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We just returned from our final Prime Practice Workshop held in Sydney over the last two days.
The final workshop covered the integration of associate dentists into the practice to serve the patients better. We also learned about the different Practice Transition models and how they operate.
Although we finished the Prime Practice management programme, we have now progressed to the Team Masters programme, which will enhance our dental team performance and enable us to improve on our patient services.
We look forward to our continued journey of learning with Prime Practice.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
No-shows a problem for dental clinics
Today, The Straits Times highlighted the blight of dental clinics in Singapore - Patients who fail their dental appointments.
Over the past year, the National Heathcare Group (NHG) reported that 40% of their patients failed to keep their appointments while SingHealth said that 30% of their patients failed to turn up for their appointments. This compares with about 28% of Americans who suffer "appointment amnesia" as reported by practice management consultant Sally McKenzie.
These patients who fail their dental appointments deprive other patients of an earlier appointments, resulting in the waiting time for an appointment at a polyclinic to be between three months and half a year.
"When patients fail to keep their appointments or give us advance notice to cancel or reschedule, we are unable to release those slots to other patients who need them," said an NHG spokesman.
This happens despite NHG sending reminder letters out a week before the dental appointment, a Phone message sent four days before the appointment and a SMS message sent three days in advance to remind the patients.
The Straits Times spoke to 12 NHG patients yesterday. A 60-year-old housewife who did not want to be named said, "Yes, they will remind us by SMS, but it's hard to track. It's too easy to forget..."
Since last month, NHG has implemented a $8 deposit for for those who require follow-up appointments to address this problem. Patients who fail will forfeit their deposit. However, if the appointment is cancelled or rescheduled within at least three working days, the patient will not lose their deposit.
The $8 deposit fee is also waived for those on public assistance or Medifund schemes, the spokesman added.
It is still early days whether these measures will yield a "positive improvement", but it appears to be a step in the right direction.
Over the past year, the National Heathcare Group (NHG) reported that 40% of their patients failed to keep their appointments while SingHealth said that 30% of their patients failed to turn up for their appointments. This compares with about 28% of Americans who suffer "appointment amnesia" as reported by practice management consultant Sally McKenzie.
These patients who fail their dental appointments deprive other patients of an earlier appointments, resulting in the waiting time for an appointment at a polyclinic to be between three months and half a year.
"When patients fail to keep their appointments or give us advance notice to cancel or reschedule, we are unable to release those slots to other patients who need them," said an NHG spokesman.
This happens despite NHG sending reminder letters out a week before the dental appointment, a Phone message sent four days before the appointment and a SMS message sent three days in advance to remind the patients.
The Straits Times spoke to 12 NHG patients yesterday. A 60-year-old housewife who did not want to be named said, "Yes, they will remind us by SMS, but it's hard to track. It's too easy to forget..."
Since last month, NHG has implemented a $8 deposit for for those who require follow-up appointments to address this problem. Patients who fail will forfeit their deposit. However, if the appointment is cancelled or rescheduled within at least three working days, the patient will not lose their deposit.
The $8 deposit fee is also waived for those on public assistance or Medifund schemes, the spokesman added.
It is still early days whether these measures will yield a "positive improvement", but it appears to be a step in the right direction.
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