What to do when your medical practice is short-staffed: a staff training tool

It's first thing in the morning, the day's appointment schedule is jam-packed, and you just found out that you're going to be short-staffed. After the initial panic wears off what are you and your co-workers going to do? How will you manage to work through your day with fewer people on hand? This article suggests a three-pronged approach to the challenge of medical practice short-staffing. It offers practical tips for avoiding short-staffed days by creating firm policies for staff absences, tardiness, and vacations. This article also describes how cross-training employees, working with temporary employees, and other preparation will make short-staffed days more manageable. Finally, this article provides 10 practical tips for coping with the short-staffed day. It offers helpful advice to any medical practice employee who finds himself or herself feeling overwhelmed by a short-staffed day.