Issue 9 - July 2003

Success file by Bob Levoy
The growing importance of patient satisfaction

In today’s hyper-competitive environment, how satisfied your patients are can determine if you become preferred provider or retain your status of preferred provider with healthcare organizations.

In some cases, bonus payments to providers are linked to patient satisfaction. The reasons are practical. Satisfied members are more likely to re-enroll in a plan, pay more to remain in it, ask their employers to retain a plan and encourage others to join their plan.

Reality check: The fact that patients don’t complain doesn’t necessarily mean they are satisfied with the care they’re receiving, the staff members with whom they interact and the office in general.

Current research shows that only four percent of dissatisfied patients even bother to complain, at least to the person who either caused or could remedy the problem. Some are too inhibited to do so. Others consider it futile. And some are afraid of being labeled a “complainer.”

They do, however, complain to others — 10 to 12 on average. And in many cases, to the medical doctor who may have referred them.

Action step: Sample your patients at least annually. Ask your front-desk person to distribute 150-200 surveys to randomly selected patients over the course of several weeks. This can be done in two ways — using both a short form and a long form.

Ask patients to complete the short form before leaving your office; it will only take a few moments.

To use the long form give patients the form, along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope, at the conclusion of their office visit and ask them to complete it at home.

Introduce the survey with a short paragraph:

Dear Patient:
We are interested to know how you, and the other patients we serve, view our practice and what changes if any, you would recommend. We’d be grateful if you would take a few minutes to complete this survey. Your anonymous answers will be most valuable to our ongoing effort to provide friendly, convenient, high-quality care.

You’ll most likely get more short forms completed than long ones, but the latter will yield more information. Consider distributing some of each or perhaps alternating them for follow-up surveys. (See sidebar for sample questions.)

Two major benefits: You’ll obtain valuable feedback about how your practice is perceived and perhaps some surprises that you’re doing far better (or worse) than you realized. Equally important, you’re alerting your staff to the importance you place on patient satisfaction and their role in achieving it.

Patient satisfaction data is receiving increasing attention from managed-care organizations, consumers, employers and accrediting organizations. Don’t risk being the last to know what your patients are thinking and saying to others.

Bob Levoy is a seminar speaker and writer. He can be reached at 516- 626-1353. Samples of the forms are available at www.chiroeco.com/article/2003/images/patientsurvey.pdf