A morning meeting is the best chance to get all your colleagues together to discuss that particular day, and how the team can liaise together to create a successful, productive and efficient day at work

Meetings are a powerful business weapon. They allow efficient communication between team members and ensure that all members are aware of particular goals, and outcomes for the practice day. It can be the most important part of your day. When a morning team meeting is done smartly and effectively, it can help you sidestep roadblocks, capitalise on opportunities and set a productive tone for the day. When it is not, it is unhelpful and counterproductive. So, if you are going to do it, make sure you do it properly.

How often should these meetings be held?

Regular meetings, ideally on a daily basis, are a fantastic way to communicate information clearly to your team members, especially if the information shared is critical to the whole practice. It also ensures better team work and prevents clinicians and nurses working individually in their own surgery rooms instead of as a whole practice team. It can also motivate you, as nurses, to help one another. For example, if you are not attending to a patient at a particular time, then you can help another clinician and nurse, or do something different from your regular treatments. This can encourage interests in other areas and make you more aware of various types of treatments and how to assist in them, therefore broadening your horizons and skills.

What should a morning meeting entail?

There are several factors that should be taken into consideration when setting up morning meetings.

Here are a few to help:

• ? Keep the meeting short (10 minutes is usually sufficient)

• ? Ensure you greet everyone together, this saves time and does not make anyone feel left out.

• ? Discuss any ‘housekeeping issues’ that need attention and then focus on the goals.

• ? Keep it specific by ensuring a clear agenda, so that team members do not lose interest and stay completely focused. Any other topics that need to be discussed can be brought up again on a one-to-one basis or in another practice meeting

• ? Prioritise the needs for the day

• ? Highlight any problem areas and ways to overcome them

• ? Ensure meetings are held at the same time every day so all team members know to be ready for them in full uniform

• ? Be positive, calm and motivational.

Benefits of a morning meeting

There are many reasons to have a morning meeting, but it is important to stay focused and keep clear goals for the meeting. Several benefits are discussed in the following sections.

Team bonding

Morning meetings will help the team start the day off with motivation and enthusiasm. It allows everyone to greet each other, and the meetings support improvements and consistent success. It allows the whole team to bond before the day begins, which will help ensure a positive team attitude that the patients will notice.

Ensuring good communication

It allows all team members to highlight and discuss any issues they need clarifying before the day starts, so that everyone is on the same page, and everyone can work as a team.

Efficient use of staff

Diaries can be cross-referenced with all team members so that you are all aware of what is happening in each other's diaries. This can aid you and your team by helping one another to cover each other, especially if you are free for a while. You can give extra help in another surgery on procedures that may be difficult, or procedures that may need more assistance. Or you can help others, such as the hygienist, who may need help with periodontal charting, for example. Ensuring all team members are working together can increase production.

Maximising the clinical time

Again this is where the morning meeting are a must for all staff members, as liaising with the receptionists first thing can help identify gaps in diaries. If there are gaps in the diary, then these can be filled—for example, if a patient came in for an examination with the dentist, but also needed to see the hygienist as a result of the exam. By knowing that the hygienist has a gap, it would be beneficial to the patient as the hygienist could see the patient straight after their examination appointment; this in turn would save time for the patient and the practice, making the patient more likely to return for future appointments, and it would help the practice perform more efficiently.

Reduce non-attenders

Morning meetings will also help to reduce non-attenders by identifying possible patients who have a tendency to turn up late or not at all. They should be called an hour or so before their appointment to ensure they turn up on time. If they are not going to make it, then the gaps again can be identified. It can help slot emergency patients in or extend appointment times for patients who are already booked in for treatment, if needed.

‘Morning meetings will help the team start the day off with motivation and enthusiasm.’

Improving patient journeys

If a particular patient is nervous of attending the practice, then all team members should be aware that this patient is coming in. The staff should be aware of the patient's appointment time so that they can work together to reduce the patients anxiety by ensuring the patient is seen on time, and if there is a problem, whether someone could step in and resolve it. Small gestures, such as offering the patient a drink, and speaking to them to ensure they are not feeling anxious about their appointment will make a big impact in that patient's journey. An empathetic approach can help to make the patient's time at the practice as comfortable and as stress-free as possible.

Staff should also be aware of new patients attending the practice, as a first impression is critical to patients, and will determine whether they become long-term patients with the practice. If staff are not aware of a new patient, then it is possible that the patient could feel ignored or underappreciated.

Overcoming any obstacles for the day

These obstacles can vary widely, from identifying patients who forget to pay before they leave (so getting them to pay before they are seen, thus reducing bad debts) to any team members who are off sick whose positions need covering during that day, to ensuring all lab work to be fitted is chased up and at the surgery for the following day. Any problem, be it big or small, can usually be resolved by discussing it at the morning meeting.

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Conclusion

Keeping the team ‘in the loop’ about what is happening at the practice on a daily basis an help produce efficiency, reduce anxiety among staff and patients, boost team morale and give everyone clear goals for the day ahead.

Author: MA Healthcare