MAKING EVERY MINUTE COUNT: Tools to Improve Office Efficiency.

The article focuses on the ways by which family physicians can improve the office efficiency. The key is to employ proven quality improvement techniques used throughout the business world to increase efficiency and quality while decreasing costs. For each process in the practice, such as checking in patients or making referrals, a series of steps must be accomplished correctly, in the right order and at the right time to produce the best outcome. Improving office flow requires everyone, from the front desk staff to the physicians, to be involved in the improvement process. Every office has the potential to achieve efficient flow throughout all of its processes. INSETS: SPEEDBAR;10 RULES FOR AN EFFICIENT PROCESS;KEY POINTS;CYCLE TIME