You have an opportunity to enjoy some extended time away from the office. Should you take it——and how should you handle it?
Posted in Articles on Wednesday, May 8, 2019
Whether you're taking a dream trip abroad or enjoying a staycation at home, vacations are a must for good mental health and burnout prevention. If you own your own practice, it can be especially challenging to step away for an extended period of time—but it's not impossible.
Have Other Staff Step In
If you have another DC in your practice, work with them to coordinate appropriate coverage. You can return the favor at some point to ensure they're also getting enough time away to relax and recharge. You may also be able to coordinate vacations during times of the year when you know it's slow enough at the office to handle your absence.
Hire a Locum Tenens Doctor
If you plan on being gone for more than a week or two, one option is to find a locum tenens doctor so you don't disrupt your patients' care—but be sure to do your due diligence before retaining one. Begin by asking colleagues who have used a locum tenens for their recommendations; look for one that fits well with your practice and has a good reputation. Check with your state board to ensure the locum tenens doctor has a license in good standing and no disciplinary actions.
Once you've chosen a locum tenens, make sure you meet the DC. Bring them into your practice to discuss your treatment style and have them provide an adjustment. Then you can assure patients that you personally have used this DC and this is a good short-term care solution. You’ll also want to contact any managed care organizations to find out how to handle billing for the locum tenens doctor.
When you meet with the covering doctor, go over the charts of several scheduled patients to share how your practice keeps notes in paper or electronically. Also, assign a staff person to go over the practice’s procedures and patients’ details in your absence. Try to be available by phone on occasion for questions about complicated cases.
Additional Steps to Take
Whether you already have another DC within your practice covering your time away or you have a locum tenens doctor, you’ll need to do several things to make your absence a little easier for those in the office.
-
Notify patients. It’s good practice to let patients know you'll be gone, particularly your "regulars." Share the name of the covering DC, along with their credentials and training, with staff and patients.
- Make backups. Make sure you back up your computer and any digital equipment. If something were to happen while you were away, you’d be able to restore information to when you last accessed it.
- Provide passwords to any pertinent systems staff might need to access.
- Leave contact info. Provide a phone number where you can be reached in case of emergency. Surprises happen, so make sure your staff knows how to contact you if there is something you need to deal with immediately.
- Define "emergency." Be clear in what you think constitutes an emergency. You don’t want the phone to be ringing every 10 minutes with the day-to-day business.
- Designate check-in times. If you will be unreachable, let your staff know when you’ll be able check in. It’s one thing if you will be reachable, but if you are going on a cruise or a trip to a remote area, your cell phone just may not work. You’ll still want to be available for any timely questions, so designate a time when you’ll be available.
- Leave a list of key contacts. Identify who you use for building maintenance, snow removal, accounting, etc.
Preparing your office for your vacation may take a little advance legwork, but it will set the tone for your travels—not to mention make it easier to enjoy your well-deserved R&R.