This is the first chapter of our training series “How to increase the patient flow and revenue”
If you’re running a dental practice or if you are planning to start a new dental practice, this training session is just for you. In this blog we will discuss the first section “how to set your goals for your dental practice management?”. Setting of goal is very essential in any type of business. This will help us to understand what we should achieve after certain point of time. The goals can be different based on the type of dental practice. Take enough time to think before you finalize the goal statement. In the chapter we will learn how to set the goal using SMART frame work.
S – Specific
M – Measurable
A – Achievable
R – Realistic
T – Time frame
Let’s take an example and learn about this framework. Here is my first goal statement “I want to increase my patient count”. Do you think this is as good goal statement? Let analyze it with SMART framework.
S- Specific
Always the goal has to be specific. It cannot be a general statement. Is the above goal statement specific? Let’s make one change. “I want to increase my new patient count”. Now it is a specific statement which tells only about the new patients.
M- Measurable
Let’s take the second term M from smart. The goal has to be Measurable. Let’s try reformatting the above statement by incorporating a measurable value. “I want to increase my new patient count by 200%”. Now it is very clear. We have a number which is measurable.
Take a case where you received 3000 patients last year then your goal would be to get 9000 new patients (200%).
A- Achievable
The goal has to be always Achievable. There is no point in putting exorbitant figures which is not at all reachable. In the above example if the value of 9000 is not reachable, then it is not an Achievable goal. Let’s make some changes and reformat the goal statement. “I want to increase my new patient count by 50 %”. This makes a more Achievable goal statement.
R- Realistic
The fourth letter R, represents Realistic. We need to set the goal which is Realistic. Imagine the goal statement is “I want to increase my new patient count by 50 % and start new centers across 100 cities”. May be with current infrastructure and investment, this may be way too far. So always make the goal realistic.
T – Time frame
Every goal has to have a time frame. We cannot make a goal statement without a time frame. Let’s reformat the goal statement as below
“I want to increase my new patient count by 50 % in next financial year”
This forms a goal statement for a dental practice management
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