|
|
|
ODN & AA Journal - October-December 2001
by Timothy A. Brown, A.L.A.
Disability strikes dentists more than most other professions. The primary reason is related to the stress on the arms, neck and back, due to the ergonomics of chair side work. Most offices have little or no planning in place in the event of sudden disability or death, and this article may help you, as a member of the staff, to preserve a dental practice if a crisis arises. I have met and spoken with many assistants and receptionists who more or less saved a practice from closing because they followed proper instructions. Most dentists never think to prepare for an emergency and they rarely leave written instructions for the staff.
There are some important procedures to follow in a crisis situation. If implemented quickly, this plan can preserve the ongoing viability of a dental practice and may ensure that your position of employment is secure.
In the event that you are called upon to act in a crisis, your value to the practice, the owner and his or her family may be more than you realize. This is my suggested dental office emergency plan. You may want to copy this article and insert it in your Office Procedures Manual. As well, you may consider giving a copy to the owner of the practice.
The ROI Corporation Dental Office Emergency Plan © 2001
1. Don't panic. The first priority is to secure the practice. Begin with the search for an interim dentist to attend to the patients and keep the practice running. This provides for ongoing income to pay wages, rents and the cost of hiring a temporary dentist. The search for a Locum dentist today is much easier than ever. There are several Locum dentists advertising in the classified section of dental association journals (such as Ontario Dentist Magazine), and there is a company called Forest Irons & Associates Canada (www.forestirons.com 1.800.433.2603) a professional Locum Tenens placement service. They have many capable dentists on call throughout Canada who may be able to attend a dental practice on very short notice. This is the first and most important step, namely to secure a temporary dentist and keep the practice open.
2. DO NOT let local dentists into the office to treat the patients. While they mean well and wish to offer their help, they inadvertently allow the patient to make contact with them and the patient may then wish to become a patient at the nearby dentist's office. This could result in hundreds of patients leaving the practice while the owner is recovering or while a new owner is being identified. DO NOT hire a young and inexperienced dentist claiming they may purchase the practice if they are allowed to work there for a while. This often leads to the problem mentioned previously.
3. Once you are certain that a temporary dentist has been found, you should contact the patients who have appointments booked for the upcoming week. Depending on the availability of the Locum, and how far he or she must travel to get to the practice, patients with appointments within the first week need to be notified that they will be seeing another dentist.
4. A phone call saying the following is all that is necessary: "We are sad to inform you that Dr. _____ has had an accident and he/she will be away from the office for a little while." If the owner has passed away, say this: "We are very sad to inform you that Dr. _____ has passed away." Follow either one of these opening statements with: "We wish to assure you that the office is open for regular appointments and we have made arrangements for a fine dentist (Locum name) to attend to your ongoing dental care. As in the past, our regular staff (names optional) will continue to be here to assist Dr. (Locum name) with your dental care." This phone call should be made the very first day to prevent rumors. Patients with appointments within the next week are high priority, as others will be notified once more information is known. In some instances, the practice must be put up for sale and a buyer can be identified within weeks in many situations.
5. If the owner has arranged for a standing order, the regular hygiene appointments can be performed as scheduled. The patients should be notified of the circumstances in advance so they know that their dentist will not be there.
6. The answering machine message should not be changed at this time, as there is likely some uncertainty about the eventual return of the disabled dentist. In the case of a sudden death, do not change the message until more facts are known about the dentist who may be purchasing the practice.
7. It is not necessary to place a notice in the paper or to write a letter to every patient. The new owner (if applicable) will do that when he/she takes over. The telephone call is usually enough at least until more facts are known.
8. Maintain the regular office hours as best you can and keep a positive attitude when speaking with patients. Assure them that the practice will continue to be here to see them even though their regular dentist is not. You are trying to show that the practice is partly why the patients come there, not just the dentist.
9. Try not to use terminology such as "Dr. ______ is no longer here..." This infers a loss and patients will focus on these words only. Say things like "Dr. ______ will return soon and Dr. ______ (Locum name) is a wonderful person." Show that you are confident in the temporary dentist's ability and be clear and concise. Long, rambling explanations may worry patients. They may sense a lack of organization and seek another dental office.
10. The spouse, lawyer or accountant may be called upon to manage the practice. They often arrange for an appraisal to be performed immediately and the practice may also be put on the market for sale. I highly suggest that a copy of this article is given to each of them, to be sure all parties are following the same plan.
If the owner of the practice suffers a tragedy, you now have the information required to keep the practice open. This plan may help you to preserve your employment, and that of other staff, in the process.
return to top
|
