The Importance of Patient Satisfaction

It doesn’t matter how great your healthcare marketing strategy is if your patient satisfaction sucks.

That costly marketing campaign will get a patient in the door, but it’s the little things in their initial visit that determine if you get a negative review on Google or a lifelong patient.

I am a testicular cancer survivor. As a survivor, there are routine medical treatments that I need to stay healthy. The intersection of being a patient and Healthcare Marketing Consultant gives perspective and opportunity to observe from both ends of the spectrum. 

I experienced an excellent patient satisfaction experience in a recent visit to Novant Health Endocrinology Even after a delay in getting my lab results from LabCorp. Let me share what mattered most to me… as the patient.

The moment I stepped into the office the staff was friendly, professional and assisted where they could. The check in  process was simple and within minutes I was in a provider’s office. 

I meet with a PA, who communicated the appointment process before we started. This was great, I was able to follow along with the appointment. We had one issue, LabCorp misplaced my lab results. However, my Physician Assistant (PA) and I talked through this and found ways to make the most of our time together. 

Time spent with a provider is down. The average time with a provider is 7 – 8 minutes. It doesn’t matter if you live in San Diego, Cleveland or Charlotte this is the same across the country.

Be mindful of our time. If we’re spending 7 – 8 minutes with a provider than the total experience should not exceed 20 minutes in the office. 

When thinking of modern facilities, don’t stress over interior designers and scented candles. Your facility doesn’t need to be elegant, but it should have a few simple modern considerations

1. Your office should be clean – Does the furniture match? Is there a hole in the wall? What about the flooring? Perception is the reality in this space. 
2. It should have reliable wi-fi or accessible technology – The days of the old magazine rack are over. People are busy, and many times an appointment is during work hours. Provide access while they wait, and they won’t complain when the doctor is running late.
3. It should be comfortable and open – Give people options. Different size chairs, benches, and couches. Give them space, patients do not want to sit on top of one another. Workstations with charging ports are becoming more commonplace in the waiting room.  

Have you looked at your patient retention rates lately? Are they down? If so, look internally towards patient satisfaction and discover what you’re missing.

Enhancing overall patient satisfaction is an ongoing process. What is your office doing to be the best?