10 Efficiency Tips for Providing the Best Possible Patient Experience and Making for a Happy Team

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10 Efficiency Tips for Providing the Best
Possible Patient Experience and Making for a
Happy Team
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And we begin with first impressions

• Which would your patient's rather see when they
  first walk through the door??

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Hmmmmmm
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Make sure you give a warm and fuzzy feeling
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Tip 1 Complete

• Make sure the first faces your patients see are
  friendly and the environment you are offering in
  your reception area is warm and inviting.
• Patients should feel relaxed and at home.

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Next is patient intake

• By utilizing technologies and sometimes even
  snail mail, patients should be able to fill out
  their New Patient paperwork ahead of time.
• Upon scheduling appointments, staff should say,
  Now prior to your appointment, we need you to go
  to our website, print and fill out your
  information. Please bring it with you at the time
  of your visit.

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Don't assume by age

• The elderly population is more web savy than you
  think. No matter what age, ask if they have
  access to the internet and are able to fill out
  their forms ahead of time.
• If they say no, and time permits, mail the intake
  forms and ask that they fill them out at home.
• Older patients take more time to fill out forms
  and should not feel rushed to do so.

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Make sure your patients are prepared

• Patients must be held responsible.
• They must present with a photo I.D. And their
  insurance card(s).
• Medication/allergy/surgery lists are also a
  requirement.
• Copayments and referrals are due at the time of
  service.

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Insurance contracts

• Make sure your patients understand that not
  collecting copayments or having referrals in
  place, is a violation of the contract you have
  with your insurance companies.
• Educate and inform and they will argue less.

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Tip 2 Complete

• Hold your patients responsible

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Scheduling

• Train both back and front office staff to
  understand patient types and treatment protocols
  in order to schedule with the utmost efficiency.

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Don't just fill up the spaces

• Double and triple booking can work well if there
  is a method to scheduling.
• Shadowing the doctor is important for all staff
  members to understand what is involved in each
  patient visit.
• Appointments can be scheduled accordingly to keep
  the doctor on time.

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Tip 3 Complete

• Keep patient flow moving in a positive direction.

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Reason coding

• Every patient type should have a
  color/reason/time code.
• Examples
• RFC/Diabetic foot care 15 min (gray)
• Wart treatment -15 min (blue)
• Surgery consult -30 min (light green)
• Post op -15 min (dark green)
• New patient 30 min (yellow)
• Review MRI- 15 min (maroon)

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It makes life easy

• By color coding appointments according to reason,
  staff and doctor are able to quickly look over
  the schedule and prepare.
• This also avoids double booking similar patient
  types, which keeps the schedule moving on time
  throughout the day.

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Tip 4 complete

• Color/reason code everywhere you can!

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Be the buffer

• Staff members never realized that part of the job
  description read, Take the heat for whatever
  goes wrong in the office. (Even if you had
  nothing to do with it).
• Patients will complain to front desk about
  deductibles and copays, back office about how
  their heel is still killing them after 2 visits
  and having to park so far away.

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So why?

• Do they hardly ever complain to the doctor!!

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Knowing how to deal is key

• Establish coping methods with staff members so
  everyone is on the same page.
• Some tips for dealing with difficult patients
  include
• Being compassionate and building rapport
• Letting them know your position
• Understanding that it is probably more than the
  issue at hand.

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White lies

• When the doctor is late or simply running behind
  because of a chatty patient, establish consistent
  white lies that keep patients content and take
  the heat off of the situation.

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Make sure the doctor is aware of the story

• Your explanation to the 900 a.m. patient who has
  not been seen by 920 (because the doctor has not
  arrived) is I'm sorry the doctor had a
  complicated surgical case this morning and is
  running a little late.
• Make sure that the doctor doesn't come in and say
  Man, the line at Starbucks was unbelievable
  today.
• NOT GOOD!

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Tip 5 complete

• Incorporate effective buffering techniques into
  your daily routine.

