As we all know, the healthcare landscape is flush with high-deductible plans, and one of the unintended consequences is that patients have a higher expectation of care since they are paying more out of pocket. When you think about it, this position makes sense...so what can private medical practices do to capitalize on this newer trend? Here are some easy, low-cost ways to improve patient satisfaction, and therefore decrease chances of a lawsuit or losing patients…some of them may even improve patient collections!
- Return calls within a specific amount of time. It may seem like a small thing to do, but it can be notoriously difficult for patients to get a hold of medical personnel at a small or large practice. Institute a policy in which telephone calls are returned within 24 hours, or some other reasonable specification (calls made before 3pm are returned same day, etc). Making this effort lets your patients know that they are valued, and it provides a great service to boot. When patients feel taken care of outside of the office, their patient satisfaction will increase exponentially.
- Offer multiple ways for patients to pay. Since patients are responsible for more and more of the financial burden associated with healthcare costs, it’s important for private medical practices to have effective revenue cycle management. Having multiple ways for patients to pay their bills is both smart for business and convenient for patients. For instance, consider swapping the revenue cycle, improving your medical billing statements, and offering an online portal for easy access. A proactive approach like this will help prevent past due accounts, collection actions, and ultimately, badgering patients for payment.
- Service with a smile. Creating a culture of happy employees will carry over to happy patients as well. Southwest Airlines is a great example of a company who emphasizes the ‘whole person’ concept and hires for a happy culture. Capitalize on this during your hiring process, and set the expectation with your employees that you’re interested in cultivating a workplace where patients and employees are happy to be there...it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy!
- Offer extended hours for appointments. Many people work a standard 9-to-5 job, and this means that their availability to get seen for health issues could be negatively impacted, especially if your practice is only open while most people are working. Some ways to improve on this and increase patient satisfaction are working earlier or later shifts, taking early or late lunch breaks outside the normal period so you can serve patients during their lunch hour, or offering appointment-only slots before or after normal working hours. A 24-hour hotline is also an option to remain available to patients, which is sure to please those who have urgent questions or concerns.
- Make sure the waiting area is clean, tidy, and welcoming. It sounds simple, but making sure that your waiting area is welcoming and presentable can make a big difference to patients - especially if they have to spend more than 5 minutes there. Even things as simple as making sure magazine subscriptions are up to date, the restroom is clean and stocked, and offering water to patients can make a big difference. These small signs indicate to your patients that this is a thoughtful, deliberate business.
As seen above, there are multiple ways to improve patient satisfaction, and thus improve your private medical practice in general. Incorporating these five tips is an easy way to benefit your patients, employees, and yourself. What things do you do to improve patient satisfaction in your practice?
