All members of the hospital staff contribute to the patient’s overall experience, thus medical personnel must be aware of the little details that may make a big difference. Hospitals tend to prioritize national patient experience surveys, but what really matters to them is whether or not we act on the Things Patients Want. That’s a huge step in proving your dedication to patient collaboration.
Doctors have the utmost confidence in their patients. Considering the patient-doctor connection in this way highlights how crucial it is that the two parties get along well. If you have a good rapport with your patient, they will feel better.
However, when it is not, the patient may be left in the dark concerning the nature of their illness and the treatment options available to them. Things Patients Want now are the same conveniences and courtesy from their doctor that they get when checking into a hotel or flying on an airplane, finds a study by the PwC Health Research Institute.
Thousands of Things Patients Want were questioned by the PwC Health Research Institute to determine their views on healthcare; the results showed that patients place a premium on their doctors’ ability to actively listen to their concerns and share relevant information with them.
In a hotel, a kind greeting at check-in is a nice touch, but in a doctor’s office, it might make all the difference. Patients’ decisions about which doctors to see are now heavily influenced by how welcoming the office personnel seems to be. Seventy percent of people want their physicians to provide a wide range of services under one roof, and over 65 percent would value the ability to share medical records through mobile devices.
The good news is that when it comes to selecting a healthcare provider, the cost is seldom a patient’s first priority. When choosing a doctor or hospital, a patient is more than twice as likely to choose personal experience above cost.
Not only does your doctor want you to be well, but regulations and awareness are shaping healthcare like never before, making the patient’s perspective more important than ever. Therefore, patients have rights, and one of them is the option to actively engage in their treatment rather than passively receive it.
Here are the Top 7 Things Patients Want;
1. Openness
Things Patients Want that their physicians to offer as much information as they can, but it’s understandable if they don’t have all the answers. Indeterminacy is acceptable, provided that patients are made aware of the facts.
Patients are aware that physicians are also human and that mistakes may and do happen in the healthcare system. Patients seldom ask for punishment, but they do expect their doctors to own up to mistakes and show some initiative in correcting them. Always inform your patients about the potential benefits and drawbacks of the treatments you recommend.
2. Listening actively
Do your patients feel like they’ve left a speech or a discussion when they leave your office following an appointment? This is due to the fact that encouraging two-way communication with your patients will do more for their health than listening to lectures all day.
Things Patients Want a doctor that values their input, pay attention as they express their health concerns and symptoms, and probes further for information. There is no way that showing up late to every appointment will help anybody. They should listen to their patients without interrupting them or making them feel hurried.
3. Trust
Assumptions, misconceptions, and other potentially embarrassing details may be spoken freely if the doctor is an attentive listener. Patients need to feel comfortable enough to open up to you about personal issues that may be affecting their health if you want to build the greatest possible connection with them as a doctor. You haven’t done enough to win their confidence if they don’t.
4. Concern and connection
Instinctively, patients know when they’ve been overtreated, and they know that more care does not always mean better care. Most people who seek medical care maintain skepticism because they are aware of the high financial stakes and the widespread practice of playing patients against doctors.
A patient’s right to know that they are receiving the best treatment possible should be prioritized before any financial considerations. Also, people seek face-to-face engagement with their doctors. They want you to listen to them. Things Patients Want you to connect with them on more than just a medical level, therefore it’s not enough to just listen to their medical history.
5. Respect
Obtain a blanket for your patient if they seem to be becoming chilly. Take a drink if you’re parched. It is pointless to have fancy offices and cutting-edge technology if they aren’t used to serve people’s basic needs. Instead of spending money on a gorgeous ceiling and lighting, focus on hiring doctors and nurses who will treat patients with respect. Things Patients Want that doctors and nurses will treat them with respect.
Many people are willing to wait for a service or product if they know they will eventually get it. They’re not upset with the 30-minute wait time so much as they weren’t satisfied with the outcome of their visit with you. Do not make your patients wait for 45 minutes and then spend five minutes with them during the visit. Such activities would make your patients feel disregarded and mistreated.
6. Clear communication
Those with the strongest wills may succumb to illness. In your clinic, patients frequently feel vulnerable and powerless because of the difficulty of diagnosis and procedures. No one leaves your office hoping they didn’t just hear gibberish since that’s the last thing anybody would anticipate.
It is your duty as a physician to speak in terms your patient can grasp. You shouldn’t become frustrated if people ask you to repeat yourself or provide more details.
7. Time
Tolerate the fact that certain patients will need more attention than others. As opposed to trying to juggle five tasks in ten minutes, focus on what your patients have to say. You need to respect their time more. It’s important to give patients plenty of time during appointments to ask as many questions as they want.
