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JdSG's Practice Resource Centre (PRC)
… Gateway to Excellence
| 7. Create the Ideal Patient Experience |
Creating an ideal patient experience is the responsibility of every team member. From the way you answer the phone and greet patients when they arrive at your office to your post-appointment follow-up, each contact provides an opportunity to bond the patient to your practice. When you are successful, patients commit to your practice, and bring their friends and family. If you're not, you develop a revolving door and will need to continually invest in marketing just to keep your schedule filled.
This is where your Marketing Plan gets put into action. This is where the doctor and team need to develop a consistent, patient centered approach for handling every part of a patient’s interaction with the practice …
- internal policies must be developed and fine tuned. Exceptions must be identified and planned for
- protocol training tools must be developed to allow new team members to get up to speed immediately
- acknowledge the key role language plays in creating a positive environment for patients
- develop scripts to ensure everyone is on the same page and saying the same thing
- learn to handle unhappy patients in a positive way
Focus:
► First Impressions count
► Examination and diagnosis which deliver
► The 3 part Consultation program
| Q. |
Why do so many new patients never return after the first visit? |
| A. |
Bottom line, if a practice’s monitors show this as being a key issue, I find in many cases it is linked to the doctor and staff’s inadequate communication skills. It may happen chairside during the examination, at consultation if done on first visit, or with Administrative staff when releasing the patient. Somewhere along the line, these patients experienced one or all of following:
- feeling pressured to make next appointment
- not understanding benefits of treatment and potential problems which might arise if treatment not rendered
- did not enjoy their first visit to the practice
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| Q. |
How do I handle patients who agree to treatment only if their insurance pays for it? |
| A. |
Simple question - very complex problem - and very simple answer. A patient who gives this as criteria for moving forward with their treatment has just told the doctor/staff they have ‘not bought into the problem.’ It is therefore not an insurance issue. It is an education issue.
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| Q. |
How do I handle patients who say they don’t want any x-rays taken? |
| A. |
ADA had a wonderful pamphlet many years ago on the 25 benefits of having x-rays taken as part of the examination and diagnosis. One of those benefits I quoted for years, and got the best results in changing patients thinking, was the line ‘over 60% of decay is not visible to the naked eye’. In the patient’s eyes, it seemed to put the matter to rest. However if the patient insists that no x-rays be taken, there are two choices available for the doctor:
- have patient sign a strong disclaimer relieving the doctor of all liability for not finding ‘stuff’
- reconsider accepting a patient who is starting the relationship showing a lack of trust in the doctor
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