The entire team at Thomas Doll is here to help as your practices navigate this period of uncertainty.
Depending on your location, you may be affected by shelter-in-place or other restrictions on movement. You may face other restrictions or recommendations. The circumstances are changing by the day or even hour.
What follows are some tips that may help you put people at ease.
- Patient Care
- Your team may need to reassure some patients about coming to the practice for essential care. Emphasize sterilization and cleaning protocols used with every patient. Remind patients that the clinical team uses protective equipment including masks and gloves, and everyone on the team follows a strict protocol for washing hands effectively. A great place for getting additional information is on the AMA and ADA websites.
- If patients need to reschedule, now is a good time to relax policies that penalize cancellations. By showing extra understanding, you will ensure patients remain loyal to your practice.
- You should be putting a contingency plan in place, if you do not have one already. The doctor/owner and key personnel, such as your office manager or lead hygienist or assistant, should be meeting frequently to discuss these plans. Reliance on a strong operations team will be critical during this time. You will need to avoid supply chain disruption especially with products from outside the United States and sterilization supplies.
- Staff Impact
-
- You may look to temporarily close offices or paredown your schedule and run with a skeleton staff.
- The CDA is recommending that dentists practicing in California voluntarily suspend non-urgent or non-emergency dental care for the next 14 days.
- https://www.cda.org/Home/News-and-Events/COVID-19-Coronavirus-Updates
- You may look to temporarily close offices or paredown your schedule and run with a skeleton staff.
-
- California’s Employment Development Department (EDD) has taken steps to help staff facing loss of employment or reduced work hours.
- Employers experiencing a slowdown in their businesses or services as a result of the coronavirus impact on the economy may apply for the EDD Unemployment Insurance (UI) “Work Sharing Program”. This program allows employers to seek an alternative to layoffs – retaining their trained employees by reducing their hours and wages that can be partially offset with UI benefits.
- https://www.edd.ca.gov/Unemployment/Work_Sharing_Program.htm
- California’s Employment Development Department (EDD) has taken steps to help staff facing loss of employment or reduced work hours.
-
- You may want to consult with legal counsel regarding any potential HR issues that may arise.
- Finances
-
- As we progress into uncharted territory, a plan to establish cash reserves should be put in place.
- Each of you should have a line of credit. A line of credit (LOC) is designated by your banker to be used in difficult financial times. Now is the time to make sure your LOC is in place.
- Many banks are working to have easy processes in place for LOC. Look for this to be available in the next week or two.
- You may want to be in contact with your bank and lender about any hardship programs that may become available.
- For those who have practice loans we have heard from some banks that they are working on deferring payments for some months. Look for this to be available in the next week or two.
- We are waiting for guidance from the IRS if there will be any relief for filing deadlines or taxes due.
- There is legislation pending in the Senate that may provide further financial relief.
- The US Small Business Administration (SBA) will work with state Governors to provide targeted, low-interest loans to small businesses that have been severely impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program provides small businesses with working capital loans of up to $2 million that can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing.
- https://www.sba.gov/page/guidance-businesses-employers-plan-respond-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19
We have essential staff in the office handling phones and mail while the remainder of our staff will be telecommuting. We have cancelled all face to face appointments but will continue to provide services remotely. We will continue to update you as more information becomes available. We are here to support you in any way we can, so please feel free to reach out to us.
Here are some helpful links.
