5 Spring Improvements to Keep Your Clinic Up to Date
Spring cleaning is something that is typically thought of in household terms. However, when you work in a medical office, spring cleaning is equally as important. You might not be scrubbing baseboards and cleaning out the closets, but there are plenty of things that need to be taken care of. You can think of it as a yearly cleanse of the office, and it is a good idea to get all the employees on board. Consider these ways to implement updates to your medical office this spring.
1. Landscape
The exterior of your clinic is the first thing that patients see. You want to make a favorable first impression, so make sure that your landscaping is attractive. Most companies hire a landscaper to do the initial setup, which might include planting hedges, installing lights with a solar battery and adding colorful flowers. Once or twice a year, the landscapers can come to touch up the work they have done. Springtime is a great time of year to get this done; after all, the flowers are beginning to bloom. Your exterior should look its best this time of year.
2. Purge Patient Files
If your office deals with paper charts, you know how easily things can get out of hand. It is easy to lose track of how many patents you actually have in the practice. Patient files should be purged at least once a year to keep records updated. This is usually a team effort. You should ask for input from other employees, as you never know when someone might have a new idea on how to organize and manage files. This can be a great time of year to rethink your organizational systems.
3. Update the Reception Area
Ideally, patients will not have to wait a long time in your clinic before their appointment. However, your reception area should still be friendly and inviting. Consider putting more comfortable chairs in the waiting area. Have a mini refrigerator with bottles of water available for patients, or add a coffee station. Little comforts like these can go a long way in updating your facility. Patients want to be served in a facility that is modern and comfortable. While your clinical surfaces should be sterile, your waiting room should be clean but still appealing.
4. Do a Deep Cleaning
Just as you do a deep cleaning around your home in the springtime, it is a good idea to do so at your clinic. You may want to hire a professional cleaning service to help you do this. Bathrooms, clinic surfaces, reception areas and break rooms should all be thoroughly disinfected. You may also want to take time to organize drawers and cabinets. These kinds of projects do not always happen in a day, and you must have enough help to get the job done.
5. Address New Office Policies
While New Year’s always feels like a fresh start, it is important to keep that momentum going throughout the year. Springtime can feel like a new beginning in itself, and this is often the right time to address new office policies. Have a meeting about how you want the new quarter to progress. Accept ideas from your employees about systems and programs that can be improved. Take time to brainstorm how you all can better serve your patients. Be receptive to comments, and make sure that you are providing encouragement along the way.
As a new season approaches, it is important to examine how your medical clinic can improve. You are there as a service to your patients, so you must learn what improvements can help you do your job more efficiently. It takes a concerted effort between all members of your team to make undertakings like this possible. Encourage your team to be eager and willing to learn at any time. In this way, you can operate a clinic that helps serve the needs of everyone that walks through your doors.
