With the Practice Plan Workshop Tour now in full swing, we wondered what insights and top tips have practices come away with so far? We asked Liz Barraclough, Practice Manager at Ilkley Dental Care in Leeds, that very question!
‘Top Hats, Toast and Moments of Truth’ hosted by Chris Barrow and Sheila Scott sounded like a fascinating day and it certainly didn’t disappoint! Straight from the start it was clear that this was going to be a day focused on how we can provide better patient care and work more collaboratively as a team within our practice.
If there were just two words to use to describe the day they would be stimulating and eye-opening. As a practice we were really excited to come away with lots of new ideas to put into place that will benefit both our patients and the team.
Most of all we had a lot of fun together! We definitely bonded more as a team. Chris and Sheila were a great double act and it was great to hear them sharing their knowledge with us all.
There were so many positive points I took away from the workshop that you could spend all day reading my list! So instead I have condensed them down to my top three:
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When it comes to decision making using the six hat thinking model is a must!
This tool will really enhance team work in your practice! It ensures that you involve the whole team in discussions and helps you evaluate the feasibility of new ideas and opportunities as a team. You can use the thinking to solve everyday problems and give everyone in the team an opportunity for their voice to be heard.
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Don’t underestimate the importance of social media
Embrace all things digital and use social media as an integral way to promote your practice! Include patient testimonials in your facebook, instagram and twitter posts and encourage your patients to act as an advocate for you. Don’t be afraid to ask for a referral from your patients or even a selfie with them! With so many people always posting pictures of themselves online they are more likely to say yes than no.
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Evaluate your routines and processes
Just because they seem to be working now they may not be working as well as you think. And even if they are they could be improved to become even better! Constantly look at ways to perfect what you do and how it can improve your patient experience.
If you’d like to hear more top tips from ‘Top Hats, Toast and Moments of Truth’ for yourself, why not join Chris Barrow and Sheila Scott at one of the Workshop Tour dates? For more information on the remaining dates and locations where you can see the duo in action, please click here. It will be worth a day out from your practice and you won’t regret it!