New Patient Experience Maximizer

Transcription

1 New Patient Experience Maximizer Checklist 1 (Front Desk)

2 CUSTOMER SERVICE AT THE FRONT DESK Completed To Do 1. Learn as much as you can about patient before the visit. Ask specific, detailed questions about the patient's needs or complaint. The doctor and staff should learn some personal information about the patient before meeting him or her. First impressions are critical. When the Doctor is prepared for meeting a new patient he/she will make a better first impression. When the doctor knows in advance several topics to talk about, conversation between patient and doctor will be easy and natural. 2. If a patient is hesitant about scheduling, offer a no-cost initial examination and consultation. The patient can then personally see that this is a practice where they would be most comfortable. 3. If possible, mail a welcome letter to all new patients that highlights the doctor's qualifications and makes the patient feel like a part of the practice. 4. Provide a map and parking information before a patient's first visit. 5. Have the scheduling coordinator call new patients before their initial appointment to welcome them to the practice. This will help to assure that the patient will be there, and also gives the patient the image of the dentist as a friendly person. They anticipate a positive experience before they even get to the office. 6. Give new patients a tour of the office. 7. Place the patient's name on the back of their chart in big letters. This way it can always be seen and the dentist won't forget the patients name. 8. Give each New Patient a Practice Orientation Packet containing information about the doctor, staff, and practice. 9. Introduce staff members and the doctor to the patient. Each team member should shake hands with the patient. 10. Spend more time with a new patient. Have a staff member go over the patient's medical history questionnaire line by line, asking questions and filling out the form for him. 11. The doctor should talk to the patient before looking at the patient s mouth. This builds relationship and creates good first impression. This differentiates you from other doctors. Make notes about patients' hobbies, interests, and family.

3 CUSTOMER SERVICE AT THE FRONT DESK Completed To Do 1. Don't use sign in sheets. The scheduling coordinator should know who is coming in. 2. Rise to greet patients (shake their hand) and come out from behind the desk. Offer to hang up the patient's coat, offer the patient a beverage, etc. In short, pretend the patient is a guest in your home and treat him accordingly. 3. Tell the patient how glad you are they came to your practice. 4. Keep current transportation schedules and maps of local routes available at the front desk. Also have phone numbers of pharmacies handy to call in a prescription if needed. 5. Never criticize or chastise a patient who is late. Develop a script for handling the situation with ultimate customer service in mind. Role-play to ensure all front desk personnel are skilled in dealing with a late patient. 6. Always ask patient when leaving, "How was your visit today?" 7. Give all patients a question card at their check-in which reads "Doctor: This is a question or concern I'd like you to address today." The patient can complete the question card and return it to the receptionist. 8. Always inform the patient if the doctor is delayed. 9. Provide as many methods of payment as possible. For example, pay in advance, credit card, outside financing. 10. Use expanded hours to make more appointment times more convenient for patients. 11. If appropriate, ask patients who will be coming for multiple visits what soft drink they prefer and have it at each visit. 12. For complex cases who will be returning often to the office, ask patient about what magazines will interest them. Take notes so that you can let the patient know that you got the magazine they requested on their next visit. Thank the patient for the feedback and let them know how much other patients have enjoyed the magazine. 13. Spend extra time with patients who are elderly or handicapped to make them feel comfortable.

4 Completed To Do 14. Help patients with their coats. When raining, offer to walk out with patient and hold umbrella for them. Offer loaner umbrellas and disposable rain bonnets. 15. Keep jumper cables, flashlight, ice scraper, and other emergency equipment on hand for patients.

5 Customer Service Ideas and Strategies for the Reception Area Completed To Do 1. Provide coffee, healthy snacks, fresh water and fruit in the reception area. You can also give the patient a toothbrush and allow them to brush just before the scheduled appointment. The availability of refreshments is especially valuable when the doctor is running late or when the patient has someone accompanying him. 2. Keep your office decor current. Redecorate every five years. This does not have to be expensive. Change the placement of furniture. Purchase or rearrange the accessories (lamps, tables, wall hangings.) Repaint in a different color. Add or change wallpaper borders. Keep it fresh! 3. Display a continuing education bulletin board. Continuing education of the staff and dentist will add value to your services. 4. Make your office photocopy machine available to patients. Encourage patients to copy magazine articles or recipes they want to take home. 5. Place fresh flowers in the reception area (and other rooms throughout the office). 6. Offer patients who need to use the phone a cordless phone if they don t have their own cell phone. 7. Provide a clipboard with note paper in the reception area so that patients can write down their questions or concerns, which may be forgotten during the examination. 8. Have the following materials available in the reception area: Town history books/pictures. Cookbooks. Have note pads printed with the practice name for patients to copy recipes or offer the use of your copy machine. Photocopy a variety of crossword puzzles so they can be used repeatedly. Daily local newspaper. Pencils and notepads. Patient education library of health and wellness materials. Display a scrapbook of dental articles from current popular magazines along with comments written by doctor. Brochure rack. Doctor s biographies.

