What Patients Hate That Healthcare Providers Should Stop
Everyone needs to go to the doctor from time to time and though it can be anxiety inducing for most patients, there are things you can do to lessen that frustration. By getting rid of some of the more troubling elements of doctor’s appointments, you can make your office a more pleasant place to be and help your patients to feel better about their experiences in your care.
Long Waits
Waiting is always hard, but when you are waiting for something you don’t even want to do, it is even more difficult. That’s why reducing wait times at your practice can help your patients feel better and return to your office next time they are ill. Patients are often already stressed when they arrive at your office and having to sit around, and wait can increase that stress significantly. Patients expect to be able to get in and out of your office in a reasonable time and failing to meet that expectation can hurt you in reviews. Many doctor’s offices have policies about patient tardiness, but if you fail to run your appointments on time, it can feel hypocritical to those patients.
Surprise Bills
Even people who love surprises hate surprise bills. More than 90% of consumers received a surprise bill in 2019. Help your patients by keeping them informed of costs and letting them know in advance what costs they may incur. This will help your patients to be informed about the process, save money, and avoid defaulting on bills they didn’t expect. The more informed your patients are, the less chance they will have to be surprised and frustrated by a bill that comes in too high.
Poor Communication
Communication is an essential part of any health practice, and if the communication is poor at your office, your patients are sure to notice. Make sure to communicate clearly with patients, to send out reminders regularly, and to make sure that when your office promises a treatment or appointment that they follow through. Poor communication can be annoying to patients, but it can also lead to serious problems if they misunderstand instructions or aren’t told about essential parts of their care.
Making the doctor’s office a little less stressful will go a long way towards helping you retain patients and gain new ones. Get rid of some of the things patients hate so your office can be somewhere they want to recommend.
Need help improving the business side of your practice? We can help!
