Create a positive patient experience as the foundation for a successful medical practice

As the healthcare market becomes increasingly competitive, community-based medical clinics are following the lead of major hospitals and health systems by seeking advantages to separate themselves from their competitors. One area that is receiving more and more attention is that of patient experience. At its core, healthcare is a service industry, and there are many aspects of customer service that are very applicable to clinics, hospitals, and patients.

Patient experience begins with a basic premise that patients are consumers who have a choice about where they seek care. This concept is easy to understand, but successfully executing a business strategy built on this premise can take some ingenuity.

One of the best places to start is to look to concepts and business principles from other service industries such as hospitality (ie, hotels and restaurants) and airlines. These approaches can be applied to your medical practice to create a positive patient experience that will differentiate your services.

“Patient experience begins with a basic premise that patients are consumers who have a choice about where they seek care.”
-Jeffrey Chapa, MD

Proactive patient communication

In any service industry, communication with the consumer is the first step in establishing a successful and sustainable relationship. In healthcare, setting expectations for patients and their families prior to a scheduled appointment or procedure, or early in...