Seventy percent of Americans aren’t satisfied with their doctor-patient relationship, according to a recent survey.
The survey, which was conducted by Vitals Index in January 2015, polled 800 American adults online, and its findings revealed that patients are seeking alternatives to traditional health care providers. Pharmacists are an increasingly popular alternative due to their expanding scope of practice, the swelling demand for providers, and the public’s growing recognition that pharmacists are qualified to do more than dispense drugs.
As pharmacists’ role in health care continues to expand, you can keep patients satisfied by learning from their complaints about doctors, and avoiding these common pitfalls.
Here are the five most common complaints patients cited as reasons they would leave their doctors, according to the survey, and tips for how you can avoid them.
1. Lack of professionalism from the office staff—57 percent
Anytime patients are seeking medical care, they expect to be treated with professionalism and respect. What might seem like an ordinary day to a health care facility’s staff might be a very scary day to a sick patient.
Tip for pharmacies:
Make sensitivity and professionalism part of training at your pharmacy. Set behavior expectations for your staff, and enforce those standards with frequent reminders and praise for employees who consistently display excellent professionalism.
Also, consider designating a backroom as an employee-only area for staff to eat lunch and take breaks. Creating space for staff away from patients allows them to take care of personal matters while keeping your pharmacy area and front end professional.
2. Difficulty getting an appointment—47 percent
Patients don’t want to adjust their lives around their doctor’s schedule when they need a regular check-up, or a last-minute visit when they’re sick. Going to the doctor is already a hassle, and scheduling an appointment shouldn’t have to be, too.
Tip for pharmacies:
Continue the tradition of an open door at your pharmacy and encourage patients to come in whenever they need to. Make sure your pharmacy’s hours are long enough and convenient for patients who need to walk-in for a last minute consult.
3. Long wait to see the doctor—45 percent
Doctors often overbook themselves in an effort to see more patients, but when a patient is sick, the last thing they want is to wait for hours after their scheduled appointment time to see the doctor. Long waits make patients feel unimportant and frustrated.
Tip for pharmacies:
Make your daily schedule realistic. If you know you’re going to have a rush of patients at 5 p.m. when they leave work, then make sure you fill scripts ahead of time so you can get patients in and out quickly.
Also, try to see patients as soon as they come in. Stay aware of patients entering your pharmacy and be ready to stop the task you’re working on if they need your assistance.
4. The condition of the clinic or office—41 percent
A disorderly or dirty store can make any patient uneasy about coming to you for health care. Patients expect a clean, well-kept and sanitary space for health care services. Even just a few jumbled shelves or overflowing trashcans make your space seem messy.
Tip for pharmacies:
Institute a cleaning schedule to ensure that your pharmacy is constantly looking its best. For example, have an employee walk through your pharmacy in the morning and straighten shelves, empty trashcans, and look for any spots that need to be cleaned up. Then, have another employee do this again midday, and later in the afternoon. You can give your employees a checklist of all the places you want them to inspect, and this constant upkeep will keep your pharmacy looking fresh.
5. Lack of technical savvy—37 percent
Fumbling with equipment, or not knowing about the latest health applications and home health paraphernalia is frustrating to patients. No one wants to feel like they know more about the latest medical technology than their providers. As a health care professional, you’re expected to stay up on the latest health care tools, and options for treatment.
Tip for pharmacies:
Keep up-to-date with technology and health care trends by continually educating yourself and your pharmacy staff. Subscribe to newsletters about the latest health care trends, and read articles about the effectiveness of new technology. Keep up with changes in health care and pharmacy by attending conferences. Learning as you go will help you stay one step ahead of your competition, and you’ll be able to better serve your patients.
Use these survey results to learn from the mistakes of doctors and keep from making them yourself. Keep your patients satisfied by employing these tips at your pharmacy!
