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With the launch of our new appointment search function, I’m keen to understand how sites are managing diary zones to make sure they're hitting financial goals while seeing patients promptly as well as keeping practitioners happy.

I usually stand by the blend of the 3 P’s - Patient, Practitioner & Practice, by taking each into consideration you can achieve the perfect day across your practice.

To break down the diary zones into its basic format I normally suggest starting with the below zone groups:

- Emergency
- Recalls
- New Patient consultations
- Treatment

I’m keen to understand what other sites are doing to Zone out the diary or what's stopping you from zoning yours out.

@Lesley Morgan-Barlow & @Esther Egan I know you both have a great set-ups for making sure each day hits your targeted day rate to ensure success but what does everyone else look at when organising this space? 

The best advice I can give when zoning your diary is

  1. Ensure you have enough exam zones to
    1. accommodate your recalls
    2. Grow your new patients 
  2. Then, look at what your last six months of treatment looked like. Did you have the right number of zones for the value of the treatment? If not, you may find your FDT weren’t adhering to the zoning.
  3. What are your most frequent treatments? There is no point in having an abundance of high-value zones to hit your daily target if your clinicians are doing mainly lower-value work

Hi David,

We implemented zones a few months ago so are still finessing this, but what I’ve found works for us as a small, 2 chair practice, is making sure for both recalls/new patients/ treatment zones, there is at least some availability on all days for all patient types (eg on Wednesdays our main practitioner does larger/complex treatments while our 2nd practitioner is open to seeing recalls/new patients).
And also keeping a mix of morning/afternoon times for those zones, as some people prefer mornings, and others can only come in the late afternoon after work/school.

We are still working on optimising it but I’ve found it works, being able to offer patients a couple of options whilst not compromising our zoning (Practitioner/practice as you mentioned in the 3 P’s)

Great question

 

We are just starting to use the Zones, so again, great to hear what is working in other practices, especially in groups where associates move between clinics. 

Currenlty we have rolled out Emergency zones and private and medical card zones, but will deff watch this thread to learn more. 

 

Also, THANK YOU to ​@David Rutherford  who has been a great help to use with rolling out schedules and zones as well as so so much more.  If you are not linking in with your Dentally Customer Success Manager, you should 100% setup a zoom call now with them, as their insight and advice tailored to your unique practice is invaluable. 

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