Communication with your Patients
During a recent training session within the company we were going over a consultative form that we will be using in the future. I pointed out that during any consultative session that in order to remove the stress of the session and indeed the fear of the unknown you can undertake it in a certain way. Firstly break it down into sections, then introduce each section as you reach it explaining what you will do and then ask permission to move forward.
Using this strategy removes the stress from the situation and also allows you to gain permission to move forward. It was a system that I was thought to use in my consultation practice way back in the day when I began to practice. It is a system that has value for many situations that we come across in business. I thought about this and I realised something, a Patient generally arrives at your clinic not really knowing what is to occur. This must be quite a stressful situation for the un-initiated, but I never really considered it up until then.
I was thinking that in order to alleviate the fear of the unknown, we should communicate a brief run down of what to expect during the appointment. We could do this in an automated letter to the Patient or possibly leverage this opportunity to engage and wow the prospective Patient by designing and implementing a Practice brochure which includes a section about the test, what to expect and why they should bring a significant other.
Independent Practices really need to take every opportunity to set themselves apart from the pack. This type of small touch can set the tone for your consultation and assist in increasing the perception of authority and trust in you and your Practice. It also removes the factor of the unknown to a certain extent. I think if I was in still in Practice that is what I would do, what do you think? What if anything do you currently do?
Regards
Geoff
