Delegating Dental Administrative Tasks Well
Delegating dental administrative tasks is a necessary step in dental practice management. So, how do we decide how and when to delegate? And exactly what to delegate?
First and foremost, consider current roles and responsibilities. Who on the team is ready for more responsibility?
Talk With Each Team Member Frequently
A good time to discuss this possibility with team members might be during a performance evaluation. Or even set an informal time to meet with individual team members to hear how they feel about their current responsibilities?
Where might they need more support? And what new tasks might they wish to learn?
Invest in Your Team
Listen to what each team member has to say about their assigned roles and responsibilities. After all, they are the ones doing the job. What do they love about what they do? What is less than pleasant for them? Where would they like additional guidance or support?
Before assigning new tasks and responsibilities, be sure everything else is being done the way you need it done. Otherwise, you may find you have more to clean up than expected. And more frustration within the team.
Delegating Dental Administrative Tasks through Documentation
Once the decision is made to delegate specific tasks, document this. Add the new responsibilities and roles to your operations manual. And create a new job description for the team members who are assigned new roles.
Then, provide the necessary steps on how to do the tasks assigned. Written documentation and steps are best. Because you need team members to be able to access the “how to” when you are not available.
Lead by Example
Demonstrate how to complete new tasks and responsibilities. Role play if necessary. But show by example exactly how to get the job done.
If the new responsibility is to call on unpaid patient balances, make a call with your team member beside you. Walk through the entire process. Document the patient account. Whatever you want your team member to do, demonstrate clearly.
Delegating Dental Administrative Tasks
Requires Follow Up
Instruct your team member to make a list of questions as they come up and set a time to meet with them next. Perhaps a weekly or daily time to answer questions and provide support.
As the team member grows more confident in their new role, there will be fewer questions. And less of your time will be needed on this particular task. So if it seems like this task is still taking much of your time, rest assured it will lighten soon.
As existing team members learn new roles and responsibilities, bring on new team members. The idea isn’t to overwhelm those who have been with us for some time. But to offer them the opportunity to grow and expand with us.
Perhaps a part-time hire just a few hours a day is a consideration. A college or high school student to help in the afternoons. With some of the simpler tasks that our existing team members can train and support.
