Do any of these scenarios sound familiar?
You're in the middle of finishing up a patient chart, checking on an insurance claim, or organizing your endless "to-do" list when a team member walks into your office and interrupts your train of thought with an important, yet non-urgent, issue.
You arrive at your office on time only to see a look of dismay on a team member's face after discovering they missed the "memo" about opening the office an hour later than regularly scheduled.
Your inbox is overflowing with emails and it seems like you never have time to focus on the tasks you really need to get done.
Like the scenarios above, interruptions and miscommunications can really hinder office flow and productivity. Fortunately, there's a new(er) solution available - Slack!
Designed as a messaging app for teams, the freemium software company has an incredible product and integrates with many of the technologies we use today. Below are 6 ways Slack will improve communication and transparency in your office.
1) Slack allows you to organize office conversations by topics
Your team will have the ability to message directly or via channels (i.e. conversation threads). Our office set up the following channels:
Contacts
Doctors
Equipment
Insurance
Schedule
Team
Each channel allows us to organize conversations that are taking place throughout the office so all team members can easily read and reference them in the future! We've also set up private channels for conversations meant exclusively for our doctors and management team.
2) Slack provides seamless sharing of office files, images, videos, and screenshots
Do you have an employee handbook that your team frequently accesses? How about training documents or videos designed for new team members to review? Slack channels are a great place to store resourceful office documents for quick references and periodic reviews.
3) Slack keeps important office conversations or topics relevant
How so? Utilize Slack's pin feature to easily highlight important conversations for future reference.
4) Slack easily syncs with all your devices
From desktop (Mac/Windows/Linux) to mobile (iOS/Android/Windows), Slack is compatible with virtually every platform.
5) Slack allows your office to set "do not disturb" times
Most office conversations have an appropriate place and time. During specified "do not disturb" times, Slack silences notifications until you set your status to active again.
6) Many useful apps integrate with Slack
Everything from tracking website and office analytics to improving marketing and productivity, Slack has you covered. My personal favorite is the Google Drive integration that allows our office to store files securely for easy access from anywhere.
In an increasingly complex world, Slack is redefining the future of workplace communication. Are you onboard? Create a team, invite your office, and give it a try!
Note: The free version of Slack is NOT HIPPA compliant, however, you can upgrade to their Enterprise Grid Plan if you plan to message about patient-sensitive information.
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