Stop us if this sounds familiar:
Your medical office is small but busy with patients and appointments. You’re able to manage it all — until one team member leaves for another company and another retires.
You think “we’ll get by for a while without them. We can do it! Leadership can jump in to help.” Over the next few months, you notice your team looks more tired. They’re not serving patients with the same efficiency and care they used to. Mistakes are slipping through the cracks, mistakes that never used to be there before. You feel tensions are rising, and leadership also quickly gets overwhelmed by the day-to-day functions on top of existing responsibilities.
If this scenario sounds at all familiar, it might be time to call in a contractor. Here are a few other signs that your team could use the help of contracted individuals.
Your patients are complaining about poor staffing.
This is the biggest and clearest sign it’s time to bring in more help. Patients’ complaints do more than exacerbate obvious-to-you headaches. Frustrated patients can hop on review sites and social media to voice their concerns about how you run your business.
In the medical community, reviews are critical to new patients looking for assistance. Poor reviews from frustrated patients have the power to impact how many new patients come to your office.
You’ve overwhelmed employees.
Humans need rest. Unless you’ve hired an army of robots, your team needs time to recharge. Burnout is a very real issue that goes beyond mental strain. A recent survey from the American Psychological Association reported that 36% of American adult respondents reported cognitive weariness, 32% reported emotional exhaustion, and an astounding 44% reported physical fatigue.
Employees who feel burned out need help. By adding in a qualified contractor [this would link the “How it Works” page on HGJ] to take on some of the burdens, you’ve already improved the stress and anxiety plaguing your team.
Mistakes are becoming more common.
There’s little room for error in the medical field. While your team will try their best, overworked teams are more at risk of making mistakes — especially on seemingly smaller, more “mundane” tasks. Overworked and anxious staff can make mistakes (especially on tasks outside of their expertise). Freelancers can alleviate that stress, allowing your team to focus on what they’re good at and reducing the margin of error.
Needs exist beyond your team’s current skill set.
Medical teams are highly skilled, but there are always limitations to anyone’s skillsets. Staffing shortages, however, can lead to work being given to staff that’s beyond their skillset. Any work done beyond what they’re comfortable with will likely be poorly done.
Contractors take the weight of that overage and keep your business moving. By working with HGJ, businesses can find verified contractors with the skills they need to take on those unique jobs — no matter the length of time needed for them.
Leadership jumps in on busy work.
Managers and owners should always be willing to get into the trenches with their employees to serve customers. However, if that busywork interferes with the ability to manage the rest of the team, it’s time to bring in a contractor.
Contracting out allows leadership the time to develop the team and focus on growth. It also helps owners and managers not feel like they’re wasting their time when they could be working on improving efficiency elsewhere.
If these are current struggles, get in touch. Our team can connect you with the tools and staffing to ensure great care of your patients.