Employment may be purchased from Dr. Psaltis by writing him)
1. Regular work schedule
a. Definition
of workday and workweek
b. Required
programs, such as meetings
c. Check with
attorney for legalities
2. Personal appearance
a. This may
include requirement for uniforms
b. Hair length,
nail polish, etc.
3. Probationary period
4. Regular period of
employment
a. Define at
what point and how this becomes the case
b. What benefits only begin with this employment status
5. Wages
a. Hourly
or salary
b. Define
bonuses
i. Payment dates
ii. How one qualifies
6. Holidays- list which
ones your office observes
7. Vacation benefit
a. Can
it be accrued or not
b. How
much time in service earns vacation time
8. Medical insurance
benefit (if applicable)
9. Definitions of full-time,
part-time and temporary employees
10. Leaves of absence
a. Very important
to spell out how long you hold positions open
b. Consult with
an attorney regarding legal obligations
11. Continuing education benefit
a. Define which
expenses the practice covers
i. Tuition
ii. Housing
iii. Food (specify amounts)
b. Required
course versus employee-selected courses
12. Retirement plan (if applicable)
13. Infection control training
14. Termination of Employment
a. Define
what constitutes "automatic" termination
b. Include
an "all-inclusive" statement
C. Commitment to positive behavior
1. Guidelines for positive
behavior
2. Specific steps for resolving
conflict
a. Confront other
person directly
b. If unresolved,
ask for a mediator
c. If still unresolved,
bring to Team
d. Finally, doctor
becomes involved
D. Let's return to the three scenerios
IV. Having to handle "everything" at the office
(or: Tapping
into the most vital resource you have)
A. Team building
1. Is this merely a popular
buzz-word?
2. Long-term commitment
B. Mechanics
1. Meetings
a. Daily huddles--
morning and noon
b. Monthly half
days meetings
i. Scheduling
ii. Preparing parents
iii. Office philosophy and values
c. Annual two-day
retreats
i. Away from practice's locale
ii. Builds Team morale
iii. Discuss future focus
iv. Long-term planning
2. Use of facilitator
a. Takes doctor
out of role
b. Can see everything
more objectively
3. Benefits
a. Ownership
of actions
i. Hiring committee
ii. Scheduling committee
iii. Office standards committee
b. Freedom for
doctor of all responsibilities
i. Provides continuity in doctor's absence
ii. Allows doctor to concentrate on the most critical things
iii. Takes doctor out of janitor, personnel manager and other roles
c. In my practice
i. It has enabled our partnership time-sharing to function
ii. It allowed my sabbatical to happen without a glitch
iii. Substitute doctors can come in and step right into a role
C. Power
1. The traditional pyramid of power
2. The flattened power structure
a. This doesn't
mean the doctor has no power
b. This does
mean the Team has a say
c. With "say,"
comes responsibility
d. With responsibility
comes innovation
V. Money (or: are you at work to be in service to your patients
or to your debt?)
A. The role of debt in our lives
1. Undue pressure to produce
2. Stretches career beyond reasonable
time frame
3. Creates fear when "the times"
slow down
B. Catching up to the power curve
1. Spending is addictive
2. Are you just trying to keep up
with the Joneses?
C. How do you feel about retirement and college funds
for your children?
1. How time works for you
2. How time works against you
VI. Realizing Dreams
A. Recognizing what you want
1. Must make your own personal list
2. Make list with your spouse/family
B. Determine what are the resistors to achieving your
dreams
1. Is it time?
2. Is it money?
C. Act on whatever is needed to get to your goals
D. Solicit the help of others around you
1. Your Team can be incredibly helpful
2. This is not a show of weakness
For a more expansive look at some of the details of these topics, please
check my website at www.psaltis.info for "Published articles." On the website
are the entire texts of several Dental Economics articles that deal in greater
detail with many of these subjects, including:
"Are You Healthy Enough to Provide Health Care?"
Dental Economics, Volume 88, No. 5, May,
1998
This article deals with four areas that may affect a
dentist's ability to enjoy work.
"Rules of the Game"
Dental Economics, Volume 90, No. 8, August, 2000,
pages 110-117
The importance of a Conditions of Employment document
in a dental practice is detailed.
"The Big Picture"
Dental Economics, Volume
91, No. 3, March, 2001, pages 80-84
A clear vision is a critical element to guide a practice's
successful path.
"Are You Treating the Tooth or the Patient?"
Dental Economics,
Volume 91, No. 9, September, 2001, pages 44-48
This article deals with how listening to one's patients
can enhance a practice.
"Big Benefits Package"
Dental Economics, Volume 91, No.
19, October, 2001, pages 50-53
In this article, the importance of an attractive employee
benefit plan is outlined.
"Mission Statement-- the Core of a Practice"
Dental Economics, Web exclusive, December
27, 2001
The step by step procedure for developing this critical
document is explained.
"Building Your Dream Team"
Dental Economics, Volume 92, No. 5, March, 2002,
pages 112-117
Vital aspects of building a genuine dental Team are
detailed.
"The Best Insurance Money Can't Buy"
Dental Economics, Volume 93, No. 11, November,
2003, pages 98-104
The concept of a Mutual Aid program for protecting injured
dentists is explained.
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