Improving Health Practice Efficiency & Effects on Patient Satisfaction

Are you looking to keep regular patients and gain new ones? In order to do so, you must improve your practice’s efficiency by keeping costs for you and your patients relatively low. 

Most people realize that healthcare is a great profession because there is never a lack of patients. However, with more people using the Internet than ever before, people are able to find new providers who offer quicker service at lower costs. 

We’re going to discuss how you can keep patients happy, gain new ones, keep costs low, and ultimately make more money by increasing your efficiency. Keep reading for more information! 

Staff Training

Customer service is important in any industry but when patients are sick or in pain, they want to be greeted pleasantly and be seen by a doctor quickly. In order for this to happen, your staff needs great training & tools. 

It’s likely that your administrative and clinical employees already know what they must do for their job. However, we must stress that customer service and friendliness will go a long way in keeping patients happy (and having them tell their friends about your practice.)

Aside from being friendly, customer service is about being able to give accurate wait times for urgent care visits and easily schedule patients. This can get hectic when there are multiple doctors or practitioners in the same office which means appointments can fall through the cracks, wait times skyrocket, and patients opt to find other services. 

Luckily for you, there are multiple ways you can fix this problem and one of them is investing in a simple and effective practice management software. It can help you book appointments and keep track of multiple calendars effortlessly, saving you time and unnecessary worries.  

Group Similar Activities

If your practice functions primarily by scheduling appointments, it is wise to group them accordingly. For instance, school physicals are routine visits that don’t require huge blocks of time. Block off a set time period during each day to see these patients in a timely manner. 

This allows the clinical staff to move at a quicker pace as they establish their own rhythm and ensures that the patients waiting on these visits don’t become backlogged. Even better, consider investing in technology from https://www.thryv.com/features/service-scheduling-software/ to further streamline the process. 

Daily Meeting

Your practice’s operating hours will help determine when to schedule a daily meeting. If you happen to be a 24-hour center, you may choose to have a meeting at the beginning of each shift. Otherwise, a meeting at the beginning of the day is ideal. 

This meeting should cover any known major issues and what may be encountered for that day. It can be as simple as letting your team know that the office is booked for the day, offering to reschedule appointments, or discussing any important issues, such as an employee being out of the office so that you can organize their load of work. 

Use Technology to Your Advantage!

There are certain medical issues that do not necessarily need an in-person visit to a doctor. In fact, some of these visits aren’t necessary at all, but the patient needs the peace of mind that comes from speaking with your medical clinical staff. 

Instead of risking a worsening of a patient’s situation or spending money on an in-person visit, consider offering virtual doctor’s appointments. This type of software is different than your office management software in that your patients can speak with a clinical staff member directly to mitigate medical issues. 

This service provides four major benefits for practice efficiency:  

  • Keep your in-house staff from being inundated with patients thereby offering timely service (keeping clinical staff less stressed & patients happy)
  • Offer cost savings to patients as this service is less expensive than a physical trip to the office
  • Allow more face time with patients who truly need it which increases their satisfaction and likelihood to return
  • Confirm appointments beforehand to give an accurate depiction of each day which allows staff to reschedule appointments as needed or squeeze in emergencies

Though choosing to offer virtual doctor’s appointments can seem counterintuitive and expensive, the truth is that it is convenient and allows for better profit margins in the long run. 

Dispense Prescriptions in Office

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As a consumer, it is frustrating to travel to one appointment, only to be told you must drive to another business and wait. This is basically what happens when a doctor writes patients’ prescriptions. 

Instead of adding a trip to the pharmacy to an already ill or injured patient, in-office prescription dispensing is an excellent alternative. Opting to add this type of program to your office will ensure each prescription is filled correctly and taken as prescribed. This helps your practice remain effective & efficient which keeps everyone happy! 

Additionally, these programs allow you to dispense medication at a lower cost than found at pharmacies while still making a profit. 

Happy Patients, Better Efficiency And Your Practice

Some of the above suggestions are free while others cost money and time to implement. However, if your goal is to improve your practice’s efficiency to enhance each patient’s experience, the following them will allow you to do so.

Whether you choose to execute one or all of these tips & tools, you will make huge returns on your investments by retaining current patients and gaining new referrals. Ultimately, this increases profits and allows for continued growth!

If you enjoyed this article, check out the rest of our site for more helpful tips about growing your practice!