Let’s Do Better: 5 Healthcare Consulting Tips to Improve Patient Care
Healthcare has immensely changed in recent years – if that’s good or bad it’s up to you.
It is difficult to please every single patient that walks through your clinic door, whether they’re young or old, sick or healthy. If their appointment is behind schedule or they aren’t getting your undivided attention then they will be grumpy, upset and extremely unpleasant to treat.There are measures that you can employ to ensure that you provide exemplary medical care at your office, no matter your speciality, the number of patients to see or staff members you have.
By the end, you will know that you provided outstanding healthcare and your patients will be extremely satisfied, even if they have been surrounded by constant sternutation and coughing.
Here are five healthcare consulting tips to improve patient care:
1. A.I.D.E.T. Are the Initials to Adopt
When you want to avoid having an irate patient or terrible online reviews from dissatisfied clients, you and your team need to adopt AIDET for communicating with patients and families.
These are the initials and what they stand for:
- A: acknowledge
- I: introduce
- D: duration
- E: explanation
- T: thank you
AIDET.
Simply put: you must always put yourself in their position and note how you want to be treated.
2. It’s Time to S.T.A.R.T. Now
Another acronym that medical offices are beginning to adopt thanks to healthcare consulting is S.T.A.R.T. This has become the go-to acronym for preventing angry patients and ensuring that all of your patients remain calm at all times and will return in the future.
Here are the initials and what they stand for:
- S: smile and greet
- T: tell your name and position
- A: active listening and assistance
- R: relationship building
- T: thank the patient
Once you S.T.A.R.T. you can’t stop!
3. You Need to Automate & Go Mobile
No one will ever argue the fact that personnel in the healthcare industry are overworked. They have to deal with paperwork, emails, forms, schedules and the list goes on. It can be hard to complete the day’s duties in a standard eight-, nine- or 10-hour day.
What’s the solution? It’s simple: you need to automate and embrace mobile technology.
Automation can help you perform and complete mundane and tedious tasks, such as emailing, scheduling and filling in forms. Mobile, meanwhile, can allow you move about the office without being attached to a landline or a desktop computer. So, utilize smartphones and tablets.
4. Differentiate & Empower Your Staff
It can be frustrating for patients trying to speak with a staff member about a specific problem they have. Oftentimes, they will speak with someone employed at the office who isn’t even in charge of that issue. This is why you should always differentiate your staff with name-tags, identifications on the wall and, once again, AIDET!
At the same time, some office staffers may be frustrated by the fact that they feel handcuffed and that they can’t help a person. An easy remedy to this common concern is to give your staff more autonomy so they won’t feel tied to office protocol, their desks or their superiors.
5. Ensure Your Inventory is Well Stocked
One of the worst things that can happen to you is when you are out of certain items. Whether it is forms, needles or bandages, not having a well-stocked inventory can take a hit to your reputation and definitely prompt patients to become outraged by your negligence.
Let’s be honest: mistakes happen, but this is a critical error that should always be avoided.
At the end of the day, take a look at your inventory and keep your mind at ease.
Healthcare consulting has certainly turned into an imperative service for stressed out, overworked and busy medical office. Healthcare consulting practices can streamline operations, improve your workflow and help ensure everyone is on the same page. In today’s environment, hiring a healthcare consultant is more important than ever before.
