- Due to the strong competition that prevails among health professionals it is essential to do everything possible to stand out from the rest.
- It is also an element to boost the finances of your office.
- From avoiding making the patient wait to offering a service with empathy, it is essential to generate long-term relationships.
One of the main concerns of doctors is to attract new patients. It is a challenge they face every day, although it is not the only one. Another goal that should always exist is to form long-term relationships. Beyond the financial aspect, to give stability to your office is important because it shows that you do your job well.
Proper care for a patient is much more complex than performing a review and offering a diagnosis. More elements are required to truly offer a quality service that stands out from the rest. When someone comes to you, they are not only looking for a solution to their illness, but also complete accompaniment and help.
With the above in mind, we share some tips that you should put into practice in your professional life. By doing so you will increase the chances of generating long-term relationships.
Avoid keeping patients waiting
Consider what happens before the patient enters the office. One of the most recurring complaints is the waiting time. If it is too much, when they spend with you they will show an annoying attitude that can last for the rest of the consultation. And that’s not all because errors of this type cause them to decide to change their doctor.
In this sense, if it is a scheduled consultation, you must calculate the attention time and respect the beginning of each one. In this way the spaces between each one are reduced and thus the start time is respected without affecting the patients.
Pleases all patients equally
It does not matter if it is a patient who comes to you for the first time or has already visited you before because there are some aspects that can never be missing. Remember that from the Hippocratic Oath it is mentioned that you must attend to all people equally. It is based on the quality of your service that he will decide if he wants to return with you or change you for one of your colleagues.
In the same way, patients who have visited you on previous occasions know your way of working and that is why they have decided to return with you. They have high expectations and if they are not met or disappointed, it will be the end of the relationship.
Regardless of whether they are a first-time patient in your office or have already visited you before, you must offer optimal care that motivates them to return. Although it may seem simple, it is actually a strong challenge that all doctors face and not all of them achieve satisfactory results.
Personalize each query
Regarding what happens inside the office, another very important aspect that you should never forget is to personalize the consultations. Always call the patient by her first or last name and offer a warm and courteous greeting the moment she passes with you. Remember that there is no longer a need for a handshake but a simple “good morning” and try never to lose eye contact so that the rest of the attention flows naturally.
During the consultation, solve all the doubts that the patient asks you. Do not wait until the end, but you must offer an answer instantly and thus you will avoid misunderstandings or the accumulation of questions.
Regarding the clarification of doubts, avoid using technical language that only health professionals understand. You must put yourself in the patient’s place and use simple words that people outside Medicine can understand. Avoid fancy terms and try to be direct in your explanations so as not to confuse visitors.
Develop your medical empathy
Another feature that you should never forget is to project medical empathy to the patients. He always transmits security and shows a courteous attitude because they are elements that help in the emotional part. It is natural that if someone visits you it is because they are sick; however, beyond physical health you must also focus on the mental aspect to offer a comprehensive service.
Throughout the consultation you should always put all your attention on the patient and avoid being distracted by any object that is in your office. You should only use the computer to write the respective recipe and your phone only if necessary to answer any questions. In no way lose eye contact or show disinterest in the person because a negative image will be generated towards you.
transmit security
At the end of the consultation, offer a message of support and reiterate to the patient that in case of any complication they can contact you. If you have a website or social networks, it is the precise moment in which you should mention them. Even if you have business cards you can deliver one.
In the first instance, the success of the consultation can be seen in the recovery of the patient. Although another way to measure the quality of your service is to see if people return to you when they have another health problem. The ideal is to succeed in both aspects because it will be what will guarantee that you met all expectations.
Also read:
Types of patients who come to a doctor’s office
The best cities in the world to open a doctor’s office
Manual to start and open your own medical office