Performance Matters Matrix – Scheduling

Productivity and profitability issues are always scheduling issues at their core. Scheduling creates value and builds trust by optimally aligning resource allocation with service needs and opportunities. When resources are managed effectively performance commitments are enabled.

The scheduling cell is located in the lower left corner of the Matrix. It controls the creation of financial value and builds trust by demonstrating concern and respect  for others by communicating shared expectations. Scheduling manages a Practices most important resources – time and competency. Schedulers are arguably the most significant non-clinical  people in a Practice yet their important time and attention is continually eroded by the constant disruption of passing font-desk  urgencies. Scheduling is a priority of the highest level.

Nothing gets delivered, charged or collected unless it first gets scheduled. That reality is reminiscent of an old baseball story… Three umpires are talking over drinks after a tournament. The rooky ump says, “Yup, I call-em the way I see-em.” The veteran ump says, “Well, I call-em the way they are!” The old-timer ump says, “Boys, they ain’t nothin till I call-em…” And so it is with scheduling.

Scheduling is complicated with vacations, sickness, time-off, transportation, emergencies, forgetfulness, thoughtlessness, and weather. There are considerations of treatment plans, staff training and competencies, facility / equipment capacity and internal, regulatory requirements, and external communications. Then there are matters of people’s idiosyncrasies, perceptions, priorities, attitudes, and willingness to accommodate. In a word, “COMPLICATED”. The measure of value is told by scheduling density, attendance rates, no-shows and cancellation metrics.

Top quartile business performance is never found where scheduling issues persist. While technology can facilitate scheduling, it, like clinical services, is primarily a matter of competency, creativity, and commitment.

With scheduling excellence comes the opportunity for charging optimization...

All The Best!

Bob

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Performance Builders