How can you delight your patients who come to your practice?

Introduction 

It's said that a clinician is only as good as his or her last patient. This means that it's important to keep on top of the best practices for keeping your patients happy, engaged, and coming back for more. Here are some ways you can delight your patients: 

A warm welcome 

A warm welcome is important for patient satisfaction. A simple gesture can go a long way. 

• A warm welcome can help patients feel more comfortable 
• A warm welcome can help patients relax 
• A warm welcome can help patients feel at ease 

A comfortable waiting room 

When your patients arrive at your practice, they should feel at home. The waiting room is the first place they see and can set the tone for their experience with you. Here are some tips for making it a good one: 

• Comfortable seating. The chairs should be comfortable and ergonomic, so that no matter how long patients have to wait, they won't experience any discomfort. 
• TV and magazines. You might even consider offering free WiFi access if it's available to you—this will help cut down on time spent sitting around not doing much while waiting! 
• Tea/coffee machine with hot water. When people get bored in line or waiting rooms, they'll often reach out for something to drink; having a nice hot beverage option will help them pass the time more quickly until their appointment begins. 
• Clean bathroom facilities. 

The use of the waiting room can help a doctor or dentist communicate the importance of their services. For example, if you have clean and comfortable seating for patients, it sends a message that you care about them as individuals; if there is also WiFi access, this shows that they're important enough to spend money on things like technology upgrades (which can also be beneficial in terms of making people feel more comfortable). 

Regular updates 

This is a great opportunity to show your patients you care. To do this, you can send them regular updates on how they are doing and what is happening in the practice. 

• Send email or text messages to keep them updated on their progress 
• Give them an update on how things are going in your practice 
• You could even call them on the phone to give an update 

Offer a personalised and seamless experience 

The first step is to make sure the patient knows who they are dealing with. This can be as simple as using their name, and using it often.  

If you have any way of knowing what has happened during their visit before meeting them (e.g., past visits), this information should also be used in a personalised manner when possible: “You had X last week; let me check again today”  

Show that you care 

• Show that you care about your patients. 
• Show that you are listening. 
• Show that you are interested in their well-being. 
• Show that you are interested in their health. 
• Show that you are interested in their welfare. 

All interactions with patients matter. You can delight your patients by giving them a warm welcome, making sure the waiting room is nice to be in, and providing regular updates on the patient's treatment. These steps, along with offering a personalised and seamless experience, will show that you care about your patients. 

Conclusion 

The key takeaway is that it's important to take every interaction with patients seriously. You can delight them by welcoming them warmly, making sure their waiting room is comfortable, providing regular updates on their treatment, and showing that you care about them as individuals—all of which will help create a memorable experience for everyone involved.