How focusing on the Patient Experience builds a Win/Win with you and the patient

Healthcare, especially dentistry, is a relationship business. Studies show that over 95% of patients would return to and are 5 times more likely to recommend a healthcare provider where they had a positive experience. Patient expectations for healthcare visits are usually pre-burdened with stress and fear (pain, financial or both) so expectations start out rather low.  These low expectations can be overcome by building processes and training staff to intentionally focus on the patient experience. Consistently providing a positive patient experience is key to long term success and good health for the patient and the business.

People are drawn to experiences where they feel a connection. This connection does not necessarily have to be with the provider. It could be with anyone they encounter during the visit, from the scheduler to receptionist to financial personnel.  A positive patient experience directly correlates with a better health outcome by higher treatment acceptance and return visits.

Your business health improves with higher treatment acceptance levels so how do we create a Win/Win? Ensure your people AND your processes are focused on the patient experience. Below are a few ideas to get you started.

First Impressions matter

When patients and guests arrive, they should be welcomed into your practice. If Waffle House and Walmart can welcome every customer as they walk in so should the visible members of your team, not just the receptionist.  Patients should be greeted and welcomed into your practice. Pre-appointment paperwork should be attractive and easy to complete.   Reasonable waiting expectations should be set for seeing the provider.

Your receptionist should see the lobby and the patients waiting there as an extension of his or her living room and should assume responsibility for their comfort. If there will be a delay in the provider seeing the patient, be sure the team is trained to recognize this situation and to proactively provide reasonable wait time updates to those in the waiting area.

Introductions matter

Every provider or assistant in the treatment room with the patient should acknowledge the patient by name, introduce themselves by name, and explain their role in the treatment. When gathering the information about the reason for the visit, all members of the treatment team should listen actively, acknowledge the patient’s concerns, and provide reasonable expectations for resolving them. This should be documented and accessible to every provider who follows that visit. 

Name tags help make connections

How well do you remember a name when meeting someone for the first time? How much more difficult is it if you have to remember several names in a stressful environment? Patient names are easily accessible to providers and staff. But is the same true for your team as they engage the patient? Every team member should wear a name tag so that the patient can easily recall their name. This helps deepen the patient’s connection with the practice and everyone involved with the visit. 

If a patient has a bad experience, they may be motivated to find out a name so that they can vent about it in a review. However, that same patient with a good to great experience may be embarrassed to ask for a name. Make it easy on your patient to connect by requiring everyone to wear a nametag.

Connecting with the patient

What do you know about the patient beyond the reason for their appointment? Connecting with the patient about their hobbies or interests is a great way to make them comfortable. Simple open-ended questions like, “How was your weekend?”, or “What plans do you have for…?” can be great tools to gather information and build relationships. They also can make the patient more comfortable and demonstrate that you care. Make a simple note in their chart so that this information is available to anyone who encounters the patient.

The environment matters

Do your facilities appear clean, organized, and up to date?  While you do not need to have an elaborately decorative lobby, it should be clean, welcoming and comfortable. In fact, overly ornate lobbies tend to have a negative impact on patients as they perceive them as an indicator of higher prices.

Technology effectively employed speaks volumes about your ability to deliver quality healthcare. This does not mean you need to be on the cutting edge of every new technology in the industry, but if you are still using radiographic film or have dental chairs that are worn or even show signs of wear or rust, your patients will notice even if you do not.

Final impressions matter also. 

The patient experience does not stop when the patient leaves the treatment chair. They still must check out, schedule future appointments and often may receive a bill after insurance is applied. 

Check out should be quick, simple, and ideally the patient should never have to wait. But it does happen. If a patient must wait have them schedule follow up appointments while still in your treatment room. 

Chick Fil A often offers those who wait in their drive thru a coupon for a free sandwich on their next visit. Offering a free take home whitening kit or perhaps a coupon for a Chick Fil A sandwich can go a long way.

Finally make sure any follow up billing uses polite language and has reasonable expectations. If the patient balance is less than $20 you may choose to allow your patient to pay the residual amount on a follow up visit rather than spend more than that amount producing and sending out a billing statement.

Positive experiences lead to more re-appointments, commitments, and referrals. Making these simple changes can go a long way towards improving not only the patient’s health but also the overall health of your business.