All about me this week. When Ray posts again, he can
make it about him J It was an usually difficult week at
work, or maybe tiring is more like it. With the weather being gorgeous (low
eighties and no humidity), Ray and I have walked daily. This is unusual in
itself (we sometimes give ourselves a break somewhere in there), and poor Ray got an earful each night. For 25 years Ray has listened to my stories,
and this week he didn’t disappoint me.
My office has two full time and two part time
dentists, five full time and three part time dental hygienists, five full time
and two part time dental assistants, four full time receptionists, a full time
billing/insurance coordinator, and finally, a full time office manager. With
the number of patients we treat on a daily basis and operating six days a week,
we need all the front desk staff/support we can get!
Three weeks
ago, a receptionist left suddenly to start dental hygiene school (a dream come
true for her even though most all the hygienists at work have tried to persuade
her to change her dream). Now there would be three receptionists in direct
contact with the patients. Two weeks
ago, another receptionist gave her notice.
She is going to work from home for a previous employer and couldn’t pass
up the opportunity. As of today we now
have two at the front desk (simple math here). One week ago, the
billing/insurance coordinator gave her notice.
She has been in the office for 25 years with the previous owner. Dynamics of the office have changed, and she
has found a job that isn’t one hour plus away from her home. Our office manager is just trying to get
these positions filled which means “working interviews”. We have had five this week so far. Confusion.
Commotion. Chaos. The most important thing to the assistants and
hygienists is things running smoothly. Not happening lately. Patients not being checked in upon arrival, new patients not filling out
forms because no one realizes the patient is new, new patients taking twenty
minutes of a sixty minute appointment to fill out the forms (we don’t do it
online—another frustration in itself), too many new patients scheduled per day/hygiensit
(job security, yes, but it gets taxing), recare patients being able to walk in
late, and so much more. The more things
change, the more they stay the same.
This has been ongoing for 27 years in three out of four practices I have
worked in. I don’t know why I think
things would have improved by now.
Especially since we are not short the manpower to do the job well.
So with the daily confusion, there are always
stories. And yesterday was a better day
for me! Ray’s on the other hand was
intense. So I listened to him, and yes,
I do remember what he talked about—the lawyers are not respectful of the
“little people” trying to make the law firm successful (read as: making money
for them).
So while we have been walking and talking, and I
have been talking some more, I was thinking also about Panama. (I can do three things at one time when I set
my mind to it.) What will Ray and I have to say to each other on our walks
there? It will just be the two of us for
quite a while (before we really meet other people although we have three
friends there now). There should be
plenty of stories but we will most likely encounter them together. Will we practice Spanish with these
stories? That would be something else! How will our days be spent? I cannot wait for these days. I think.
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