Holiday Clinic Crunch: 7 last-minute ways to get everything done
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Let’s take that holiday clinic to do list from dumpster fire to chestnuts on an open fire.
For many of us, we’re surviving holiday clinic chaos before (hopefully!) routines that involve how many rounds of cookies can you get in before lunch rather than rounds on patients.
Because between Dec 24-Jan 1, cookies, chocolate and cheese count as food groups in this house.
But we can get there, there’s a looming Everest of tasks and things that need to get done before you can enjoy that carb-y bliss.
Wrap up your tasks, sleigh your holiday clinic to do list and hopefully settle in for a long winter’s nap.
1. Find some last-minute minutes
If you can, don’t fill any cancellations this week unless it’s an urgent issue. Gives you a few more minutes to get other tasks done.
2. Make a list (…check it twice)
List everything you need to get done – clinically and personally.
3. Time-block and batch to freedom
Parkinson’s Law : tasks will expand to the time you give them. Make this work for you.
- Plan dedicated, undisturbed (or minimally disturbed) blocks time to tackle different categories of tasks (aka time-blocking).
- During those times plan a specific chunk of time to one task, such as reviewing results. This is known as batching. Put it in your schedule.
- Potential ways to actually make this happen:
- If you can, block off time during usual clinical time and let everyone you work with know – interrupt only for urgent issues. You’ll deal with any questions/issues outside of this time.
- Plan an extra 30min at the end or beginning of each remaining work day to tackle specific tasks.
- Block off lunch – no phone call appointments or meetings. Just checking off that list of tasks.
4. Deal with work emails
Potentially dreaded – but getting this done before the holidays is a little weight off the mind.
- Block of a time that you’ll review, deal with anything pressing then turn that away notification on.
5. Make instructions and expectations clear for patients
Minimize preventable calls, questions and ED visits by judiciously handing out post-procedure or FAQ sheets so pre-emptively answer common questions and concerns.
- Particularly for any procedures or patients starting new treatments.
6. Be clear on your holiday hours
Update your clinic’s holiday hours anywhere you have them: voicemail, website, social media.
- If can send mass emails to patients, consider sending a message with the hours. This might just reduce some of the ‘I couldn’t get a hold of you’ grumbles in January.
7. Minimize the January fires
Intentionally leaving some appointment times open your first week back for the inevitable add ons or issues over the holidays can cut some of the January crush.
