How to Build a Patient Experience We All Want and Need: 5 Tips

The Patient's Experience

To effectively succeed in the healthcare industry, the patients must be kept at the heart of the matter. In the hopes of keeping patients happy, businesses are geared to provide their best service because they understand that pleasing a customer is beneficial for both parties.

Though prior to thinking about the patient's experience, they must first actually visit the clinic. An automated appointment reminder helps in guaranteeing that the patient won't miss their schedule. 

From having efficient reminders alone, the patient will feel pleased that their presence is valued. What other ways can a clinical practice elevate their patients' experience?

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5 tips to give the best patient experience:

1. Easy appointment system

The formula goes like this: patients get the high-quality service they deserve, and the business gets their anticipated revenue. 

But what's not specified in that formula is how a patient's experience starts even before their consultation. It starts with booking an appointment with a doctor, and having a seamless appointment process earns the business a plus in their books. When things are easy from the get-go, patients are more likely to stay. 

2. Reminders

To not waste time, patients prefer receiving confirmation that they indeed got a specific schedule. On the other hand, there may be instances wherein a patient cannot come in at the date and time they indicated. That's a reality in this business and there are surely external factors that come into play. 

However, it poses a problem when such occurrences persist and there's no action done to prevent it. Here comes the importance of sending out automated reminders for the patients in a channel where they will certainly receive the message. 

3. Cutting the waiting time

Time is of the utmost essence nowadays. Plus, let's face it, no one enjoys filling out long forms by hand. There are now ways to lessen the paperwork for patients to fill in manually thanks to the emergence of online forms that register their information. 

Giving them the option of filling out online forms can cut the patient's waiting time, a feat they will definitely appreciate. Not only does it streamline the check-in process, but it will also eliminate the need for them to write down personal details as it could be included in the appointment setting procedure. 

4. Conversations with patients

Having good communication with the patient is a display of a business' ability to provide exceptional service. When clinics converse with their patients, patients can feel more open to giving suggestions on how to improve the service. In this way, too, can the business build trust, rapport and so can they eventually gain a loyal patron. 

5. After-visit dialogues

Patients like places where they feel like valued customers. A business can cap off the patient's experience by asking them how the service was and what ways they can improve. This showcases how patients' suggestions based on their own experiences are respected by the practice.

This can be done through surveys sent online or through message, or even simply asked by the clinic personnel. 

Kareem Winters

Update 21 October 2021