Need help with organization!

You have to find a system that works for you. I start the night before -getting my schedule, planning my route, & calling my pts to schedule visits. I plan my day by the hour -- giving each visit an approx time & allowing for drive time so I know what's possible to accomplish during the day. This is a rough plan and usually changes. You have to be flexible and try to include some time for the unexpected.

As far as organizing my car, I keep a small plastic open file box on the passenger side floor with all the extra forms & notes I may need. Everything is filed in file folders alphabetically. In the passenger seat I keep another plastic file box for case management. All my pts info is filed alphabetically so if I'm on the phone & need something it's in easy reach & accessible -- (Nothing worse than when a doc asks you something and you can't get the info fast.) Sometimes the office staff misfiles forms and later comes at you with "You didn't do Mr Jones discharge summary or MOD!" It feels so good to go to my file, pull the copy, & say "Here's the copy I turned that in Friday." After the case is discharged then I shred anything not kept in the office file.

In the trunk I keep 2 large plasitic containers - 1 clean & 1 dirty. Dirty of course has red box in red bag for needles and such. Clean box has all carstock supplies organized - I use a lot of ziplock bags to keep supplies in catagories like all gauze rolls together or lab stuff sorted. If supplies expire, I write the expiration date in black sharpee pen on the ziplock bag -- esp. helpful so I don't use an expired tube for blood.

Hope this helps....... Everyone seems to have their own system. A friend of mine keeps an entirely diff system using a notebook and plastic chest of drawers for supplies. You just have to find what works for your style. Good luck!

Freebird..thanks so much for the info...unfortunately right now i don't have my own patients..so i never know from day to day who i will see.I hate to have to go in the office and scramble for info,but that is the way it is for now.I have gotten the plastic boxes for the trunk and i just rigged up an old handheld shopping basket in the front seat and ran an old luggage strap thru it and strapped it to the seat...i can hang files in it or just keep my daily car charts organized...i also purchased an over the seat car organizer that hangs from the front seat that has slots and pockets to keep my phone and extra pens,markers, highlighters in...seems to be working.

I would love to know more bits of wisdom....email me sometime.

Thanks

Mel