6 Telephone Tips: Completed To Do 1. Realize that the telephone is your lifeline. Patient complaints about telephone calls may include: Put on hold too long Doctor took too long to call back Discourteous phone manner Doctor never got the message Dissatisfaction with covering doctor 2. Get an Education-on-hold system. Patients will hear about benefits of practice while on hold. 3. Return patient calls promptly. Schedule time for the doctor to make patient phone calls and return calls. 4. Have a 24 hour telephone answering service. 5. Stagger lunch breaks so a patient can always get through to someone at your office. 6. Have the Doctor's emergency contact phone number listed on his business cards. 7. Don't put the customer on hold for more than 45 seconds. This may seem like a short time to you but it seems very long if you are the one waiting! If you can't get back to them within 45 seconds (maximum) then ask, "May I have a number where I can reach you? I'll call you back in ten minutes with the information if that is convenient for you." Call back when you promised to call. If you have the information great! If not, call back to keep patient informed and let them know that you're working to meet their needs.

7 Motivating Your Customer Service Team Completed To Do 1. Always smile and be enthusiastic. Everyone has an occasional bad day. The entire staff must commit to bringing a positive attitude into the office. If you think you're going to have a bad day, you'll have a bad day. If you think the day will be wonderful, it will! 2. Decorate the office for holidays. Give patients small gifts on each holiday. For example, on Memorial Day each patient could receive a "summer survival kit." This might include water bottle, sun tan lotion, and insect repellant in individual size packets. Put the practice name and logo on these items so that patients will remember your practice when using these items. 3. Doctor should remember the staff on holidays with individual plants or flowers. 4. Buy lunch for staff meetings. 5. Find a reason to thank every team members. 6. Hold occasional staff luncheons. 7. Say thank you to other team members every day. 8. Catch people doing something right. 9. Staff members can take turns bringing in treats for the office. 10. Have birthday luncheons for employees. 11. Take an afternoon off to allow the staff to go shopping together. Give each staff member an additional $50 to spend in the mall on whatever they like. 12. Encourage staff exercise during lunchtime. 13. Provide motivation for staff to provide excellent customer service (staff member of the month with best customer service receives a gift certificate for local restaurant or store). 14. Have a bonus system that encourages staff motivation. This should be based on production and growth.

8 Training the Customer Service Team Completed To Do 1. Ensure that your office policy manual clearly defines each staff member s role in giving excellent customer service. 2. Create an employee resource library of motivational, marketing and management books and tapes. 3. Create a book or tape club where staff members read or listen to customer service materials and then analyze the points made and discuss ways to apply concepts and ideas in the practice. 4. Monthly staff development sessions - "Feed the Brain" gettogethers - combination of training and fun outings. 5. Schedule educational staff discussions to review particular cases and discuss how needed treatment or problems may affect patients. 6. Have administrative staff observe clinical care so that they can understand and answer questions. 7. Staff to attend continuing education, stress management and motivational seminars. 8. Staff members should be certified in CPR and you should post a sign in reception area so that patients will be aware and comforted. 9. Cross-train all employees. 10. Employees to shadow other employees to learn what they do. 11. Each staff member should build a relationship with the patient. Find out family information, hobbies, profession, and common interests. When staff and patients have common interests, the relationship moves beyond professional. People tend to like people who have similar interests. This also provides an "opener" for conversations between staff members and patients. 12. Direct all staff members to shake hands with the patient and say "It's a pleasure to have you as a patient". 13. Don't accept other staff member s "bad moods". Teach them to fake enthusiasm if necessary to meet the needs of the patient.