Improving patient satisfaction is an important goal for healthcare providers. Hospitals with higher patient satisfaction scores see a host of benefits, including better patient retention rates, higher reimbursement payments from CMS, and the assurance for staff that they delivered a positive care experience to patients.
If you are looking for ways to increase patient satisfaction scores in the hospital, follow these tips:
1. Effective communication between patient and provider isn’t just important — it can save lives. Providers should take the time to communicate with patients. Modern technology, including telemedicine, has made communicating with patients more effective and easier than ever. You must leverage technology when in-person communication isn’t an option.
2. Medical practices are often subject to a notion that patients spend hours in the waiting room, despite making a prior appointment. While situations may arise where on-call situations or emergencies may take precedence over scheduled appointments, you must try to stick to the set schedule. And, if you think the doctor might be late for the appointment, keep your patients updated on expected wait times or reschedule appointments if required.
3. As a doctor, you must be warm and friendly with patients. A bright smile can make even the most uncomfortable patient feel at home during the consultation — and it doesn’t cost anything to make a patient comfortable just by giving them a handshake or a warm smile when entering the exam room. After a few weeks of greeting patients and taking a genuine interest in their well-being, doctors may start to see a difference in their overall patient satisfaction scores.
4. If you are looking to increase patient satisfaction scores in the hospital, try to spend extra (and quality) time with patients during their appointments. Longer appointment times are even said to make up for long waiting times. By spending valuable time with patients, you can improve patient experience and build better patient-provider relationships.