Workbook

Objective Process

O — Developing Objectives

Okay, let's move on to the O, developing your Objectives. This area reminds you to think before you act. Remember the old carpenter's saying, "Measure twice, cut once." Here, after investigating, I'm asking you to be proactive. That's the benefit of planning in advance. It alleviates the problems and pressures of having to be reactive to situations that are out of control by the time they reach you.

As a doctor, you are dedicated to doing things right. As you focus on marketing your practice, to be successful you must dedicate yourself to doing the right things right. Most of you have been inundated with information on setting objectives, so I won't spend additional time on it now.

The key is that at this point in the S.W.O.T. planning system, you've completed your investigation. You've reviewed your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

Now it's time to decide what objectives you need to set:

  • To build your strengths.
  • To overcome any deficiencies that you've discovered.
  • To activate your opportunities.
  • And to neutralize, or eliminate, any threats.

There are three basic types of objectives:

  • Routine objectives.
  • Innovative objectives.
  • Improvement objectives.

Most often, when a practice team is developing objectives, they tend to focus on what is new and different, therefore, the innovative and improvement type objectives. The problem this creates is that they lose sight of the ongoing office responsibilities and their obligation to continue performing them satisfactorily. It is important that the team also develop routine objectives to ensure that the practice maintains its current level of service while moving on to innovation and improvement.

Here is a sample objective:

"To build patient awareness of the professional services we offer by developing informative vehicles for patient communication in our reception area, treatment rooms, and direct-to-patient correspondence."

This objective is realistic. Now add the second important factor...can it be measured? The answer is yes.

"The effectiveness of this program is to be monitored monthly through patient questionnaires, and in-office staff discussions with patients."

Everyone in the practice should know their role in achieving the practice's objectives. Often the first step in involving the team member in the "objective process" is when you are formulating your mission or vision statements, or practice philosophies. I've noticed more than ever that companies are making their mission statements more visible. Where do you display yours? I'm finding them on the backs of business cards, invoices, and, of course, positioned in a prominent place in the entrance lobby. I'm also finding staff members are more aware of them and their relationship to the company's mission. You will find some additional information on the "Basics of Setting Objectives" in Figure #1.

Figure 1

The Basics of Setting Objectives

Review these criteria prior to developing your objectives.

1. Desire - Belief - Realism
  • Desire is the motivator: it keeps you going.
  • You must also believe you can accomplish the objective.
    It must be realistic (attainable).
2. Written
  • Use the worksheets in the Exercises to write down your objectives in complete detail.
  • Remember, if an objective is not committed to paper, it's only a wish.
3. Measurable
  • You must decide how you will determine whether you have achieved your objective, and it must be acceptable to practice management.
4. Timeline — Budget
  • You must decide to set a timeline for completion, as well as a budget.
  • You may also set intermittent stages for measurement. If you are off schedule, your objective, timeline or budget can be updated.
5. Current Status
  • Where are you right now?
6. Obstacles
  • Identify the obstacles you will have to overcome to achieve your objectives.
7. Knowledge
  • Identify what you will have to learn to accomplish your objective.
8. Alliances
  • Identify the people, organizations and groups you will have to align yourself with to attain your objective. (Networking)
9. Tactics
  • Make a detailed plan of action.
  • Review and list the implementation steps you will need to complete your tactic, therefore, accomplishing your objective.
  • Be consistent.
  • Be specific.
  • Be focused on the "result" of an activity.
10. Commit - Be Determined - Persist
  • You must resolve not to give up.
  • Be committed to your objective.
  • Have the determination to carry it through to the end.
  • Be persistent. It is a direct measure of how much you believe in yourself and your ability to accomplish your objective and succeed.

As you develop your objectives for the practice, have each department and the people in it put down in writing what they specifically can do to help meet the overall goals, and to take ownership of the patient's problems. Much of their response will have to do with how they are treated by you and the management team.

Always remember the golden rule of practice management:

"Do unto your staff as you would have them do unto your best patient."

Finally, this is an acronym to remember the main criteria for developing objectives:

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic, and
Timely.

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