Beyond Five-Star Reviews: Why the Patient Experience Matters, and How to Improve It
by Judy Capko
Patient-centered service is a simple notion that attracts a surprising amount of controversy. Shouldn’t any business care about its customers’ experiences? But physicians and practice managers often question the idea that patients are customers. Business customers can complain when products don’t work as promised. If we treat patients as customers, are we encouraging them to expect a perfect outcome, which often leads to unrealistic expectations?
Of course not! The patient experience goes far beyond the clinical encounter and outcomes. Most of what concerns patients about service happens before and after the visit. Frustrations with administrative processes color patients’ opinions about their physicians, and may even make it harder for patients to get the care they need.
The good news is that any practice can become more patient-centered. It’s much easier than you probably think. In this e-book, we’ll explore some of the ways that being patient-centered pays off for practices and patients alike. And we’ll take a look at some simple steps you can take to bring your service game up to five-star status.
Judy Capko is a healthcare management and marketing consultant and founder of Capko & Morgan, www.capko.com. She is a noted speaker and interview subject, and has authored or co-authored a number of books, includingThe Patient-Centered Payoff – Driving Practice Growth through Image, Culture and Patient Experience. Judy has specialized in medical practice operations and business development for more than 25 years, focusing on patient service, operational and financial performance, and staff engagement.
Thousands of physicians and administrators have benefited from Judy’s advice and innovative, energetic approach to organizational management, practice economics and strategic planning. She has gained international recognition in her field, working with small and large practices, major academic faculty practices from coast to coast, and health systems in the United States and abroad.
