Running a GP practice can be highly rewarding, but it can also be demanding and challenging at times. GP practices are busy environments and you must manage your practice efficiently to ensure that you maintain a high standard of patient care. Efficient management will also keep costs to a minimum and help you run a more profitable business. Luckily, there are dozens of ways to boost efficiency within your practice and create a more organised and productive working environment. On that note, here are some suggestions on how to manage your GP practice more efficiently:
Hire a skilled team
Your employees are the backbone of your GP practice and it will be virtually impossible to run an efficient surgery without a strong team behind you. Take the time to recruit a quality healthcare team with the best possible skills and experience. You can attract top talent to your practice by offering an attractive salary package, creating a supportive working environment, and providing your staff with quality training and career advancement opportunities. You should also consider offering other job perks such as generous holiday allowances and private healthcare. This will help you attract the best candidates and retain your employees long term.
Reduce business expenses
It is important that GP Practice Managers manage their finances effectively to increase profits and reduce debt. One of the simplest ways to improve your finances is by identifying ways to lower your business expenses. Here are a few ideas to cut your running costs:
- Order medical supplies in bulk from a quality wholesale company.
- Store patient documentation electronically to minimise the need for paper and stationery.
- Try to cover employee sickness and holiday with members of your team. This will eliminate the need to hire expensive locums and other temporary employees.
- Upgrade to energy-efficient appliances and adopt eco-friendly habits in your practice to cut your energy use and lower your utility bills.
- Shop around when purchasing medical equipment like an ECG machine or a blood pressure monitor. This will allow you to find the best deals and take advantage of the lowest prices on the market.
Communicate with your patients
Patient satisfaction is fundamental to running a successful and profitable GP practice. Make sure you communicate with your patients regularly. You can send your patients online newsletters and emails to make them aware of any updates in your practice. You can also use patient portals to provide them with instant access to their medical records and answers to common queries. Make sure that you are prepared for complaints and train your staff members on how to deal with patient complaints and negative feedback efficiently.
Maintain your premises
Maintaining your GP practice not only helps with efficiency but can importantly minimise the risk of infection and will keep your team and your patients safe and happy. Infection control is a crucial part of the day to day running of the practice. The most effective way to manage cross infection prevention is to carry of a two-stage cleaning process;
Step1: Use a cleaning product to remove visible dirt from surfaces and equipment, and rinse.
Step 2: Then disinfect them using the correct dilution and contact time for the disinfectant, after rinse with fresh clean water if required.
Following the relevant health and safety regulations for your building will keep risks to a minimum as well as ensuring that you are CQC Compliant. Carrying out audits are also important to identify risks and create a plan of action for improvements.
Overall, having a well-maintained working environment will encourage your employees to work productively and efficiently.
