Patient dissatisfaction is a major contributor to malpractice claims, especially in the event that the patient experiences an adverse outcome.  A cordial, caring and efficient staff, however, has a tremendous impact on patient satisfaction by setting the overall tone of the office culture. From the greeting at the window to the payment process after a visit, office practice employees contribute substantially to a patient’s first and lasting impression of the practice and of the physicians, dentists or chiropractors who employ them. Good staff performance, whether through direct patient care or in the provision of administrative tasks, is essential to the safety of patients , efficiency in your business operations and overall patient satisfaction.   

Yet, office practices often utilize a subjective method of evaluating new and existing staff performance. Well-crafted and detailed job descriptions and performance evaluations, on the other hand, are effective management tools that are important in supporting many employment actions such as hiring, compensation, promotion, discipline and termination. They provide the practice with an objective method of evaluating employees according to performance outcomes, and not on the subjective opinion of their abilities alone. Direct performance can be observed and measured, whereas the traits and attributes of employees (which may or may not contribute to performance) must be guessed at, or inferred. Whether a small office practice with few employees or a larger office practice with many employees, it is important to develop and utilize a consistent approach.

Job descriptions:

• Provide a basis to evaluate your employee’s performance
• Clearly communicate to your employees what is expected of them, including the skills which are required for the position
• Provide a training outline
• Ensure an effective, consistent hiring process
• Assist in comparing the duties of the various positions within your office to establish relative pay rates

What should be included in a job description?

• Name of the office practice/employer
• Effective date
• Position title
• Name of employee
• Name of individual to whom employee reports
• Job summary (i.e. general overview of the position)
• General responsibilities for all employees (i.e. confidentiality, courtesy, etc.)
• Core competencies (i.e. specific duties/tasks for that position) listed in order of importance and/or frequency
• Working conditions (i.e. hours, health or safety hazards, physical requirements, etc.)
• Job requirements (i.e. education, special training, experience, abilities, certifications/licensing, clinical skills, technical skills, occupational skills, etc.)

 If a job description is being created from an already existing position and it is unclear exactly what that individual does, simply ask the employee to explain what they do each day and select the key areas to establish a list of the specific duties/tasks. Next, have your employees assist in determining what measurable actions will help to gauge whether tasks are being performed satisfactorily, so that they may be incorporated into their performance evaluations.