Over one hour wait and my visit is free…why do I have to pay you if I come late, but you never pay if I wait over an hour?
What does a TV and DVD cost these day? Put one by every seat and let me watch CNN or my soap opera or a DVD…better than having to choose between an ancient copy of People, “Brad and Jen in Love!” or Time, “Nixon Resigns!” or magazines I am not interested in, Bolivian Agricultural Monthly.
The same goes for free coffee or a cola…give me a break, you are earning too little to afford drinks for your patients?
I am so tired of filling out the same damned form every time…ever hear of the Internet? Let me fill out the form once and re-send it to you every time I arrive.
Get an interior decorator who is Gay - most doctor’s offices look like a double wide at the trailer camp. BTW, if you have dead plants in the office, it doesn’t make your patient feel good (“Geez, if he can’t even keep a plant alive…”).
Treat your patients like guests at your home…not like customers in line at Walmart.
I agree with the guests in your home, but not the individual tvs. The noise alone would send me screaming. Plus, like someone said above, most people need to gather their thoughts.
Plants: use a plant service. They aren’t that expensive, and your plants (and fish!) are well taken care of and beautiful. Fish tanks are wonderful.
Kids: if you don’t treat them don’t allow them in the waiting room. If you do, have a seperate area for families.
Give full value. No 50 minutes hours. So your appts don’t fall on the hours, big deal.
Call the people you see clients, not patients. Patients are sick, clients are simply consumers. It helps keep them on track and keeps you a bit humble. You’re providing a service, you are no better than any person who walks through your door. Think of yourself as a plumber or an electrician. If you become a THERAPIST, rather than providing therapy, you’ve lost.
Thanks, everyone, for the thoughtful comments…keep 'em comin! I am happy to say that most of these suggestions are things I have already resolved to try to do!
Foxy40 , I must confess that I am not sure exactly what a Practice Management Consultant does. Could you expand?
Oh, yeah, Lagavulin, I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Wible of idealmedicalpractice.com fame recently and was quite impressed. This thread is my first effort at putting her advice to solicit community input into practice.
I work for a medical network company and talk to doctors all day long. A couple of things:
Never sign anything without reading it. I know it sounds basic, but there are a lot of providers that don’t seem to read their paperwork.
Know what carriers you’re going to be a part of what you are not. I’m not saying you have to join them all, just be correct and honest when perspective patients call.
Make sure your staff is professional and knows what you want done.
Don’t have advertisements for yourself on your hold music. It’s annoying.
I know you went to school to be a doctor, but make sure you have some idea about the business end of things, like your TIN, your NPI number and your DEA numbers are and what a CPT code is.
And on a personal note, return your patients’ phone calls. I’ve left messages for my OB/GYN three or times a week for the past 6 weeks asking for a paper copy of a script she’s already written for me and to give me some damned test results. I’ve even gone down there and I still don’t have it. Don’t do that to your patients. They resent it. And wonder how you have a medical degree.
My GP is a tool, don’t be a tool, patients don’t like that.
And most importantly, since you in Chicago, move to Milwaukee and give my name to all your drug reps (I cater). That’s the best advice.