New Patient Experience Maximizer

Checklist 3

(Follow up) CUSTOMER SERVICE FOLLOW-UP

Completed To Do

______1. Discuss follow-up systems for consultation patients

______2. If patient a calls during non-office hours and speaks to another doctor, or is seen by a doctor who is covering for you, call the patient personally to check in with them

______3. Follow up patient visits with a phone call, "Mr. Smith? I was just calling to see if any questions or concerns came to you after you left our practice today. I also want to know if you felt there was anything we could have done better or differently during your visit today."

______4. Follow-up with a call to patients the evening of treatment (Doctor) and (for larger cases) 3 days later (staff member) and 60 days later (staff member).

______5. Send a letter to patients after consult and exam summarizing what was determined, discussed, and treatment options presented.

______6. Send handwritten notes after consultations.

______7. Ask patients for testimonials at post-operative appointments. Create a book of patient testimonials. Patients' before and after photos can be mounted in the book beside their letter.

______8. Each clinical staff member should send 3 postcards or notes to patients who are treated each week. Notes could mention personal news that was discussed at the visit, or could be a positive reinforcement of treatment progress.

______9. After a patient completes a cosmetic treatment, offer a gift certificate for a make-over or day at the spa.

2 PATIENT EDUCATION AS A CUSTOMER SERVICE STRATEGY

Completed To do

______1. Make sure patients know how your services benefit them. Never assume this is obvious to patients.

______2. Always tell the patient how you are providing superior customer service. This should be done for every patient who calls or comes into the office. For example, if you have a staff person who handles insurance, make sure the patient knows that the staff member will assist the patient and make filing claims as easy as possible.

______3. Give patients information to take home with them. Don't let any patient leave the office without tangible evidence of your commitment to patient education. Be sure the information has your name and phone number on it.

______4. Create information sheets about specific services to be given to patients after their visit.

______5. Develop a patient instruction form that can be filled in with customized post-op instructions.

______6. Consider using educational materials in different formats. These might include printed, models, DVD’s, drawings and computer interactive materials.

______7. Make sure all patients are aware of your commitment to provide the highest quality care to the patient and how continuing education will benefit them.

______8. Emphasize how continuing education and new technologies increase patient comfort and provide superior clinical care. Patients should know that the practice is making these investments in order to give them the best possible dental experience.

3 Measuring Patient Satisfaction

Completed To do

______1. Create a statistically valid patient survey. Utilize questions such as "Was the office clean, friendly, etc. Would you refer another patient to this office?" Keep at front desk. Front desk person asks "Would you do me a favor? Will you fill this out, because we are trying to be the best we can be?"

______2. Measure patient satisfaction by totals.

______3. Conduct exit interviews when a patient leaves the practice. Always ask "How was your visit today?"

______4. Have a suggestion box with note cards in reception area. If patients sign their names to their suggestion, call and thank them personally. Always look for contact opportunities.

______5. Have a friend or spouse place a mystery patient call to the answering service.

______7. Set concrete goals for customer service. For example, 95% of patient survey should rate customer service as "excellent".

______8. Provide patient comment sheet to attain feedback on patient concerns.

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