Eyeworld

169 OPHTHALMOLOGY BUSINESS April 2017 digital.ophthalmologybusiness.org 7. Non-verbal signals that conflict with your words. Your body language and verbal tone send strong messages that may be at odds with the words you use. Arms folded across your chest, shaking your head "No" while verbally saying "Yes", or changes in intonation impact the mes- sage exchange in ways that you may not realize. Try to be self ob- servant, and ask the people you trust most for feedback on the coherence between your words and your non-verbal signals. EW versation. If there is a problem to solve, write out your talking points. If you want to provide positive feedback to an employ- ee, be sure to be able to specifi- cally delineate the measureable details that led them to success. This increases the odds that the desired behaviors will continue. 5. Ineffective meetings. Meetings held without a written agenda can signal a lack of purpose and seem frustrating and wasteful to attendees. Helping others prepare for an upcoming work meeting organizes the group and enhances outcomes. Great meeting leadership includes sending out a written agenda to all attendees at least one day prior to the meeting, sticking to the agenda, and sending out clear post-meeting minutes. 6. Lack of follow-up. Commu- nication falls flat when there is insufficient follow-up. One of the most common staff com- plaints we hear is, "We've told our administrator (or managing partner) about this problem, but have never heard back." In both large and small practices, it's a good habit to log all meaningful suggestions and questions, and check them off as they are subse- quently addressed. in your practice A F R E S H P E R S P E C T I V E ™ © 2017 Lacrivera, a division of Stephens Instruments. All rights reserved. lacrivera.com ( 855 ) 857-0518 dryness fatigue redness sorie redness irritation ijouble vision pain irritation burning dry itching dryness redness sore tired gritty pain irritation dry vision sensitivity foreign body sensation dryness redness sore tired pain irritation burning dry itching sensitivity foreign body sensation eysandy fatigue redness eye tired irritation sore tired pain excess watering gritty sensitivity foreign body sensation itching burning gritty excess Your LASIK results speak for themselves. Don't let post-op dry eye talk over them. Fight post-op dry eye with the VeraPlug ™ and let your patients enjoy the enhanced visual acuity they expect from day one. VeraPlug. ™ For healthier, happier patients. Visit us at ASCRS booth #440 Ms. Wohl is president of C. Wohl & Associates, a practice management consulting firm. She earned her Masters of Health Services Administration degree at George Washing- ton University and has over 30 years of hospital and physician practice management expertise. She can be contacted at czwohl@gmail.com or 609-410-2932. Mr. Pinto is president of J. Pinto & Associates, Inc., an ophthalmic practice man- agement consulting firm established in 1979, with offices in San Diego. His latest ASCRS•ASOA book, Simple: The Inner Game of Ophthalmic Practice Success, is now available at www.asoa.org. He can be contacted at pintoinc@ aol.com or 619-223-2233. About the authors How do you know if communication within your practice is strong or weak? Consider these clues: 1. Do most of the staff feel like they can broach any subject—even difficult ones—with you and the other staff and doctors? 2. Do doctors avoid challenging conversations in the boardroom, such as compensation modeling, capital equipment outlays, or adverse provider behavior? 3. Have your staff stopped making practice improvement suggestions because they are tired of not being heard? 4. Are you frustrated that your suggestions and orders to staff don't seem to be carried out in the way you intended? 5. Communication excellence comes in many forms and takes a concerted effort. Your practice's success with accountable communication starts with practice leadership setting the good example from the top. EW

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