We all want to improve our productivity and make our work as efficient as possible. Sometimes, procrastination and lack of a rigorous planning can get in our way. Often, we end up working longer hours just to get everything done when maybe it all could have been done in less time, if only we knew about and used the appropriate tools. How many times have you used online research to improve your work flow and increase productivity? More than once, for sure. So, what does it take to work smarter? Maybe an appointment scheduling template.
Nutritionists and registered dietitians can use several tools to plan the workday efficiently. Many times, these tools don’t even require spending more money. First of all, an appointment scheduling template can really become your go-to organizing tool. This doesn’t mean you have to plan every second of every day. Sliding in some mid-day spare time for taking care of various administrative tasks will actually help you get more benefits in the long run. We listed below a few more tips that will help you work more efficiently using an appointment scheduling template.
Don’t multitask
Carefully separate your tasks and try to avoid multitasking. In an era that glorifies multitasking, going back to basics and dealing with one issue at a time will feel liberating. Don’t check your email halfway through research on a patient’s case. Separating tasks or even muting your phone when possible will help you go a long way.
Make sure your workplace offers a relaxing ambiance that encourages concentration and helps you focus on everything you wrote down in your appointment scheduling template. Music or working alongside other RDs might sound like a good idea, but unless you can zone out and ignore noise to get work done, you should leave networking for your spare time.
Lose the classic agenda
How can you schedule your appointments efficiently? The best advice would be to confidently step into 2017 and lose the paper agendas for writing down appointments. Using software or an online appointment scheduling template will not only help you become more organized and find appointments and tasks easier, but also help protect the environment by using less paper. You can find a template that will suit your needs, with half hour or one hour time slots, online or you can use the one we provide for free. You can save the template on your computer, to prevent losing your work and edit each one as needed.
How to deal with no-shows
How to make appointments and have less no-shows? We all know how annoying it is to deal with patients that simply don’t show up to an appointment. To avoid these situations, make sure you offer your patients sufficient options for finding a convenient time to come in for a consultation. After making the appointment, make sure you send them a reminder the day before just to confirm. If patients make an appointment after a visit to your practice, just give them a written note with the appointment details. This will help them remember, but you can still include the reminder we mentioned above. Modern scheduling software can send these reminders for you, to save time. Online scheduling is also useful.
This is very helpful for the younger demographic. Patients that have office jobs will find it a lot easier to schedule an appointment online, even via email, if you can make sure to provide instant replies. Online canceling and rescheduling will also help avoid a no-show.
Plan the next day
For nutritionists who are not yet ready for software, an appointment scheduling template might do the trick for now. If you are experienced and you know how much a normal appointment lasts, don’t try to squeeze in as many as possible during one day. Take time to talk to your patients, to evaluate their situation and their evolution. Rushing them won’t serve you (or them) well in the long run. A dedicated nutritionist will use his/her an appointment scheduling template efficiently by including breaks and ‘work time’—time for sorting our various tasks, administrative errands or even going through emails, charts or news in the business, especially if you start work early in the morning and skip the “coffee and news” stage.
At the end of the day, don’t rush out the door. Take a breather, play some music, tidy your desk, open your appointment scheduling template and give it a look. Planning the next day and making a few notes will make all the difference the next morning. Try to make this a habit and really enjoy that coffee before patients start rolling in.
You can find various types of appointment scheduling templates. Some will allow you to make notes and schedule reminders (for yourself). Find the right one for you and experience an easier way to schedule and track appointments.