1. Be punctual. Punctuality can make all the difference in a patient’s perception of his or her care. Being on time for scheduled patient visits shows the patient you care enough to arrive on time and give the patient enough time to ask questions and fully understand the information you are trying to convey to them about their condition.
“Medicine is unpredictable by nature, but generally I try to see patients at the time they’re scheduled and make every effort to give them the time they need to answer questions,” says Peter Millett, MD, M.Sc., an orthopedic sports medicine physician and shoulder specialist from the Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colo. “Part of our job as sports medicine physicians is educating the patients about their conditions and about the various treatment options that are available.”
2. Develop good interpersonal skills. Patient satisfaction is about more than good outcomes and if surgeons don’t have excellent interpersonal skills, the patient will often be dissatisfied regardless of the outcome. “Have good bedside manner and make sure you have good people on the phones,” says Peter Althausen, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Reno Orthopaedic Clinic and chairman of the board of directors of The Orthopaedic Implant Company. “We established a code of conduct to make sure patients are treated appropriately.” Surgeons should introduce themselves when they enter the patient’s room, smile at the patient and stand without their arms crossed when engaging in conversation. Use appropriate language to discuss the patient’s treatment and make sure they understand every step of the process. “These things really make patients feel better,” he says.
3. Make sure the facility is aesthetically pleasing. Rich Battista, MD, president and physician with OAA Orthopaedic Specialists in Allentown, Pa., says a practice can achieve a positive environment from encouraging staff to smile and making sure the physicians are conveniently accessible to the patients. Someone from the practice should also be calling the patients at home before and after each step of the process, which strengthens the connection between patients and the practice. “We all try to treat our patients as though they were our own family,” says Dr. Battista.
4. Have physician assistants who spend more time with the patients. If a surgeon feels like there isn’t enough time to spend with patients during initial visits, he or she should hire extra staff to spend time with patients, says Craig Levitz, MD, an orthopedic surgeon and partner at Orlin & Cohen. “Some people think it’s a waste of space and resources to hire extra personnel, but you want to invest in your resources,” says Dr. Levitz. “You are better off having an extra nurse to develop a relationship with the patient and hire extra staff to deal with the administrative aspect of the practice.” He also suggests hiring a physician’s assistant to make sure the patients are satisfied with their visits. The PAs can listen to patient stories and relay the important aspects to the surgeon before he or she visits the patient to save time. “You can bridge the quality gap with a good physician’s assistant,” says Dr. Levitz.
5. Train staff in customer service. At OrthoCarolina, staff and physicians are trained in customer service, says OrthoCarolina CEO Daniel B. Murrey, MD, MPP. The practice relies on patient satisfaction surveys, the data from which is distributed weekly to physicians and staff. “We’re also trying to develop things that aren’t available in other places, things that anticipate the needs of patients and their families,” Dr. Murrey adds. Whether it’s providing up front financial information about a procedure or helping patients figure out how much time they might need to take off from work for recovery, these extra efforts have an impact on the patient experience, he says.
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