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The next one is easy but rarely accomplished

• Keep your schedule running on time through
  preparation, staff training, doctor cooperation,
  patient education and. . .
• Starting your day EARLY!!!!
• If your first appointment is at 900, the patient
  should be roomed, evaluated and prepared for the
  doctor to walk in the room and begin treating at
  900!

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Tip 6 Complete

• To keep your schedule running on time, start
  early!!

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Make sure questions are answered

• Patients are often inundated with information
  (especially at their initial visit).
• Informational packets and sheets (for Diabetic
  foot care, stretching, post op) should be
  utilized whenever possible.
• Always ask Do you have any questions? before
  exiting the treatment room.

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Involve staff in education

• When staff is educated and trained in protocols
  and treatment plans, they are able to answer
  questions while the patient is still in the
  office and after they leave.
• This saves the DPM lots of time at the end of the
  patient day when staff has taken a few moments to
  answer commonly asked questions for them.

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Tip 7 Completed

• Make sure patients and team members understand
  the plan of action.

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Respect eachother

• No single member of a team is more important than
  another.
• The doctor is the captain,but would not be able
  to steer the ship and reach the destination
  without the help of his team.
• Staff and doctors need to criticize with care and
  compliment with vigor.

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Never

• Criticize another team member in front of
  patients.
• When learning a new skill, make sure proper
  training takes place before you go live.
• Teach, show and go. . .

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Always

• Say thank you at the end of the day.
• Thank your patients for coming in.
• Doctors and managers, thank staff for all of the
  hard work they have done to keep your patients
  happy and compliant and making the office a great
  place to be.
• Staff, thank your doctors and managers for
  allowing you to love what you do.

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Tip 8 Complete

• You have to give it to get it, so respect
  eachother!

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Set yourself apart from the rest

• Your patients have lots of choices when it comes
  to choosing a facility for their foot and ankle
  needs.
• The entire patient experience begins when they
  make that call to schedule their appointment.
• Make sure your patients can hear you smile
  through the phone!

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Offer what others don't

• In the fast paced world of medicine, patients are
  used to being rushed through offices and not
  listened to.
• Take the time to listen to the stories, bring up
  past stories or events (by making notes- daughter
  getting married, etc).
• Establish a relationship with your patients that
  they don't get anywhere else.

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The smallest details are remembered

• We may have an intake sheet with all of the
  patients demos, but a simple Happy Birthday
  sometimes makes their day.
• Give special gifts when occasions like these
  arise around the time of their visit and make
  them feel special.
• Chocolate feet (not for the diabetics though!)

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Referral base

• We appreciate the referrals from local docs, BUT
• Your existing patients are your best referral
  source.
• Keep track of where your referrals are coming
  from and thank these patients for trusting you
  with care of their family and friends.

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Tip 9 Complete

• Let them know they have chosen wisely

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Spread the word

• How often do patients come in to your office for
  RFC with a walking boot?
• What happened Mrs. Smith?
• Well, I fell last week and I went to my
  orthopedic doctor. He said that I have a broken
  metatarsal and he gave me this boot. Oh, I didn't
  know you did that kind of thing here.

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How will they know if you don't tell them

• Make sure your patients are educated as to ALL of
  the services you provide.
• Hang literature around the office re fractures,
  warts, ingrown toenails, surgery and more to
  educate your patient population.
• Practice brochures are a great way to discuss the
  role of a podiatrist as well as to advertise
  products offered in the convenience of the
  office.

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Tip 10 Completed

• Don't miss the boat!

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Podiatry is a great place to be!

• There is never a shortage of foot and ankle
  problems in the world.
• Everyday we have the opportunity to make our
  patients feel better and work in an environment
  that makes us feel good about ourselves.
• I feel lucky to be part of such a wonderful
  profession, and I hope you do too!

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Thank you!
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Accentuate the positive

• In any situation, whether it be a grumpy patient
  or a co worker in need of help, try and see the
  silver lining.
• Have you ever asked a patient How are you today
  only to hear My dog died, my blood pressure is
  up, and my grandkids only come to visit when they
  want money!
• Try and make them smile. . But your hair looks
  great!!

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Tip 8 Complete

• Turn that frown upside down!