Building Your Policies and Procedures

When we are first starting out, it can be a challenge to identify what our policies and procedures are going to be for each aspect of our business. After all, most of us are figuring that out as we go. 

Here are my tips for building in your documentation process for policies and procedures. The goal with any P&P is to provide a consistent way of doing things in your business. You want anyone who works with you or for you to be able to do things exactly as you do. 

1. Remember that these are dynamic and will be evolving as your grow. Approach the task of creating your P&P manual with that openness and flexibility in mind. 
2. Don't overcomplicate things. Remember the KISS acronym (Keep It Simple Silly). The more simplistic the easier it will be to ensure consistency and compliance. 
3. Begin by Zoom recording yourself going through the process while keeping in mind, you will not want to do this in regards to client care and how you manage client protected health information. For the latter, you will need to create an word document and bring back the old "Outline" format using the numeric lists. Again, no need to overcomplicate.  Record or Outline every process you repeat in your practice. (Ex. How to answer your phones and schedule a client, how you complete your accounting, how you update your forms, how and when you update your website and social media, how to check to ensure consistency, etc..) 
4. Create and use templates for others to repeat and follow. 
5. Continuously update and create as you go. 
6. Use cloud based service that allows you to create and share all of your P & P videos, templates, spreadsheets, and outlines. 

If you need help creating a system to develop and support management of your practice policies and procedures, book a creative consultation with me. I will help you get things set up in a way that caters to your creative mind.