Every practice has one.
The person everyone goes to when they have a question, including you. They know where everything is and how everything works. They remember the details that no one else tracks. They are dependable, deeply trusted, and often one of the biggest reasons the practice runs as well as it does.
I worked with a practice that had Sarah, a longtime team member who played this exact role. She was highly capable, implicitly trusted by the surgeon, and had become the person everyone relied on. Then, unexpectedly, she suffered an injury that required more than four weeks of medical leave.
The practice survived. The team stepped up, and patients were still cared for. But it was hard.
Processes that should have been documented existed primarily in her memory. Questions that should have had obvious answers became unclear overnight. The surgeon was pulled back into daily operations, the team was stretched thin, and the patient experience became harder to protect.
Sarah wasn’t the problem; she was an asset. The problem was that too much depended on her. And that made the practice vulnerable.
What makes this pattern so difficult to interrupt is that high performers often don’t mind being depended upon. Many genuinely enjoy it. They take pride in being the person others trust, and being needed feels rewarding, so the cycle continues. The employee becomes increasingly relied upon because they hold more knowledge, and the organization relies on them more because they are so valuable.
Think about the person in your practice who everyone relies on most. Then ask:
Then, choose one process to move from “ask Sarah” to “here’s how we do it.” Document the process in detail. Because documented processes with clear ownership create a practice that continues forward, even when unexpected challenges arise.
Your practice should be strong because of your best people, not vulnerable because it depends on them.
In Your Corner,
Amy
Let’s start with a conversation.
We’ll learn about your practice, your goals, and your challenges.
Then, we’ll design a proposal tailored to you.
No commitment required. Just a real conversation about your practice.
