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Customer Service, Operations, Process Management

The Intake Process

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August 29, 2019

- Customer Service, Operations, Process Management

Are your calls being answered?

One of the most common complaints patients or prospective patients have is that when they call to make an appointment, their call is not answered. How frustrating this must be. In many instances, it takes a lot of courage to make that first phone call to seek help. When the call is not answered, it sets off a chain reaction of events that ultimately delays or prevents somebody from scheduling an appointment. This issue is unacceptable, but also very fixable. The goal of every healthcare organization should be for the Intake Process be set up so that all callers that are trying to schedule an appointment be able to do just that.

Ensure patients can get through

There are two ways to guarantee that a patient can reach a live person to schedule an appointment.

  1. Technology- Most phone systems have easy to set up and use call center technology, and most businesses use some type of this. To sum it up, a caller is put into a queue until the next available live operator can answer. On the provider end, when an operator hangs up with a previous call, their phone will ring with the person waiting in the queue. Everyone that has ever been on hold knows how this works.
  2. Implementing standard operating procedures for call center staff- The technology is only effective as the people who use it. Front or back office staff charged with answering calls must follow the procedures and be measured on their success or shortcomings. The systems usually has good reporting tools to ensure KPI’s are being met.

Guarantee It

By combining technology and strong SOP’s, a provider should be able to guarantee that a caller can reach a live scheduler during listed hours of operation. This will eliminate phone tag, and allow more efficient scheduling and treatment of a patient. Too many people want, need, and seek out help only to be let down by an antiquated scheduling process. Guarantee service, and everyone wins. For assistance in setting up the technology or creating and implementing a process and standard operating procedures, visit us at www.link1healthcaresolutions.com.

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Customer Service, Operations, Strategy

Patient Testimonials and Reviews– What Every Provider Should Know

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July 16, 2019

- Customer Service, Operations, Strategy

Patient testimonials and reviews can help build and solidify your name:

Healthcare providers must always find ways to attract new patients. That is the only way to grow and become a thriving health care organization. This is true for a single provider or a large practice. The way people shop for services is directly through online searches and reading reviews and testimonials. That being said, it is critical that providers have a vibrant and engaging online presence. Testimonials, which typically are seen on the provider’s website, and reviews, which may be seen on sites like Yelp or Google go a very long way to building and solidifying a name.

Easy access:

Your expertise, care, and client-centered service should speak for itself. In other words, make it easy for a patient to leave a review or testimonial. Happy customers or patients are generally excited to share how great their experience was. Provide easy to use tools and technology to help somebody leave a review. Send them a link or text at the end of a visit. The less work somebody has to do, the more likely they will help.

Providers may want to thank people for leaving a review or testimonial with some kind of reward, such as a gift card. Stay away from this type of practice. In addition, stay away from offering patients’ entries into raffles or discounts on current or future services. The Federal Trade Commission has guidelines that prohibit this type of reward system. To sum it up, the FTC wants there to be a disclosure next to the review that some kind of reward was given in exchange for the review. That may not be the case, but that is how the guidelines are currently constructed. Providers don’t want that that disclosure, nor do they want to be in violation of any rules. There is no guarantee that the FTC would ever learn about or investigate a practice, but you never want to take any chances.

In addition to the FTC, the government prohibits any type of activity that resembles a “kickback”. A kickback refers to any type of payment or reward in exchange for a referral. Although the spirit of the law is to prevent doctors from paying other doctors for referrals, it still applies when it comes to paying for a review or testimonial. The bottom line is to remain ethical and law-abiding to avoid any problems. Stay away from directly rewarding patients for individual reviews, testimonials, or referrals.

What can providers do to show appreciation?

Providers do appreciate any help in acquiring new patients and should express that gratitude. Showing appreciation also reinforces the referral behavior. Here are two things that can be done legally and ethically.

  1. Send a thank you note any time an online testimonial, review or other referral is given. Although there isn’t a monetary prize given, it shows consideration and recognizes that the provider is appreciative.
  2. Keep track of who writes reviews and who makes referrals. One time per year, send a thank you note along with a gift card. The card can read something like this, ‘ We appreciate your confidence in our services, and allowing us to continue to grow.’ This one time per year gift can be given because it encompasses a concept, not a reward for a specific thing. In other words, there is no direct link between that gift card and a single referral or testimonial.

