Customer Care vs. Patient Care

I read an article today on the Happier Healthcare website.

http://happierhealthcare.com/2012/12/26/is-customer-care-as-important-as-patient-care/?goback=%2Egde_4573686_member_204646619

The question is asked, "Is Customer Care As Important as Patient Care?"

My response to that question is: "Absolutely!"  However, too many times
patient care is being brushed aside by the advances in technology.
A number of people have told me recently that they do not receive the
same care as they used to.  Why?

In the rush to institute EHR, it is so easy for professionals to forget that the
reason they have a job in the first place is that patients come to their offices
and shell out money for their services.

I am not saying that EHR is a bad thing, but I think in the rush to become
compliant by 2014 in order to not be penalized, there must be some
commonsense approaches to the implementations. 

Alienating your customers is one of the last things that a professional healthcare
provider wants to do. Unfortunately, unsatisfied customers take their business
elsewhere and in this economy that is not a good thing. Couple that with the fact
that people are losing jobs and insurance at a rapid rate, and the picture is not
good. 

So, what are the professionals to do?  
Listen to your patients. Hear what they are telling you and observe and note what you see
just like you used to. Make sure your patient feels that you are interested in their needs. 

Chart what you need to, but understand that the information that you are entering into
the computer in the examining room belongs to the patient. Be very careful who sees the 
information. Ex. The exit clerk does not need to see the patient's weight and everything that
was discussed in the visit. 

So back to the original question, "Is customer care as important as patient care?". Again, yes. Treat your customers (patients) like you would want to be treated. Or better yet, if your mother was the patient, how would you like her to be treated? 

Customer service, that extra mile, goes a long ways to bring patients back into your office when they are in need of your services. 

Thanks for reading.

Donna McHugh, CMRS
President and CEO of Claims Connection, LLC