Patient satisfaction is the backbone of organic practice growth. It’s what brings patients back and drives referrals. As I mentioned in last week’s post, we estimate that the average customer tells NINE others about a business after a positive experience.
Imagine the opportunity!
By delivering quality care with a focus on patient satisfaction, you make the most meaningful investment in the future of your business.
When you don’t know where to start, it can be overwhelming to unravel and understand what drives patient satisfaction. To make it simpler, we’ve boiled patient satisfaction down into four main pillars: Environment, Expectations, Care, and Value.
How to Improve Patient Satisfaction
By following these pillars, you can build strong patient relationships and ensure the long-term success of your physical therapy practice.
Environment:
Cultivate a Comfortable Environment
Practice environment makes or breaks a first impression. This includes two main components: physical atmosphere and the attitude of you and your team.
Physical atmosphere is perhaps more straightforward: ensure your space is clean, warm, and inviting. You want your clients to feel safe and relaxed in your office. If your practice is mobile or telehealth, even better! There’s no place like home.
Secondly, ensure that the attitudes of your staff and practitioners follow suit. This means taking good care of your team and facilitating mutual respect. Every member of your team should be enthusiastic about your practice and mission! This attitude should rub off on your patients, conveying a positive outlook on their overall patient journey.
Expectations:
Manage Patient Expectations
Unreasonable expectations will ruin your shot at improving patient satisfaction. It doesn’t matter what you deliver if it’s less than expected. For this reason, you MUST prioritize clear expectation setting with your patients. For an entire post dedicated to this topic, check out “9 Steps to Expectation Setting with Your PT Patients.”
Care:
Practice Patient-centered Healthcare
None of us enjoy feeling like we’re being passed through a machine. Unfortunately, too much of healthcare neglects the individual and emotional needs of patients, leaving them to feel this very way. Patient-centered healthcare looks at each patient as an individual and emphasizes patient engagement. Want to dive further into patient engagement? See PtEverywhere’s “2023 Guide to Patient Engagement.”
Value:
Deliver Value-based Service
PtEverywhere was founded with the objective of helping physical therapy practice owners scale the profitability of their cash based practices.
I’m NOT saying that you should ever undercharge for your services. What I am suggesting is that you take steps to reinforce with your clients the value in the treatment they’re receiving. In large part, this means organizing your PT practice with a focus on partnering with patients to help them achieve their goals while optimizing movement, strength, range of motion, and general wellness. Let this serve as a call to provide holistic, sustainable care!
Pro-Tips to Improve Patient Satisfaction
Implementing a few extra touches and going the extra mile can significantly improve patient satisfaction. By incorporating these pro-tips and creative approaches into your practice, you can increase patient satisfaction:
Implement Telehealth Services: Offer telehealth options for follow-up appointments or consultations. This convenient service can be particularly beneficial for patients with mobility challenges or those living in remote areas.
Focus on Active Listening: Train your staff to practice active listening during patient interactions. By empathetically hearing patients' concerns and addressing their questions, you create a supportive and trusting environment.
Minimize Wait Times: Respect your patients' time by efficiently managing appointments and minimizing wait times. A well-organized schedule demonstrates your commitment to providing a seamless and hassle-free experience.
Conduct Patient Satisfaction Surveys: Periodically conduct comprehensive patient satisfaction surveys to gain valuable insights into their experiences and identify areas for improvement.
Personalized Follow-up: Make it a practice to follow up with your patients after their appointments. A simple phone call or email to check on their progress and well-being shows that you genuinely care about their health and recovery.
Can PT Management Software Help With Patient Satisfaction?
Yes, investing in PT management software can positively impact patient satisfaction. Such software can streamline administrative tasks, improve communication with patients, and provide easy access to their treatment plans and progress. Additionally, automated appointment reminders and scheduling features can enhance the overall patient experience.
You can actually increase your growth by using practice management software!
For instance, by utilizing PtEverywhere's comprehensive PT management software, you create an environment that prioritizes improving patient satisfaction, engagement, and efficient care delivery.
Summary
So, why is patient satisfaction important?
Patient satisfaction is a vital aspect of any successful physical therapy practice. By focusing on the four pillars of patient satisfaction - Environment, Expectations, Care, and Value - you can create a patient-centric practice that fosters loyalty, referrals, and long-term success.
Embracing creative ways to increase patient satisfaction as a core principle will set your practice apart and ensure a bright future in the healthcare industry.
As always, PtEverywhere is here to help! We are eager to pursue patient satisfaction together. Request a demo to learn more about how PtEverywhere can streamline your practice management and enhance the patient experience.