Can You Level the Playing Field with Chronically Late Doctors?

Doctor’s offices don’t spring to mind when you think of great Customer Experiences. Although paper gowns and cold hands play a part in that, the entire healthcare industry has been marred by excessive wait times, endless amounts of paperwork and complicated administrative procedures.

While healthcare organizations exist to help people, patients feel they are just numbers, or in the worst case, they feel neglected by the system. And while offering excellent care physically, many doctors and their offices forget about their patients’ emotional needs.

Emotions account for more than half the typical Customer Experience, a fact that holds true for patients in a healthcare setting, as well. If a doctor and his staff are attentive, personable and professional, patients notice. But even a well-qualified and well-equipped doctor can leave patients dissatisfied. How?

According to CNN’s recent article, Would Your Doctor Pay for Your Wasted Time?, excessive wait times are to blame. The article highlights profiles a simple way some doctors have tackled the issue: Doctors concerned with their patients’ experience have begun to pay when they are late for an appointment.

The article highlights several cases where doctors are creatively addressing delays and acknowledging the value of their patients’ time – all leading to a better patient experience. One patient summed it up well, "like we all learned in kindergarten, it's about respecting each other."

If your doctor keeps you waiting endlessly, the article offers five tips on how to get them to pay up or change. The last suggestion is to take to the internet and blog about it, as one man did just before he received an apology from the head of the practice that made him wait.

There are many ways that doctors and the healthcare industry can address the emotional needs of their patients by providing a great patient experience. One particularly excellent example was featured in our July 21 case study webinar, which provided an in-depth look at how the Memorial Herman Hospital System (MHHS) successfully shifted to a patient-centric culture.