The front office staff discussing weekend plans, old magazines askew and the smell of a tuna sandwich permeating the waiting room can make a big difference in the patient experience. A negative impression can leave a patient less likely to follow patient treatment plans and recommend your practice to others. Here are 10 tactics to improve the patient experience.
- Staff members should greet and introduce themselves, including their positions, to patients/visitors from check-in through check-out.
- Keep personal conversations among staff limited to non-patient areas.
- Have all staff members treat patient health concerns seriously and with empathy.
- Staff should provide courteous, clear, and understandable instructions and solicit feedback from patients.
- Keep track of arrival and departure times so patients waiting more than 15 minutes receive an explanation.
- Eat only in non-patient areas to minimize food odors patients are exposed to.
- Keep magazines/brochures current and relevant to the patient population.
- Encourage patients to use their waiting time productively by providing educational materials.
- Assist and accompany very young, old, infirmed, or disabled patients.
- Train your staff to handle complaints and assist patients with problems.
On-Demand Webinar: Enhancing Documentation Practices for Improved Patient Care
In this one-hour program, the team of risk management and patient safety experts at CAP offers time-saving techniques for establishing and maintaining an efficient documentation system.
This information should not be considered legal advice applicable to a specific situation. Legal guidance for individual matters should be obtained from a retained attorney.