How to WOW your patients

Doctor ?Nurses ?The receptionist ?

www.thebestmedicalcare.com

•Why we continue to fool ourselves successfully•Only 1 of 20 unhappy patients bother to complain•Others walk out of your clinic and tell ten others about their bad experience.



Convenience ? Cost ? Clinic ambience ?Reputation ?Justdial ? Practo ? Google ?Referral ?Parking availability ?


Not your perception – the patient’s perception

Life is not always fair.Not all busy doctors are good – and not all good doctors are busy

No point in complaining about this. Learn to accept reality !

Soft skills are often more important than clinical skills


Loyal patients create your reputation. Act as ambassadors.

Help your staff perform better by providing professional satisfaction

Improve your income – both financial and emotional!

Help to build a patient service culture

Create magic withRight peopleRight processes Right environment


How well does your staff treat your patients ?

If you treat your staff well, they will treat

your patients well ! They will copy you !


• Losing patients can be expensive !• Train them. Respect them. Appreciate them • Make sure your staff works well as a team• Do not shout at them !• Working in a clinic can be thankless job. Help them to do their best

I. The patient is never an Interruption - the patient is your work. Everything else can wait !

II. Greet every patient with a smile.

III. Call patients by their name. IV. For patients, all staff members are as important as the doctor !

V. Never argue with a patient. Be a good listener.

VI. Don’t say, "I don't know.” Say “ I will find out”.VII. The patient pays your salary - treat him like your boss !VIII. Choose positive wordsIX. Always go the extra mile. Exceeding patient expectations is the best way of

keeping patients happy !X. Brighten every patient's day. This will

make your own life happier.

Try taking an appointmentWait in your waiting roomHelp you to think like a patient !This will make you more

empathetic !« Patient engagement, patient

experience and patient centeredness » are no longer just buzzwords !

• Play patient education videos while your patients are waiting• Give them tablets to watch videos• Do not overbook - respect your patient’s time


• Follow flowcharts for improving workflow!• Need processes which your staff can followHow to answer the phoneHow to greet a new patientHow to help them fill up a form

Doctors usually create bottlenecks !

No interruptions when you are with a patient

No phone calls during clinic hoursReturn all calls at a fixed timeIntelligent phone systems for recording all calls. Cloud based virtual receptionist

I prefer email – no phone tag

•Reminder SMSes to reduce “noshows”•Prescribe apps to your patients•Set up whatsapp groups•Ezines


Need to understand your patient’s wants, needs and desires

We can learn a lot from 5 star hotels – they put customers first

Ask your patients for help !


• Comment cards–It was easy to get an appointment.–My doctor answered all my questions.–I would recommend this hospital to friends.

• Telephone calls after their visit.• Internet surveys by email• Mystery patients

This does not mean that there are no problems or that all your patients are happy with you

The truth is that most patients are scared to complain and will not tell you they are unhappy to your face


How many of your patients refer their friends to you ?


Doctors take pride in their professional competence

Patients have no way of judging this. Assume all doctors are competent !

Judge by their behaviour Need to improve your EQ – a high IQ is not enough !


“The patient will never care how much you know, until they know how much you care !”


E - Eye contactM - Muscles of Facial Expression

P – PostureA - AffectT - Tone of Voice, TouchH - Hearing the whole personY - Your responsewww.thebestmedicalcare.com

• Dissatisfaction = Mismatch between Expectation and Reality

• Satisfied patients will tell three other people

• Dissatisfied patients will tell 20 others. • However, if you can satisfy an unhappy patient, he will tell at least 50 others, and become your most valuable ally !


There will be slips and lapses

Master the art of service recovery

Take ownership of the problem – it’s your clinic !


• R = Re-establish rapport ( empathy)• A = Agreement ( get the patient to say

Yes)• P = Problem ( define this)• S = Solution• A = Ask Permission ( is the patient happy

with the solution you have offered ?)• N = Next step ( Follow up)• D = Document



Doctor did not explain properlyNot enough time with the doctor

Unnecessary long wait time Rude staffOverchargingPoor documentationwww.thebestmedicalcare.com


Treat all patients as VIPs.

Respect them !The lifetime value of a patient



Happy patients have better treatment outcomes !

More compliant because they are engaged

Fewer medical errors , because they keep the medical staff alert

Less likely to sueHappier patients heal better !


To cure sometimes, to relieve often, to comfort always


Everything else is paperwork !Need to delight your patients – one patient at a time

Happy Patients = Happy Doctors, Happy Nurses, Happy Staff, and a Happy Family !


Health & Medicine

How to WOW your patients