Sometimes, the most valuable lessons come from the most unexpected places. Last week I flipped through the channels of my television and noticed a re-run of a Formula One race never expecting there would be a parallel to the world of pediatric practice management. I half-heartedly watched a few laps, then figured I might switch to finding something on Netflix until I saw one of the drivers take a pit stop to fuel up his car. I was astounded at the coordination and speed of the pit crew. It seemed like they had the tires changed and the car refueled in the blink of an eye! I thought to myself, now that is what a pediatric practice should function like- not in terms of timing but execution.
Obviously, efficiently changing a tire isn’t anyone’s primary goal in pediatrics. However, the team dynamic and cooperation shown by the Formula One pit crew is something to be sought after. Employees at a pediatric practice need many of the same qualities as a pit crew to be successful. Teamwork, accountability, and clear expectations among employees help keep any practice running smoothly and efficiently.
Just like the pit crew helping the driver finish the race, all employees of a practice need to be in sync to accomplish the group’s mission. To do this in your practice, it is especially important to think about support staff. Having specific responsibilities for each person, as well as predefined expectations, will allow for the creation of a workflow that maximizes physician’s time and maximizes customer service to patients. Your practice’s processes must evolve around your central mission of providing care to children- similar to how those of the pit crew focus on the team’s mission of the driver winning the race.