Posted 08-02-11

The Essential Office Manager
by Teresa Duncan, President of Odyssey Management

Office managers today are not merely phone answerers, paper pushers, or well-placed obstacles for salespeople. Dentists today are requiring their administrative team to have more than just people skills. An understanding of the business of dentistry can make a difference between a functional practice and a successful one.

No longer are the practice’s profit and loss statements the sole domain of accountants. Managers are being trained to review these statements for outliers and opportunities for cost-savings. Human resources decisions used to be the dreaded responsibility of an overwhelmed doctor. Now managers are stepping up their people skills by incorporating behavioral-based interviewing to select the best candidates for their offices. Also relieved from the doctor’s side are the tasks of benefit management, accounts payable, and payroll management.

But the best practices aren’t completely run by the manager alone. It’s when the doctor and the manager are in constant touch with each other that an ordinary office turns into an efficient one. Inherent in every good system there must be checks and balances. This is why patient reviews are so vital. It’s also why regular team meetings are so valuable. Without feedback and guidance from customers you can’t be sure you are doing the best possible job.

I encourage doctors and managers to have regular meetings about these core duties: monitoring of practice performance, human resources, and ensuring team harmony. It is possible that the needs of the practice in these three areas can change. External factors such as the economy may have a huge impact on the practice’s performance and so establishing necessary production and collection amounts may need to be done more frequently. Some practices that only tracked their numbers on a monthly basis for a yearly wrap-up are meeting mid-year to make sure they are on track. Goals may need to be adjusted and service mix re-evaluated. Internal factors such as staff changes usually need instant course correction and without a doubt can cause many headaches. When the team changes it is so important for the doctor and manager to meet to make sure that the goals for the new hire are clear. The doctor may want an assistant with more surgical assisting skills or may be more open to the idea of a less experienced assistant. The manager will not know this unless it’s been made clear.

Managers are taking pride in their increased knowledge and pursuing designations such as Fellowship in the American Association of Dental Office Managers. Study club meetings are popping up all over the country that are geared toward the very specific needs of the dental manager. If your administrative leader can do –or already does – a fantastic job of leading your team, then make it easy for him or her by providing extra education and support. Superstar managers are often nurtured and encouraged by doctors who recognize that they need a partner in success. Are you offering your manager the best guidance possible?

Teresa Duncan is President of Odyssey Management, Inc. She is an international speaker that focuses on recapturing and maximizing revenue opportunities for dental offices. Practice management, insurance and accounts receivable systems are her specialty. She can be reached at Teresa@OdysseyMgmt.com.