Customer Service

Over the years I have worked with many medical practices conducting surveys and efficiency studies. Oftentimes physicians fail to recognize that their patients, dare I say customers, measure the customer service from a single perspective...their own. That is to say that your patient's customer service quotient is the same for all business. From the local coffee shop to the mega department store to your office, the quotient is the same. So what does that tell us?

In short, you the physician owner, is competing not only with other doctors, but also every other business in your community. Question: How many of us would tolerate a restaurant telling us there is an hour wait before seating even though we have a reservation? I suspect very few of us would wait. I also suspect most of us would have something to say to the management. Yet, too often, this is common, or even expected, when we have a doctor appointment.

Most people are really not looking forward to their next doctor appointment. Partly because of what the doctor might tell them, but also because of undue wait time which the patient interprets as poor customer service. Taking steps to improve overall patient flow, realistic scheduling and a welcoming smile and hello go a long way in providing good customer service.

Here are few additional tips your patients will appreciate:

• Doctors, please introduce yourself. It is not enough for patients to assume you are the doctor. Remember, patients are already nervous. Make sure they know who you are.
• HIPAA already requires patient privacy. Make sure your receptionist is conversing with your patient in a secure fashion regarding reason for visit, insurance verification, co-payments. Believe it or not, I have observed the receptionist calling out across the reception area verifying this information.
• When patients are escorted to the exam room, protect the privacy of other patients. Make sure doors are closed. When entering a room, make sure other cannot peek in.
• Knock before entering an exam room. This holds true for all back office personnel.
• Schedule accordingly! If you are comfortable seeing 4, 6, or 8 patients an hour, then schedule that way. There is no reason to book, or double book, patients. It serves no one's best interest.
• And for the last tip - BE ON TIME! If you clinic starts at 8:00am, you and your staff should be seeing you first patient. Tardiness to the office only makes you run late, it also says something to your patients about your practice. And it is probably not very good.

Delivering superior customer service is really not hard. Here's an exercise for you. The next time you are in your local coffee shop, your favorite restaurant or department store, check out their customer service. Imitate those activities you observe; your patients, and your balance sheet, will appreciate it.