ABSOLUTELY!
Customer Care is Important in the Medical Industry
As long as a patient receives the necessary medical care, does it really matter if her experience is a superior one?
I think it does.
Over the course of the past 15 years, I have observed the experiences with medical care providers of each of my parents, my step-Dad, and my sister, and I have had my own up-close and very personal experiences with a variety of medical providers. It is through these observations, my own experiences, and discussions with a variety of individuals – each with their own stories about their experiences with the medical industry – that I draw this conclusion.
A brief medical history: My mother was diagnosed with a rare form of MS twelve years ago; my father died in a local hospital after spending one month in the CCU due to a ruptured aneurysm; my step-dad – who, among other procedures, had successful double bi-pass surgery; my sister has been in and out of hospitals and seen a variety of specialists in three different states, and for a variety of medical issues; and over the course of the past two months, I have had the great fortune – or misfortune – of being a patient in two different Emergency Rooms, four doctor’s offices, two different doctors within the same practice, one specialist, and the inpatient wards of two different hospitals.
My Observations and Conclusions:
- Some practices and some individual doctors are concerned with their patients’ experience. As such, they are considerate of:
- Their patient’s time. They do not keep patients waiting more than 20 minutes beyond their scheduled appointments.
- Their patient’s knowledge and understanding of their physical health, situation, options and progress.
- Their patient’s overall mental well-being. Before a patient leaves their office/care, they make certain they are okay mentally and emotionally. Either the doctor herself, or someone from their office, follows up with and checks in with the patient.
- Their patient’s complete health. They coordinate and collaborate with colleagues, experts and other providers in order to insure that their patient’s complete health is considered.
- If the provider refers the patient to another medical provider for tests or other expertise, they either schedule the appointments and place the ‘orders’, or they make certain the patient has all of the necessary documentation and understanding of what they need and why.
- The patient’s family and loved ones. The provider takes the time to include the family and loved ones when appropriate and where the necessary consent has been provided.
- As a rule, doctors could learn a thing or two about patient CARE from the nurses and their colleagues with fewer initials following their names.
- And, as a rule, male doctors need to get over themselves and could learn a thing or two about patient CARE from their female colleagues.
Above all other ‘clients’, patients deserve the best possible experience. After all, ‘Without health, there is no point. To anything.’ ~Everett Mámor
Please share your thoughts and experiences.
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