Trait #2 – Rock Star Hygienist are always prepared before they seat their patients. If you’re a Rock Star Hygienist, this means you have learned everything possible about the patient before they enter your operatory so you have a very clear plan of action for each patient.
Sometimes things change. If you have planned to re-present treatment in the upper right but the patient shows up with a broken #30, we obviously need to address the problem immediately.
Having a clear system or checklist you use to review charts and prepare for patients is a key component to time management, patient confidence, self-confidence, enrollment success and ideal patient care. In fact, the shift to paperless charts makes this even more important. When information isn’t literally in your hands, it can easily be overlooked.
Here’s a quick checklist for reviewing charts and preparing for your patients each and every day.
Daily Patient Chart Review
* Perio Status and date of last perio exam
* Review notes from last recare and treatment visit
* Date of last x-rays
* Outstanding treatment plan items
* Medications and medical conditions
* Intra-oral photos of outstanding treatment or need for new photos
* Patient preferences-likes ultrasonic, prefers Prophy Jet, sensitivity
* Recare status of their family members
* Have they recently referred other patients
* Personal notes or events
* Date of last oral cancer screening
* Notes from specialists
* Homecare notes
* Biteguard or other appliances
Ideally, any needed x-rays would be in the appointment view but if not, you now know if they need x-rays before you seat the patient and you can have the sensor and holder set up and ready to go. You can also have the greeter give the patient a new health history if it’s time for an update. You can have the Prophy Jet full of powder and have a tip handy. If they have incomplete treatment, you know you’ll need to take a new photo so you can have the camera close by and plugged in.
All these steps save you valuable time and energy and make you look good in front of your patient. But if you’re a Rock Star Hygienist…you already knew that.
