From improving morale to boosting productivity, the potential benefits that come from creating and maintaining a more efficient medical office are not to be taken lightly. Identifying and addressing any of the issues that may be impeding staff and employees from doing the best job possible can be well worth the time and effort involved. Making the following simple changes could have a greater impact than you might expect.
1 Conduct an Efficiency Audit
Lacking a full understanding of existing workflow and operational procedures can become a real obstacle. Assessing the current state of the office and conducting a top-down efficiency audit outlining all aspects of workflow and daily operations is always a good way to begin. The superior insight and understanding than an efficiency audit is able to provide can help to ensure that your efforts to improve the overall function and effectiveness of the office will be able to benefit from greater focus and superior direction. Trying to make improvements without a complete understanding of how things currently stand is a potential complication that you would do well to avoid.
2 Improve the Physical Layout
The ways in which the physical layout of the office environment impacts workflow and efficiency is something that often goes overlooked. A well thought-out floor plan and an ergonomic workspace and environment can eliminate many distractions that could be contributing to inefficient workflow. Adopting an open layout or floor plan can be of benefit to communication while also improving the overall atmosphere of the office. Consulting with your staff to see if they have any suggestions on how to best improve the physical layout of the office can also be very helpful.
3 Improving Communications
In terms of efficiency, communication is a key limiting factor. Poor communication within the office can quickly become a drag on performance, productivity and efficiency. Implementing new communications policies, providing skills training for employees or utilizing the many different software applications that can make it easier for your admin staff to share information and to stay organized could all end up making quite a difference.
4 Streamline Workflow
While it is possible to design paperwork processes and administrative functions from the top down, workflow will typically begin to change and evolve over time. Failing to examine the steps involved in various tasks and procedures or to fine-tune the process from time to time is an oversight that could end up costing medical offices more than they might realize. Taking steps to streamline workflow helps to ensure that your employees are able to get the job done more quickly and efficiently.
5 Improve the Atmosphere
The social atmosphere of the office is also an important consideration. Poor morale, toxic social dynamics or a workplace culture that fails to value excellency and efficiency are all issues that you would do well to address. While the mood and social environment of the office may seem like peripheral details, making an effort to cultivate a more focused and professional atmosphere can be very worthwhile.
An inefficient office or ineffective administrative staff can be the source of many problems. From lengthy delays on critical projects to issues that may directly impact the quality of patient care, an inefficient staff is a liability that you cannot afford to ignore. A few simple steps to improve the situation can often make quite an impact.
