As a medical practice; it’s your job to treat every visitor with quality health care and treatment, and ensure they’re as comfortable as possible during their time with you. If a person feels unsatisfied, upset, or even fearful after visiting your medical facility for advice and care; they’re unlikely to return, will warn others to do the same, and will find somewhere they’re impressed with. Therefore, it’s vital to the success of your practice, to ensure that everything is of high quality and an impressive standard.
You only want to leave your patients with a good impression and peace of mind, so investing some time and effort in getting your practice up to scratch should be at the top of your priority list. The following are some areas to consider if you’ve suffered poor reviews and a decrease in patients recently and want to rectify where you’ve been going wrong.
Comfort
Cramped and stuffy waiting rooms will only increase the worry and anxiety of your visitors; who are probably there with something that’s worrying them already. Therefore, the reception and waiting area of your practice need to be as comfortable and welcoming as possible. Invest in soft setting, a fresh coat of paint on the walls, and ensure that it’s always clean and tidy.
Thoughtful touches that will distract your patients will also make a welcome addition to the area; a television for background noise, up-to-date magazine and the latest books, and a play area for kids will all help to take their mind off their troubles before they come to speak to you. The calmer a visitor is when they come for treatment or a consultation, the smoother the appointment will go and the more positive they’ll feel about their level of care.
Communication
When it comes to appointments, medication, and follow-up treatment; your practice needs to be on top of the flow of things and ensure that each patient has the correct information and a consistent line of communication. Invest in practice management software to ensure that patient files are up to date, and the function of your establishment can run smoothly. Mistakes will look highly unprofessional, and people will begin to lose trust in your practice quickly. Therefore, contact and admin related jobs should be a priority, and your organisation of information should be second-to-none. Text reminders or phone calls are an added service that people will really appreciate, so consider incorporating them into your weekly practice tasks. Utilising software should free-up the time of your staff so that they can provide added care and assistance.
Your receptionist, nurses, and all those who work for your practice should be given regular training and ensure that visitor care is their priority. A friendly demeanor and welcoming attitude, in person, through emails, and on the phone, should be there at all times, and your patients should leave feeling confident and happy to return again. Without your patients; you have no medical practice, so make sure that they don’t dread their visit or any time spent with you as they have enough to worry about.