Hut, Hut… Beacon Medical Group, Huddle!

Front row, L-R: Christie Ahn Project Leader, BMG Administration Cindy Hayes Executive, Director of Administrative Services, BMG Administration Judy Frye, Office Supervisor, BMG Bristol Dawn Bradley, Practice Manager, BMG Specialists Fulton Street Cari Hunnicutt, Practice Manager, BMG Maternal Fetal Medicine Stacy O’Donnell (blue shirt), Office Supervisor, BMG Osceola Kim Yoder, Group Practice Manager, BMG MiChelle Redding, Administrative Secretary, BMG Administration Back row, L-R: Michael Gordon, Executive Director of Medical Specialties, BMG Administration Craig Kilgore, TVM Facilitator, BMG Administration Carmen Smucker, Practice Manager, BMG Nappanee, BMG Wakarusa Andrea Vernier, Office Supervisor, BMG Centralized Scheduling Jennifer Bailey, Practice Manager, BMG Portage Joseph Caruso, M.D., Chair of BMG Customer Service Committee; Medical Director, BMG Schwartz-Wiekamp Not pictured are: Shann Atsma, Practice Manager, BMG Bristol Street Pediatrics Melissa Bunton, M.D., Physician, BMG LaPorte Kandi Frost, Director of Ambulatory/Primary Care, BMG Administration Julie Horsting, Genetic Counselor, BMG Maternal Fetal Medicine Kim Nymeyer, Director of Medical Specialties, BMG Administration Patti Pittman, Recruitment Coordinator, BMG Administration Mark Schmeltz, D.O., Medical Director, BMG Bittersweet Commons

The talk these days in the Beacon Medical Group Customer Service Committee is all about the daily huddle! In football, the huddle informs the team of the next play and ensures everyone knows the assignments and will follow through in the expected manner. A huddle in your practice or department can achieve the same result.

Plus, the daily huddle is a great way to increase communication about staff, equipment/supplies, goals, and for sharing concerns and kudos. Here’s how to get started!

If you think a daily huddle sounds good, but you’re not sure you can make it work in your particular environment, the BMG Customer Service Committee encourages you (in the true Beacon innovator spirit) to give it a try! Or, try one of these alternate ideas being used at BMG practices: email huddle, daily rounding by a practice manager and daily huddles by department.

Daily Huddle Rules
Time of day — As early as possible (ideally morning)
Length of time — Spend 5 to 15 minutes total (depending on size of team)
Number of attendees — Teams of 7 or fewer
Who attends — Every person in your company/practice/department should attend a daily huddle.
Who runs it — The senior manager
Location — Anywhere that is convenient
Agenda — Use the Same One Every Day

This suggested agenda is based on the Rockefeller Habits:
What’s Up — Each team member gives an update from the last meeting. (30 seconds)
Numbers — Report on critical metrics: customer service numbers, number of patients to be seen, capacity, etc. (3 to 5 minutes)
Roadblocks — Any thing that might keep your team from meeting its objectives to day (3 to 5 minutes)
Value and Ideology — Praise, acknowledgement and offers of help