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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Creating a calm, relaxed and professional atmosphere in your health clinic is essential if you want to attain and retain patients. This means putting in some effort to make sure your medical environment and your staff are up to par. Here are some tips to help you.
Set up a welcoming environment: Make sure you have sufficient parking spaces for your patients. The door to your practice should be clearly marked so that patients know they’re in the right place. Have a welcome sign or mat at the entrance. Make your waiting room comfortable. Set out magazines. If you have a television, show short, informative health videos.
Make a professional presentation: Patients much prefer it when healthcare staff are all dressed in scrubs. Clean, quality scrubs go a long way to instilling patient confidence. You can have your staff wear coordinated scrubs so that everyone looks like part of the team. You can find durable, high-quality scrubs at www.DickiesMedical.com. All members of your team should wear a readable name tag.
Adopt courteous behavior: All members of staff should introduce themselves by name to each patient. They should smile when they speak to patients, vendors and other members of staff, and be polite at all times. When patients have questions, staff should always listen attentively and fully address their concerns. When you have new patients, they should receive special attention, so they can get to know how the practice works.
Facilitate new patients: Provide an information booklet for new patients, one which explains your practices, services and policies. Have several different ways for patients to fill out their registration information: by computer, mailed forms and online registration. Ask patients how they would prefer you to communicate with them about any tests results. Call new patients the day after their appointment to see if they have any questions or concerns.
Provide helpful services: Print out a small card for each patient, listing their medications and any health concerns so they can carry it in their wallet or purse at all times. As patients leave their appointment, give them an information sheet detailing any medication changes and the date of their next appointment. When it comes to billing for treatment, offer patients different options, such as medical loans, financial assistance, Medicaid enrollment, and automatic debit card payments.
Make use of social media: The Internet is a great way to communicate with patients. As well as having a website detailing your practice and introducing your staff. Offer patients an opt-in monthly newsletter where you can provide information about updates to your practice and services. Make use of social media and invite patients to join your Facebook page.
Keep your patients happy: Call them two days before their appointment to remind them of the time and date and to confirm. If for some reason a patient has a bad experience at your practice, send them a hand-written apology so they know you genuinely care. If patients have to pay to park when they come to your clinic, validate their parking. Sending your patients a birthday card can be a great way to make them feel welcome.
Keep your patients informed: Help to educate patients about their medical conditions and the latest relevant research and treatments. This way they can make informed decisions about their healthcare options. They will also feel more confident about speaking up with their questions and concerns.
Use patient satisfaction surveys: This can be a great way to learn about your patients’ need if used appropriately. Before you start out with one, decide exactly what it is you want to measure. For example, do you want to know how your patients feel about the design of your office? if they would like to see you offer different services? if they are satisfied with their appointment wait time? or if they are satisfied with the quality of the treatment?
Offer meetings and classes: Encourage patients to come to the clinic outside of their appointments by offering monthly or weekly meetings. These could include, a weight loss support group, quit smoking meetings, and talks from a dietitian, a yoga expert, or a fitness trainer.
Remember, patients are important members of your healthcare team and their safety is a priority. That not only means providing a clean and safe environment for them to come for healthcare, but also keeping them informed about their health and treatments every step of the way. In this way, you will be maintaining a high-quality health clinic atmosphere and your patients will keep coming back.
Aidan Poole is a commercial interior designer working with offices, clinics and hotels to create relaxing yet professional atmospheres.
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