Thinking better about your future is key to building a Better Practice and a Better Life, and tracking your Scheduled Production will help you accomplish it. This is your total dollar amount of treatment scheduled to be completed for a specific period of time. It can be for a specific day, week, or month, but in essence, it’s the treatment you have “on the books,” and by using this metric, you’re able to get a glimpse into your future performance.
Unlike the production you’ve already completed, Scheduled Production is a leading indicator, and it’s actually your first indicator of future financial health. When you have a low Scheduled Production amount, you’ll find yourself scrambling to plug holes at the last minute and suffering from underutilized chair time and a stressed-out team. However, when you’re aware of this metric, you can build your schedule with intention, ensuring predictable revenue, smooth days, and the ability to plan confidently.
If you’ve never tracked this metric, you can get started right away:
- Be sure to attach procedures to future scheduled visits, so you know the data will be accurate. (For example, if your team schedules a patient for a crown, ensure all of the procedure codes that will be completed at that visit are attached to that future appointment.)
- Start looking at tomorrow’s Scheduled Production, and report on it in your morning huddles.
If the number isn’t where you want it, run an unscheduled treatment report and call a few of those patients to try to fill a slot. They’ll appreciate the proactive care, and filling that slot can change the trajectory of your week!
The power of this metric is that it helps you start thinking better about the future. The more you focus on creating a better future, the more you’ll see your weeks and months improve. Remember, if you’re not building your schedule with intention, you’re relying on hope, not strategy, to create your future.