To wrap it up:

While providers should not directly ask or reward an online testimonial or review, it is important to have easy ways for patients to leave them. Positive reviews and testimonials will increase online traffic and ultimately lead to new patients. A provider’s name and reputation are the most important thing that they have. Future patients should have every opportunity to read about how great a provider is.

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Customer Service, Operations, Process Management

Patient Access: Half of the Equation for Great Patient Experience

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June 12, 2019

- Customer Service, Operations, Process Management

Most healthcare companies are allocating resources towards improving patient access.  Simply put, patient access refers to patients having some sort of control over when and where they receive care. From the provider’s point of view, patient access comes down to how easy a prospective patient can schedule an appointment. In today’s crowded healthcare space, it is critical that patients can (1) connect with somebody to schedule, (2) have a smooth and efficient registration process. Patient access is strongly connected to the operations of the hospital, clinic, facility, etc. Having available operators to answer every call is one important component, but if the scheduling system is bad, insurance questions aren’t answered, or billing information is inadequate, then patient access would be graded poorly.

Patient Access and Customer Service

Patient access goes hand in hand with customer service.  Healthcare providers should map out their scheduling and registration process through the eyes of the patient paying attention to these questions.

-How easy is it to speak to a live person?

-Is there an easy to use, easy to find internet platform where patients can communicate?

-Is registering quick and easy, avoiding inefficiencies and repetitive questions?

-How quickly does the providers’ office return a communication to a patient after a message has been left?

Pay Attention and Set Yourself Apart

Having a world class patient access system is not easy, but it should be the goal. It can be difficult for a patient to schedule an appointment, and especially so if their issue is serious or very personal. Once they have built up the courage or finally decided to make an appointment, how terrible would it be for them if the systems on the provider’s side caused more anxiety or trouble? Healthcare providers must pay attention to the service they provide as much as they do the treatment.  When the service and treatment work together, the patient experience will be something to celebrate and be proud of.

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Company, Customer Service

Train Your Front Line Employees

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July 26, 2017

- Company, Customer Service

Front line employees (employees that interact with your customers on a daily basis) simply are not given enough training, or the tools they need to achieve ultimate success. Organizations tend to train and spend more time working with higher level employees-managers, directors, etc. There is a fundamental flaw in this practice. Everywhere you go, you read or hear about customer service and providing an exceptional client experience. This should be every organization’s goal, so why then is so little investment put in to our receptionists, billers, intake specialists, and other customer facing employees? 

Here are a few reasons why….

Front line employees3 Reasons Companies Neglect The Importance Of Front Line Employees:

  1. Managers think these jobs are easy and require little training and development.
  2. High turnover in these jobs cause organizations to hire quickly, and get the new employees up and running prior to having a robust and dynamic orientation.
  3. Organizations simply do not have a strong training program implemented, nor do they have efficient standard operating procedures in place for employees to learn from.

Here’s the truth….

3 Reasons To Invest Your Time In Your Front Line Employees:

  1. These jobs are difficult, and require training specifically in the technology you use, customer service, and what your organization’s vision is, and what the goals are. Without this knowledge and understanding, these good employees may not see the importance in what they do.
  2. Turnover is cyclical, and will continue if employees are not trained properly. When a new employee starts, give them the amount of training and attention they need. Other workers can man the ship while your new employee is becoming proficient in your systems. Take your time with them, and you will see positive results. Rush them, and it will have negative effects that trickle down throughout your organization.
  3. Spend time to create a training program that teaches your employees how you want them to be at work. Your SOP’s should be step by step instructions that a new employee can follow with minimal help to complete a process. Have an SOP written for every process or task you want somebody to complete.  This will eliminate bottlenecks, and make it easier for managers to manage their employees.

Invest your time and training in your front line employees. You will see a happier work force, and a happier customer base.  When you do this, you are separating your organization from the one’s down the road.

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