Satisfied patients make repeat clients. With today’s “clientele” treating healthcare more like retail and hospitality, experience is everything. This also means that loyalty isn’t guaranteed: they will “shop” to find a practice that meets their needs. To ensure profitability and a full schedule, healthcare practitioners need to pivot to running a patient-focused practice. Here’s how.
Know What Your Patients Want
When you understand your patients, you can anticipate their needs. You know abstractly that they want a great experience, but what does that mean? Analyze your patient demographics, the services they use, and the services or amenities that tie into those needs to see where you can make changes to better serve them. Use surveys, reviews, call data analysis, scheduling data, and competitor analysis to give you insight into potential improvements. Telehealth may offer increased support for some patients, while others might prefer an on-site lab, pharmacy, or access to providers offering complementary therapies. You might be able to reconfigure your practice to provide better privacy or switch to online billing and scheduling for increased efficiency. Listen to your patients, and work to ensure that you’re meeting their needs to the best of your ability.
Double Down on Relationships
Patient relationships should always come first. The time spent building rapport and gaining trust is critical not only to healthcare outcomes but also to how patients perceive and talk about your practice. In addition to investing in ample face-to-face time with every patient, ensure your staff is trained to treat every patient as an individual. Take notes about occupations, interests, or family, and always greet patients warmly, by name, and with a conversation. Patients should feel that they’re being looked after throughout their whole experience, so extend the attention beyond the time in your exam room – a follow-up call can make a world of difference.
Tailor Your Care Provision
Patients aren’t a monolith. Be mindful of the different needs and expectations of people from different backgrounds or generations, and try to identify and break down barriers where possible. If language fluency or literacy creates a barrier, have access to an interpreter, or invite a family member to sit in. For younger patients who value personal agency, strive to be collaborative: include them in developing a care plan. In cases where experience with technology is low, offer printed materials and provide an alternative means for scheduling appointments or making payments. Consider things like nursing or play areas if you serve families or patients with young children. The more you tailor your care, the more patients will feel that they’re prioritized and included.
Invest in Your Practice – Talk to GZ
An investment in your practice is an investment in your patients. If you suspect that your physical practice is affecting your ability to run a patient-focused clinic, talk to the team at GZ Realty. As medical real estate professionals, we can help you find the perfect space – and ensure that your lease terms work to serve you, your practice, and your patients.