USe speed dating research to enhance your working day

When you fill in your medical records, do you face the patient? Can they see your face?
While IT has made it possible to write copious notes, even with a youngsters ability not to require cutting and pasting, it's unlikely to save you from a clever lawyer with a disgruntled patient. While IT improves and develops at an alarming rate, the good news is both the patient and our own individual psychological responses when engaging one another are still primitive. Do you take full advantage of this?


At work, we generally don't have time to have long drawn out introductions, but the evidence points out that as little as an extra three minutes chat can markedly reduce your likelihood of being sued. The psychology of "thin-slicing" maintains people judge one another within a short period of time, and as with speed dating, three minutes may be long enough. 


My advice would be to read a lot of books such as Blink by Michael Gladwell or start an online course on NLP, preferably with CPD. In the interim, try out these tips in no particular order which I'm happy to recommend after my 38-years experience as a GDP.

• Eye contact. Wherever possible, maintain it at the same horizontal plane either standing up or sitting down. Never look down at someone; it's a bit threatening.
• Talking. Never talk down to someone. If you can't explain at their level, you have lost them, and it makes them feel uncomfortable.
• Listen to them. If you ask a question, have the decency to listen to the reply. 
• Greet them from the waiting room. Your assistant has enough to do especially with Covid.
• Use a visor when you greet, not a mask. How can they see your face behind a mask? It's your biggest asset unless you look miserable. At least allow them to see you briefly before you place your mask. Imagine they are smiling when they see you, a clear benefit for your own stress levels.
• Talk in a non-threatening manner. It is not what you say that the majority remember, it's the way you say it. Think of them as a family grandparent, parent, sibling, or child as appropriate, but preferably one you like and care for.
• Don't treat a client as a commodity, but be personable with your patient.
• Find your voice, don't fake it, work on it if required. Video yourself to check, get honest feedback. You have a lifetime of work ahead of you, and it's difficult enough without acting for the next thirty years.
• Allow patients to sit down at their pace, and check if they sit in the correct one. Talk to them as they orientate themselves, and give clear instructions on how they can stop you at any time if they are uncomfortable or unsure by raising their hand. They need to feel as though they have some control.
• If something doesn't go as planned, say so. Apologise that the outcome isn't what either of you wanted, and ensure there is an adequate agreed follow up process. Definitely record good notes today. 
• When seeing anyone for the first time, remember, you only get one chance to make a first impression. It's an uphill struggle if you make a bad one.
• Give your patients to agree to clear T&Cs of your care to protect yourself from litigation just like software updates you always agree to. Ahh, if only that was possible. We pay enough money to our defence organisation to get in their helicopter and help work on our business to help us develop robust T&Cs, rather than in it to which adds to our stress levels with the GDC. 

Meanwhile, this may help. Use email. Ask for their email while captive in the chair as you want to send them further advice on how to improve their Oral Hygiene and help prevent dental problems. I send this one, and with Oral Cancer Awareness month coming up this may help more than a poster. On SOE it takes about twenty seconds, so you can check if they have had the email before they leave your surgery.


This was my template. 


Dear The Donald,


Following your appointment today. These are your scores.
BPE 11112
BEWE 010111
Download our free teeth4life dental App available on the App Store and Google Play.
Press SQUEEZE ME on the tube of toothpaste on the front page to see how the App works for you. Personalise the App in the My Teeth section, add your scores and risk factors, then view your scorecard. Set appropriate reminders to help improve habits.


Type in our postcode BS9 1JB to find me, my contact details, and further details of specific procedures I carry out at the practice.


This animation explains how oral health is directly linked to general health. Keeping your scores in the green may well help maintain your immunity, as well as a healthy smile.


https://youtu.be/9Tbp6zi7wnc


Please look at this animation video on Oral Cancer as you need to monitor yourself for this largely preventable, and deadly disease. There is a shorter self-monitoring clinical video in the App.


https://youtu.be/9IzyuFDpHUY




Set a monthly reminder in the My Teeth, scorecard section.
Please share the App link with family and friends from the social media icons on the front page. Help save a life SHARE teeth4life.


Stay Safe,
 
 
Regards,
Dr Antony Smith B.D.S D.P.D.S


Customise the teeth4life App for yourself via the care4teeth.co.uk website. Remember to add your practice postcode, and chose your own favourite YouTube videos for procedures you want to promote. By sending them their BPE, and advise on reminder settings to help improve their OH you help protect yourself against periodontal litigation. The data will be permanently retained on your practice software. 


Can anyone help with a brief 160 page T&Cs attachment to help you sleep better of a night, and spend more quality time with friends and family? Agree on concise clinical records appropriate for scrutiny from your GDP peers in both the NHS and private, and not the copious notes demanded by self-serving litigation lawyers.