You are a CEO – Create a quality-minded practice
Whether your annual cash receipts exceed the million-dollar mark
or you are at a more modest level, the fact remains the same -
you are running a business. You are the leader and it is your
responsibility to set quality standards.
The pro-Socratic philosopher Heraclitus said that one can never
step in the same river twice. He meant that the world is a place
of constant change; so, too, is your dental practice. By having
an established set of quality standards that act as an anchor,
your business can move ahead when the waters are smooth and ride
it out during the storms that periodically blow through every
practice.
There are eight essentials that really ought to be in place for
a practice to qualify as truly quality-minded:
·A deep understanding of the patients so that their wants can be
translated into service. ·A plan to keep improving all
operations continuously. ·A system for measuring these
improvements accurately. ·A strategic plan based on benchmarks
that compare the practice’s performance to the world’s best. ·A
close partnership with patients and associates that feeds
improvement back into the practice operation. ·A long-lasting
relationship with patients, going beyond the delivery of service
to include sales, service and communication. ·A focus on
preventing mistakes rather than merely correcting them. ·A
commitment to improving quality that runs from the top of the
practice to the bottom.
These essentials are fundamental standards that are necessary
for your practice to move from the here of current quality to
the there of its true competitive potential. Commit to complete
patient satisfaction and constant improvement, and develop the
discipline to build these beliefs into everything you do.
About the author:
Laura Peters is the administrator of Two Suns Marketing &
Design. This firm serves dental professionals exclusively. Laura
Peters has been in the public relations and marketing field for
over thirteen years.
|
|
