Now that the process of creating new or updating existing SOPs is well underway, it’s time to ask yourself – honestly:

If a key employee didn’t show up tomorrow, could a brand-new hire step in and perform their job using only your SOPs?

Not “eventually figure it out.”

Not “after asking a bunch of questions.”

Not “once your office manager explains it.”

Using only what’s written.

If the answer is no, here’s what that actually means:

• Your processes are undocumented or incomplete
• Your training is inconsistent and personality-dependent
• Your practice is vulnerable to disruption, errors, and lost revenue
• You’re carrying hidden operational risk every single day

And most importantly:

You don’t have a scalable practice—you have a fragile one.

What a “Yes” actually looks like. . .

A new hire can walk in and:

• Log into systems with clear instructions
• Follow step-by-step workflows (checklists, not paragraphs)
• Handle common scenarios (late patients, insurance issues, add-ons)
• Know when and how to escalate problems
• Stay consistent with how your practice operates—without guessing

How to fix it (without overwhelm):

Don’t try to document everything at once. Instead:

1. Identify your most “dangerous” gaps (tasks only one person knows)
2. Turn those into simple, step-by-step checklists
3. Add screenshots, scripts, and decision points
4. Test it: hand it to someone unfamiliar with the task and watch where they get stuck
5. Refine until it works without verbal explanation

The standard to aim for:

If someone has to ask, “How do I do this?”—your SOP isn’t finished.