Creating an Effective and Efficient Provider Schedule

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By the WDS Practice Advisory Committee


From Dr. Lisa Pruett:

Know your sweet spot. If you feel you are a better dermatologist by decreasing the number of patients you see in a day, then do it. I became a physician to help patients, not to be rushing all day long in clinic to see as many patients as I can to leave my charting for after hours. Find that balance where you feel you can be present with each patient and enjoy practicing medicine.


From Dr. Sarah Harvey:

Everyone will find the schedule template that works best for their clinic flow and interests. Since I have a mix of Mohs, surgical procedures and medical dermatology, I find it more efficient to have dedicated days/half days for procedures with the remainder of the schedule open for medical visits and surgical follow up. I also allow overbooks for isotretinoin and wart follow ups as well as suture removal visits since these tend to be very quick. Invest in a scribe to improve your efficiency and quality of life.


From Dr. Lori Fiessinger: 

  • Know that there are many different ways to schedule patients and that you may have to try a few different ways to find what works best for you and your clinic. 
  • I prefer to schedule surgical procedures at the end of my morning or afternoon, so that if they run over in time I do not have other patients waiting on me.
  • As busy as we all are, overbooks are often necessary. Teach your staff how to strategically schedule these overbooks so they can take control and not have to ask you each time. I like to overbook isotretinoin follow ups and spot checks rather than full skin checks or new rashes. I have found that overbooking earlier in the clinic works better for me as I often can get caught up by the end of the day.


From Dr. Shawna Flanagan:

I always leave my lunch hour open for emergency spots or VIP squeeze-ins. This creates space if needed but you must be willing to work through your lunch hour when things are busy. I do only allow one person to have the authority to book these appointments with my permission.


From Dr. Mona Sadeghpour:

Set rules for patients that hold them accountable for last minute cancellations or no-show visits. In our office, every patient is granted a one-time grace for last minute cancellations. They are sent a letter informing them that they missed their appointment and that future cancellations are subject to a fee. This letter is scanned into their chart. If this is repeated again in the future, they are charged a late-cancellation fee.


The Women’s Dermatologic Society (WDS) Practice Advisory Committee supports Dermatologists at any stage of their career looking to manage or start their own practice by offering resources on
navigating the practice environment.
Visit the WDS blog for more tips and advice. 

 

 

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