Do You See What Your Patients See?

How’s your practice going? I don’t mean profits, number of patients, or the team’s performance. I’m talking about the actual building that holds your practice.

Patients see the little things you don’t. They see the weeds in your parking lot, the air freshener that ran out, the bug that got stuck in the observation light. These things might be little, but they really add up. Flaws in the physical space can hinder the patient experience.

They also affect which tier you’re in. Think of it this way—you might think your practice is a Michelin-star restaurant, but your patients think it’s a McDonald’s!

Find the little flaws by walking through your practice with the eyes of a patient. Ask your team to sit in the waiting room, walk the hallways, and lie in the observation chairs. Have everyone write down what they see and discuss their findings after the exercise.

Divide the flaws into three categories: it costs nothing, it costs a little, and it costs a lot. Fix the flaws that cost nothing first, like pulling the weeds in your parking lot. Then, replace the air freshener that ran out four months ago. Lastly, call someone to get that dang bug out of the light bulb!

Watch this video with your team to see how the exercise works. A few quick fixes go a long way toward improving the patient experience!