Dental Office Management Corner with Janette Douglas
What vs How
Job Descriptions and SOPs are both crucial tools for each team position. Are you aware of the differences and what the purpose is for each? One is “what to do”. The other is “how to do”.
Job descriptions spell out the actual duties. For instance, for the insurance coordinator, it will list "Process insurance claims daily" or "Follow up on insurance claims weekly". This allows the staff member to know what their specific job responsibilities are. It is also a key piece in accountability.
The SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) goes into detail about each of the duties in the job
description. It will list the steps on how to "Process insurance claims daily" and how to “Follow up on insurance claims weekly”. The purpose is that anyone can accomplish the task by following the SOP.
Ideally, there is cross-training going on in your office. These tools will save invaluable time to accomplish that. If you have an employee leave or they are out for an extended period, someone else can step in and get the job done. Whew, crisis averted!