This inconveniences the patient and frustrates the physician for having not met expectations.

This is a common occurrence among physicians worldwide, unavoidable at times due to emergencies or family commitments, but usually stems from a lack of planning for the holidays. Unstructured scheduling can lead to misunderstandings among the staff, which ends up adversely affecting the patients. Utilizing tools like the daily planner app by Plan Wiz can help streamline scheduling, ensuring clear communication and improved coordination. Focusing on the following can help.

• Holiday Closure Policy

This policy lists the days that the staff has off, especially non-standard days when the office might stay open. Releasing this policy early in the year can help prevent frustration for patients and staff and will likely be beneficial in planning for the holidays.

• Ensure Your Scheduling System Updates Annually with the Holiday Closure Policy

We hear news about practices forgetting to block off holidays each year, mainly for non-standard closures.

• Early Scheduling of Staff Holidays

Every practice has a different timeframe to acknowledge paid time off for its staff, often preferring to schedule it early in the year by implementing an organized process of managerial approval.

• Strong Communication Links Between the Practice and Its Patients

Holidays can cause distraction, sometimes leading to dissatisfaction among patients. Holidays should be announced via signboards at least 30 days prior to the start of the holiday season. Patients need to be notified prior to office closures and online systems should be programmed accordingly. Structured holiday planning will alleviate stress in the workplace and help to mitigate patient dissatisfaction.