If you’ve ever sat in a staff meeting and heard someone say, “Wait… I thought that was the policy!”, you’re not alone.
In the office, the clinic, and most businesses, the terms policy, process, and procedure often get used interchangeably. But here’s the truth: they’re not the same thing, and mixing them up can lead to confusion, inefficiency, and even compliance risks.
Let’s break it down:
A policy is the rulebook. It sets the expectation and explains why something must be done. Policies are rooted in compliance, ethics, and best practices.
Example: “All patient information must be kept confidential in accordance with HIPAA.”
A process is a bird’s-eye view of how things flow. It connects the dots between people and steps, but doesn’t dive into the weeds.
Example: “The patient intake process includes scheduling, insurance verification, forms, and check-in.”
A procedure is the instruction manual. It walks your team through exactly what to do; no guessing required.
Example: “To verify insurance: log into the portal, search by patient name, confirm eligibility, and save the benefits screen.”
Having clearly defined policies, processes, and procedures:
Think of it like this: Policy is the rule, Process is the map, Procedure is the turn-by-turn directions.
Action Step: Pick one common task in your office this week – like insurance verification or new patient scheduling – and make sure you have all three P’s written down. You might be surprised what’s missing!
Need help building SOPs that work and make sense? Let’s talk.
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