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As the owner of a healthcare practice, whether it’s a doctor’s surgery, counseling service, physiotherapy center, or something else besides, you will know that your clients (or patients) have to be your number one priority.
As such, you should always consider ways in which you can improve their experience. By taking the appropriate steps, they will keep coming back to your practice instead of using the services of another healthcare professional elsewhere.
Here are some suggestions we hope you find useful.
#1: Make it easy for clients to book appointments
Booking an appointment can be frustrating for clients who have a long wait time on the phone.
To make life easier for them, implement an online booking tool on your website using the appropriate practice management software.
Such software can improve the experience of your clients in other ways too, as it can send appointment reminders to your clients and give you easy access to their information so you don’t have to ask them a lot of questions when they show up at your doors.
#2: Ask for feedback
The best way to improve the client experience is to ask them for feedback. They might have suggestions that could help not just them but other clients too, so always take note of what they have to say. Provide feedback forms at your practice and on your website and if you realize you need to make a few changes, do so without too much delay.
#3: Provide a warm welcome
Your healthcare practitioners may be caring in nature but what about your reception staff? If they are rude and prickly on the phone or at the front desk of your practice, you shouldn’t be surprised if you see a reduction in client numbers.
Therefore, take special care when hiring for your medical practice and ask for references, as this is one way to find out which candidates are good with people and which aren’t. After hiring, consider customer service training for your reception staff if you think their communication skills are lacking.
#4: Improve the waiting area
There are all kinds of ways to improve the waiting area. If the seating isn’t very comfortable, you could replace the furniture with something that is more suitable, for example. You should also provide magazines that are up to date as well as anything else that could keep your clients occupied, such as puzzle books and iPads.
If the area is cramped, you may need to make a few renovations to increase the space. Alternatively, you could rethink the space you have and make a few alterations. Finally, be sure to keep the waiting area clean and tidy as it won’t reflect well on your practice if it is in any kind of unkempt condition.
These are just a few of the ways to improve the client experience. Using the feedback you receive, you are bound to learn more suggestions so do what you can to keep your clients happy as this will benefit both them and your healthcare practice.
