Planning for Success

One of the key components of success in private practice is to develop a detailed plan consisting of what to implement and when to implement it. Doctors always ask me: "Can you please tell me what to do next?" The answer is yes. I have a formula that, with a little effort, can help you in forging your custom implementation game plan.

Let's do this step by step.

1. The very first thing is to outline in writing exactly what it is you want to accomplish and produce. Yes, that's right. Your goals and targets. The more precise you can be, the better will be the results. Doctor, do not overlook this vital step. In private practice, you are the CEO, CFO, Marketing Manger, and, most often, the Team Captain. If your behavior is not congruent with these roles, success will always elude you in private practice. This is a very powerful lesson that way too many ignore. You can be the best clinician ever, but private practice success and fulfillment require much more skills. Always keep in mind that the rewards are so much better when you operate at this highest of levels. When you get to a high six- to seven-figures-a-year practice, then you can delegate some of the day-to-day management, but as long as you own the practice, never abdicate its direction and financial oversight!!!

A lot of people make this first and vital implementation step much harder than it really is. Make it easy by simply using a pencil and a notebook. It might also really help to only work in 90-day segments. Just mark your calendar to redo this exercise every 90 days. It can also help if you write your primary goals every day, that is, if you want to accomplish way more than the average doctor. Anything you can do to make this more visual, like photos and diagrams, can easily add a powerful emotional "hook," and help you accomplish more in far less time.

2. Get in the habit of operating only off a DAILY checklist!

Again, keep it easy and low stress. I still prefer white legal pads as well as multicolor pens for my daily use. Usually, a list can be no later than Sunday night for the coming week. Next, you need to color prioritize each of them. Black is done; red is critical; green is underway; and blue is re-routed. Lastly, cross off items that have already been accomplished. Looking at all the completed items on your list will permit you to proceed to the next phase.

Just make sure that your checklists include the three core components of the practice. This would include:

-Production- exactly what's happening this week to grow production? Here, you should list out Marketing Events, patient workshops, radio show, fitness screening, etc.

-Collections- an analysis of your existing income and expenses, with emphasis on the trends shown by these two key areas leading to financial independence. Pick the same day and time each week to review these.

-Staffing- What's going on with your team? Are there pending vacations or missed steps in critical procedures? A compliment to be awarded or a reprimand for violations of policy?

Then you must note the required action step on your DAILY checklist for these key areas.

3. Develop and operate only off a 90-day Master Implementation Plan. Make sure that your entire team knows it and that they help hold you accountable.

One of the great simplifiers of implementation is to not project beyond 90 days, unless you are very proficient at all of the above steps. For most of us, this is the precise interval to observe progress, trends, and make corrections to what's not working.

The Master Plan is the poster of every area of practice that is multifaceted. A great example is marketing. Let's say you want to start a monthly newsletter for patients.

You would first list "Monthly News" with a deadline or start date on your master plan, but your daily checklist might list, "select theme, call mailing house, fix event calendar," etc.

And that's it! You can keep it this simple. Sure, there are many other things (advanced executive skills) you could add, but I suggest holding off until you get effective at actually implementing all these key steps to practice growth and personal freedom.

When you are ready to really take this to the next level, hire a coach. A personalized analysis of your situation, with someone who has done it all before, can pay enormous dividends. Most coaches will gladly give you a written, personalized implementation plan, as well.

But recognize, Doctor, failure to have these basics in place first is a recipe for disaster. Don't let this be you!

Take these very simple steps today! Your only supply needs are a notebook, a pencil, a pack of white legal pads, a multicolor pen, a poster board, and a calendar.

If you can operate consistently and with discipline in this way, then you will become more successful and creative and, ultimately, financially independent.