Too
Much Time On My Hands
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T-T-T-T-T-Ticking away
Too much time on my hands
and there's so much more to do...
Time is a vast subject that can be valued, wasted, lost track of, scheduled, abused, to name a few. We each have our own concept of time which we define individually. How we spend our time unveils what is important to us. Our perception of time can change over time. Please allow me a few minutes of your valuable time as I broach this subject from the eyes of a Mobile Optician.
Throw a talented group of ECPs together in a practice with time commitments and deadlines and there's never a dull moment. Aligning each individual's perception of time with the practice's Big Ben requires group effort. Working a clock punching position at the same location everyday works well for some ECPs. It can take ongoing training for the punctually challenged ECP with endless excuses. Everyone needs to be in the same time zone as your timely practice. Set your watch, cell phone, automobile clock (whatever device you use to keep accurate time) to match the practice's time.
Call ahead if you know you are going to be late. We sometimes waste more time explaining why it took us so long to get there once we get there. If it is not life threatening or life changing, don't make a grand adrenaline rush entrance and disturb everyone else. It takes just as much effort, if not more, to be late for work. Save that adrenaline rush and your reputation, you are going to need them.
Anyone in charge of scheduling for the practice might agree that it can be compared to a time bomb. Each practice has probably experienced an ECP with explosive type behavior (not using their inside voice) over a scheduling issue. This can cause disastrous consequences for the entire staff as well as the patients. Your scheduling squad has to work ever so carefully not to ignite a combustion.
They are aware that we all function at different levels of effectiveness during different times of the day. Our energy levels fluctuate depending on blood sugar, routine distractions, stress, hydration and squad team morale. False alarms such as no-show patients and last minute schedule changes continue to be a real nuisance. Warnings of vacating the premises, private appointments, travel destinations and seeking new grounds are frequently voiced. If ECPs fear their chances of survival, they will find another bomb shelter. Hats off to the scheduling squad! You are the bomb!
Staying on task after arrival to the office is often hard to do with a busy daily agenda. Time is money when we're on someone else's dime. Just when you thought the patient flow and your paperless work were smooth sailing, a snag comes along. Take a wild guess as to what snag I am referring to? If you guessed third party insurance, I'm sorry, you're incorrect. The snag I am referring to is cell phone/text messaging. Every practice should have realistic cell phone boundaries. If your practice forbids you from bringing your cell phone inside the building, this does not apply to you, so skip to the next paragraph. Unless you are being sneaky by keeping your forbidden cell phone tucked in your sock and taking frequent restroom breaks. Don't worry, time will tell, if your cell phone boundary abiding co-worker doesn't.
Save your Bluetooth for hands free activities outside of the practice. Please make sure to silence your ringtones while you are at work. Timing is everything. Have you ever noticed how they ring and sing on high volume at the worst possible times? It's the fastest I've ever seen some ECPs move trying to get to it. Marvin Gaye and barking dogs were the two latest ringtones (oops) I have heard in practices. Trust me, they were not entertaining at the time. ECPs play an important role in the patient's overall visual health which requires undivided time and attention. Sometimes it is hard as heck to stay in the moment with a long winded patient when we are pressed for time. We also have a hard time understanding how other staff members can spend so much time with patients that we would deem to be a waste of time. Try to relax and stay in the moment.
I have to think back on a patient I worked with in 1993. She came to pick up her new eyewear and was tearful as she thanked us. Her plans were to commit suicide the same day she was in our office because she had recently been diagnosed with AIDS. She said that the patient care we provided her that day is what saved her life. That was 17 years ago and it's still a huge reminder to me that our patients should be priceless to us. We can get so caught up in the numbers game and the patient dollar signs mentality. If we can just remember that staying in the moment has its rewards to.
Let's face(book) it, computers with internet access in our practices are here to stay. There are websites that we are required to use for certain ordering, insurance verification, filing claims...etc. And then there's...Facebook. Before you lock down and tighten the computer reins on your staff, think about the business. Sit down with the staff and discuss the pros and cons of using Facebook for business purposes.
Facebook For Business Purposes.
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What are the advertising needs of our practice?
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Do we need to recruit additional staff members?
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How much time will be spent on Facebook daily, weekly?
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Do we want to introduce new products?
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Do we want to have promotions?
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Who's going to manage the Facebook page?
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Ability to connect with others in the industry
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Event invitations
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Target specific audiences
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Posting links, blogs, photos, videos
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Questions & Answers section
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Develop a plan to avoid meandering
Lastly I want to share a few common ECP habits that ruffle CEO feathers. If you are not being paid to perform these activities on company time, then stop doing them. Just because you think you should be entitled to do so, unless you own the place, don't go there.
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Checking personal email, Facebook
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Cell phone/texting
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Taking longer breaks than allowed
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Paying your personal bills online
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Shopping online
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Watching YouTube videos
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Excess printing of information for personal use
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Lengthy staying visitors
To the CEO's with ruffled feathers, maybe you can take these habits and use them in your practice in a positive way. How about using them when ECPs go above and beyond their call of duty? Write some habit coupons and hand them out as rewards for a job well done. Let them text, take a long lunch, show up late, talk on the phone... on your business terms. Unleash the creativity so they won't have too much time on their hands.
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