If you’re a healthcare provider, you must get feedback from patients. Without it, you have no idea whether there are issues that must be addressed. You risk considerable patient dissatisfaction unless you ask for feedback.
Patient feedback lets you know how your patients perceive your healthcare practice and the patient care you provide. Based on feedback, you can improve the quality of care you provide — and ultimately, patient satisfaction. Both factors will improve new patient acquisition and retention.
Currently, patients are leaving their healthcare providers based on poor in-person experience, lack of access, and communication. In one survey, 8 out of 10 patients left a provider because of a poor in-person experience
This trend makes it vital that you ask patients for feedback, to see what they really think — and how you can improve your processes. Feedback helps providers understand what a patient wants.
For example, online access to appointment is one factor: 73% of patients expect to schedule appointments online, and will be frustrated if you don’t offer that service. They might prefer appointment reminders via text. But if you don’t ask what your patients are thinking, you’ll never know.
Positive reviews from patients certainly have power in boosting your online reputation — invaluable in attracting new patients. But negative reviews can have a similar effect in deterring prospective patients from trusting your practice.
Some 85% of consumers trust online reviews as much as they do personal recommendations; The majority won’t consider a provider whose average star rating is 3 out of 5. Therefore, you must ensure that satisfied patients share testimonials on social media or review websites – as this is critical to your success.
Patient feedback helps providers give better care
When a patient has left your practice, you must act quickly to get their feedback on the encounter. Did you provide the right advice? Did you seem rushed? Were you too focused on the medical records? This type of feedback will help you assess your performance and make the experience better for the next time.
The best strategy to build a culture of open communication among staff of all levels, where any idea that might benefit the practice is discussed. When you openly share and discuss patient feedback, you create the best environment for high-performing teams. When trust is established among staff members, constructive discussions can take place that uncover ways the practice’s performance can be improved for the benefit of patients.
When you receive negative feedback, it is critical to respond in a timely manner. These patients just want to be heard. When you respond quickly, surveys show the majority of patients are satisfied. When you don’t respond, there’s a spike in dissatisfaction.
Requesting patient reviews might seem daunting, but doesn’t have to be. Simply send a digital request providing an immediate opportunity to respond. With automated patient feedback surveys, it’s simple to encourage patients to post positive reviews online, too. Surveys show that when providers ask for reviews, they were twice as likely to post one.
Overwhelmed? Let us handle the details
Somnowell Marketing has a team in place to professionally create and execute your marketing and customer communications campaigns. The team can help you with emails requesting patient reviews, as well as social media, website content & design, SEO, landing pages, blogs, messaging — they can handle it all, taking the burden off your shoulders. The information is always from respected sources, and will dispel any misinformation. Your online content and social media posts are an investment in your sleep company’s reputation — and that’s undeniably priceless.
