Published:

08/13/2011 02:59pm

Keep Tight in your Ruby Slippers

Keep Tight in Your Ruby Slippers
The Making of A Successful Recare Program
“I could wile away the hours, conferrin' with the flowers, consultin' with the rain…” are
things that perhaps Dorothy’s friend, the Scarecrow, wanted to do. But when it comes to your
office recare system, consulting with the rain probably won’t shower you with too much
success. However, you can learn how to have success in your recare program from Dorothy
Gale and her friends---characters in the well-loved American folk tale, The Wizard of Oz.
For instance, Dorothy and her friends had a very clear goal for what each wanted.
Dorothy wanted to get home; the Scarecrow wanted a brain; the Tin Man a heart; and the Lion
wanted Courage. They expected to have success in their endeavor, and they worked as a team
so that everyone could succeed.
When was the last time you sat down with your entire team to discuss the vision of
your practice recare program? Perhaps you never have. Without a goal and a plan, your
practice will always struggle with recare success.
Having success in your recare program will require nothing less than brains, heart, and
lots of courage. And the key to it all just may be a pair of Ruby Slippers! Let’s examine
Dorothy’s footwear for a moment.
With a wave of her wand, the Good Witch transferred the Ruby Slippers from the feet of
the Wicked Witch of the East, onto the feet of Dorothy. This angered the Wicked Witch of the
West because the slippers were very powerful, and she wanted them for herself.
Dorothy was instructed by the Good Witch of the North to never remove the Ruby
Slippers. Dorothy was told that the shoes would protect her. Ultimately those Ruby Slippers
were the medium by which Dorothy had success in reaching her most important goal.
When it comes to your recare program, what is your most important goal? Do you have
set protocols to help you get there? These protocols are your Ruby Slippers! Creating
guidelines to help you structure your vision and objectives in patient care are the medium by
which your profitable recare system will come to fruition.
How is a successful recare program defined? Listed are some of the components of
remarkable recare:

Patients who are motivated to return timely

Patients who say “yes” to periodontal treatment regardless of insurance
coverage

Team members who are enthusiastic about the level of patient care they
provide

Patients are being educated with the latest technology

A recare return rate of 85% or greater

35% of recare services are billed as periodontal procedures
If your recare program is lacking some of the components of remarkable recare, then it’s
time to establish a vision for your hygiene department and create production goals. Get those
Ruby Slippers on, and don’t take them off! The following are steps to take to establish your
hygiene production goals:
Step 1—Determine the hygiene daily (or hourly) average production for the last 12 months.
Step 2—Determine the hygiene daily (or hourly) average production for the last 3 months.
Step 3—If the last quarter reveals a significant difference from the yearly average (10% or
greater), average the yearly number with the last quarter number.
Step 4—To determine if the hygiene department is meeting its production potential, use the
“Current Hygiene Production Mix” worksheet (at the end of this article) to create a realistic
“ideal” day in the hygiene department.
*To determine the number of hygiene procedures that were provided in the last 12 months,
run a “Production Analysis” or “Procedure Analysis” report. This report reveals the number of
procedures provided, by CDT code, in a given time period (last 12 months) and the amount of
production generated. This report will assist you in completing the worksheet.
Step 5—After completing the “Current Hygiene Production Mix” worksheet, determine if your
potential is being met. If not, consider the following:
POSSIBLE ROAD BLOCKS TO IDEAL HYGIENE PRODUCTION

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