What do patients want from a Healthcare facility?

The relationship between a patient and his/ her physician is one of trust and faith. The patients entrust their greatest wealth namely health into the hands of their doctor. The foundation of this relationship should be transparency so that it can be cherished for a long time.

Patient experience is a key element that can determine your healthcare set-up’s perception, help you get more footfall, retain your clientele and assure success in the long run. Read on to know what patients really want from a Healthcare facility.

1. Well-qualified physician panel

Patients want to ascertain that the doctors who are treating them are experienced and qualified as this can boost their confidence. Hence, be sure to mention the accreditations, qualifications, experience, training tenure etc. of your panel of physicians on your website. If a particular physician has expertise for a specific procedure or treatment, advertise it…as it may prove to be an important selection factor.

2. Streamlined workflow

In today’s jet age, time is indeed money. Speed of service really matters for your patients too. If there is a delay in appointment booking or registration at the reception, patients tend to get irritated. Cumbersome queues or crowded waiting rooms puts them off. This is especially true in the ongoing pandemic situation. No one wants to be closeted in a congested and crowded place for a long time.

Patients expect a smooth workflow transition in their healthcare facility so that their time is not wasted.

Make sure that the systems in your Healthcare facility are streamlined to ensure that minimum time is wasted if you want to improve the patient experience. Also ensure that your potential patients have access to the right phone numbers on your website and that there is not much waiting time before calls can be addressed.

3. Clean and ambient surroundings

Patients expect a hospital or healthcare facility to be hygienic and clean. Ascertain that your premises are spotlessly clean and consistently sterilized and sanitized in order to check the spread of infection.  

If the interiors of the unit are welcoming and ambient, it can make your patients feel comfortable and hasten the healing process further. Be sure to invest money and efforts in this direction of creating a healing and positive atmosphere by using the right blend of colour, tones and aesthetics.

4. Accessible location

Most patients choose healthcare facilities which are near their residences for their convenience. They may opt for far-off healthcare set-ups if the institutes have a stellar reputation, array of expertise, offer better care etc.

If you are in the process of choosing a site for your healthcare facility, make sure that it is centrally located and is accessible to public transport and has good parking facilities.

5. State-of the art infrastructure and equipment

Patients want the assurance that their diagnosis and their treatment is flawless. They are aware that this is possible only if the hospital has the latest and the most advanced medical equipment. Trauma rooms and ICU facilities and other emergency services are also a win-win.

6. Effective communication

Simple but effective two-way communication goes a long way in establishing trust.  It is essential that physicians are good listeners who patiently listen to patients’ symptoms, ask questions and analyse their health condition without hurrying them or interrupting them.

The aware patients of today’s times want to play an active role in the management of their conditions. They wish to be informed about their health status so that they can proactively participate in wellness by making lifestyle changes or initiating exercise and nutrition plans. Always involve your patients in decisions about their care.

7. Attitude of empathy

Hospitals and healthcare facilities are places in which patients are at their most vulnerable. Patients want their physicians to really care about them and not just treat them as cases.

Train your team including both the doctors and the support staff to treat your patients with empathy and compassion and put them at ease and dispel their fears and worries. An approachable, friendly  and helpful staff will win you excellent reviews.

8. Hassle-free administration

When a patient seeks out a healthcare facility, he/ she is already bogged down with illness and dread. Do not add to his/ her burden with cumbersome administrative protocols. Patients are impressed by hospitals or healthcare facilities that can simplify administration and access related issues. E.g., You can have a counter that will assist your patients in health insurance claims.

9. Fairness of costs

Patients definitely make healthcare facility choices based upon whether they are getting value for money. If there is transparency in pricing and billing of services, your patients will trust your healthcare facility and remain loyal to you.

10. Reviews

In earlier times, patients used to only rely on word-of-mouth recommendation of doctors and healthcare facilities. In addition to this, in today’s times, patients and their family members turn to the web for information about hospitals. They check up on doctor reviews and hospital ratings online before making an informed choice. Hence, it is necessary for you to ensure that the patient experience is satisfactory at every stage and your healthcare facility gets luminous reviews.  

To put in a nutshell, there are many expectations of patients from a healthcare facility. Some or all of the above factors may serve as the determinant and contribute to the decision while choosing a healthcare facility. To ensure that your healthcare facility is the first choice for your prospective patients, take the help of a professional Healthcare Consultancy Firm to improve your brand image.

Blog has been written by Dr. Vishal Jadhav, a veteran in the field of hospital consultancy with a rich experience of more than 20 years and founder of the Healthcare Consultancy Firm, Hospertz.

Dr. Vishal Jadhav, Director
hospertz@gmail.com
+91 9867712705/ 9820833149