Episode 35: Improving clinic efficiency with Dr. Sarah Beth Snell

The latest podcast features Dr. Sarah Beth Snell, a breast surgical oncologist who has been recognized for her efficiency in clinic. She talks to us about how we can all do better for our patients by improving their experience in clinic. This is especially important for new graduates and those moving to new jobs. Some of the highlights from the episode: -It takes a while to get the team in line with your vision, but when they see how good it is for the patient and the improved efficiency, they will buy in  - Showing data doesn’t help for buy in, you must create a team that believes in your vision and continue to give them feedback that it is working - You may have to work in the system you have, but if you stay true to your vision of what the system could be, all you must do is wait for the feedback to help change - they will see there are less phone calls and the patients are happier - The more you can coordinate for the patient, the happier they will be because they already have so much to worry about. Recognizing that the patient has a hard time navigating the system - When suggesting a change, realize it takes time, effort and sometimes turnover - Use your staff. Delegation is necessary to empower the team and paying them what they are worth will help. They likely have ideas that could help. - Bad staff is worse than no staff - Treat people like they are the only one for the job but have system in place where their job can go on even if they leave.