The healthcare industry is moving away from focusing solely on treating singular illnesses and conditions and becoming increasingly centered around customer-based care.
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The healthcare industry is moving away from focusing solely on treating singular illnesses and conditions, and instead, becoming increasingly centered around customer-based care. This means working from the understanding that clients have more worth than simply generating revenue for your business. Regardless of the quality of healthcare that you deliver to patients, it is often their experience of customer service that stays with them and encourages or discourages, happy and loyal patients. Seeking treatment for health issues can be a highly stressful experience for patients and their family members. It is important to remember that in many situations, patients are looking for more than just treatment; they want care. Further, not only do customer service tools increase patient satisfaction, but they also contribute to an efficient and productive workflow that allows the daily operations of a healthcare practice to run smoothly. Great service is indicative of a high-functioning medical team, and with the right practice management solution, you will be able to elevate your customer service whilst still delivering effective healthcare services.
Fundamentally, patients are interested in receiving good quality healthcare. However, when you dissect what this looks like in the context of patient experience, it is obvious that it goes much further than mere treatment:
Now you know the reasons why a good customer experience is important for your clinic, it is time to delve into the different strategies you can employ to deliver a better service.
Adopt a practice management software
Practice management software refers to a centralized platform that contains various features designed to ensure the day-to-day operations of a healthcare practice run smoothly. Implementing a practice management software allows your patients to play a more involved role in managing their own health care, as they can book their own appointments, make online payments and view their medical records. An effective practice management tool will streamline different processes, saving your clinic hours of valuable time that can instead be spent doing what you do best: delivering quality healthcare services to patients in need.
Using appointment scheduling tools
Having an efficient and easy-to-use appointment scheduling system is a fantastic way to increase patient satisfaction. Healthcare businesses can embed booking forms into their websites, allowing patients to find an appointment day and time that suits their own schedule. Using these systems gives patients much greater flexibility, as they can make an appointment at their own convenience, without needing to wait for the clinic’s opening hours. Appointment scheduling systems also have additional benefits for healthcare businesses; they eliminate the need for administrative staff to spend hours on the phone booking, rescheduling, and canceling appointments, and help produce a highly efficient workflow.
Ensuring great service delivery
Ensuring optimal service delivery often takes more than just being a highly-skilled physician. The best way to guarantee a good service delivery experience is by equipping physicians with all the tools required to appropriately engage with their patients. This means that patient records should be highly accessible and constantly updated. Physicians should also be able to access their progress notes and other forms of clinical documentation to ensure they are aware of the current health condition of the patient and make the right treatment decisions. Using EHRs and clinical documentation software is an effective method of guaranteeing physicians are informed and prepared.
Effective communication between patients and staff
Bridging the gap in communication that is often observed between patients and staff should be a high priority for healthcare clinics. Effective communication will increase the transparency of the treatment process and allow patients to play a greater role in managing their own care. One of the best ways to improve communication is by implementing a patient portal. As well as displaying appointment and invoice information, patient portals provide a direct channel of communication between patients and physicians. If any questions or concerns arise, they can be efficiently communicated through the portal, allowing both patients and physicians to remain fully informed at all times.
Continuation of care
Often, the treatment of a patient requires involvement with more than just one department. Patients may need to be referred to other clinics, and have laboratory tests, x-rays, or scans. These transfers can be overwhelming, and it is important to make sure the patient is comfortable and confident in all of their healthcare providers. As the primary physician, it is your responsibility to facilitate good referrals and transfers all whilst showing genuine concern for the patient’s health. Discharging a patient from care also requires effective continuation of care. You need to communicate with family members or at-home carers the specific needs of the patient to ensure the most optimal health outcome possible and reduce the chances of readmission.
Now you know the reasons why a good customer experience is important for your clinic, it is time to delve into the different strategies you can employ to deliver a better service.
Adopt a practice management software
Practice management software refers to a centralized platform that contains various features designed to ensure the day-to-day operations of a healthcare practice run smoothly. Implementing a practice management software allows your patients to play a more involved role in managing their own health care, as they can book their own appointments, make online payments and view their medical records. An effective practice management tool will streamline different processes, saving your clinic hours of valuable time that can instead be spent doing what you do best: delivering quality healthcare services to patients in need.
Using appointment scheduling tools
Having an efficient and easy-to-use appointment scheduling system is a fantastic way to increase patient satisfaction. Healthcare businesses can embed booking forms into their websites, allowing patients to find an appointment day and time that suits their own schedule. Using these systems gives patients much greater flexibility, as they can make an appointment at their own convenience, without needing to wait for the clinic’s opening hours. Appointment scheduling systems also have additional benefits for healthcare businesses; they eliminate the need for administrative staff to spend hours on the phone booking, rescheduling, and canceling appointments, and help produce a highly efficient workflow.
Ensuring great service delivery
Ensuring optimal service delivery often takes more than just being a highly-skilled physician. The best way to guarantee a good service delivery experience is by equipping physicians with all the tools required to appropriately engage with their patients. This means that patient records should be highly accessible and constantly updated. Physicians should also be able to access their progress notes and other forms of clinical documentation to ensure they are aware of the current health condition of the patient and make the right treatment decisions. Using EHRs and clinical documentation software is an effective method of guaranteeing physicians are informed and prepared.
Effective communication between patients and staff
Bridging the gap in communication that is often observed between patients and staff should be a high priority for healthcare clinics. Effective communication will increase the transparency of the treatment process and allow patients to play a greater role in managing their own care. One of the best ways to improve communication is by implementing a patient portal. As well as displaying appointment and invoice information, patient portals provide a direct channel of communication between patients and physicians. If any questions or concerns arise, they can be efficiently communicated through the portal, allowing both patients and physicians to remain fully informed at all times.
Continuation of care
Often, the treatment of a patient requires involvement with more than just one department. Patients may need to be referred to other clinics, and have laboratory tests, x-rays, or scans. These transfers can be overwhelming, and it is important to make sure the patient is comfortable and confident in all of their healthcare providers. As the primary physician, it is your responsibility to facilitate good referrals and transfers all whilst showing genuine concern for the patient’s health. Discharging a patient from care also requires effective continuation of care. You need to communicate with family members or at-home carers the specific needs of the patient to ensure the most optimal health outcome possible and reduce the chances of readmission.
