According to a survey from Traveler’s Insurance, only 46% of small businesses have a plan that covers business operations in bad weather even though they’re essential. Fortunately, an emergency preparedness plan is easy to create once you know what they entail.
If you’d like to create an emergency plan for your dental office, consider the following:
Transportation
Staff and patient safety is the priority. During bad weather, assess whether your staff can commute to work and if your patients can make it to their appointments. The status of the roads will determine if your business needs to start late, end early or close for the day.
Communication
Determine who will be contacting patients to inform them of office closures. Patients should be contacted as soon as you determine closure.
Accommodation
Canceled appointments will need to be rescheduled in a timely manner. This may mean temporarily extending office hours to accommodate canceled appointments. Determine what’s best for your business and your patients.
Emergency situation
Dental emergencies don’t take a hiatus during bad weather. If staffing allows, have someone on-call to provide dental advice and emergency resources to inquiring patients.
Having a plan and knowing what to do helps set the right expectations for your patients and staff.
