'We'll take care of that' – 5 words patients like to hear

Neil Baum, M.D.

These five words are powerful, and patients love to hear them. Think about what makes certain companies or medical practices stand out from their competitors. Is it their location? Is it price? Of course, these matter, but the differentiator is the patient experience. Specifically, convenience is a major differentiator.

These five words, "We'll take care of that," form a statement that embodies the essence of creating a convenient patient experience. When you eliminate friction points and other tasks to make it easier for a patient, you send your patients a message saying, "We'll take care of that" for you.

Some examples from other industries:

With just two clicks, Amazon delivers packages to your doorstep, and they take care of that, so you don't have to go to the store.

Online grocery delivery services shop for your food and deliver it. They take care of that, so you don't have to spend time in the store, pushing the cart, or waiting in line to check out.

Auto-renewal subscriptions charge you automatically and take care of that, so you don't have to remember to re-subscribe. (This might be considered a pain point if you don't want to receive their offer any longer)

Patients judge the service you provide against other doctors and practices, but also against other businesses, service industries, and professional organizations. They compare you to Amazon, Apple, the Ritz-Carlton, their dentist, CPA, and even the barber-beautician.

When patients have anything other than a positive experience, they may say, "Why can't my doctor's office check me in and process me online with the same efficiency as ordering a product from Amazon?

Numerous examples exist of how "we'll take care of that" makes it easy for patients to interact with your practice, saving them time, energy, and effort. There is evidence that convenience is a major driver of customer loyalty and patient retention. Two-thirds of patients report that convenience is more important than friendly service, and even prioritize convenience and access over other factors like insurance coverage and quality of care.

Suggestions for making your practice more convenient include:

• Identify patients' friction points – Identify any areas of stress in your practice that can be changed or eliminated to make it easier for your customers. The most common friction point is access to care. Patients want to obtain an appointment promptly and avoid going to urgent care centers for acute care. They want to be seen in a reasonable time, within 15-30 minutes of their designated appointment, without long waits in the reception area or the exam rooms.
  Another friction point is the prior authorization (PA) process. Waiting for approval from an insurance company creates delays in care. It consumes several hours a week of uncompensated physician time. You can use artificial intelligence (AI) to create a customized PA in just a few minutes compared to 20-30 minutes if you dictate the PA, have the dictation transcribed, and review before submitting it to the insurance company. You may identify friction in rising accounts receivable or increased employee turnover in your practice's business sector. All these friction points have a solution where friction can be removed and less energy wasted, resulting in improved patient satisfaction, efficiency, and productivity.
• Practice proactive service – Train your staff to resolve patients' complaints proactively before they even know there is a problem. Examine the reasons for these problems and find ways to eliminate them altogether. If a patient calls and complains that the results of an imaging study conducted two weeks ago are unavailable on the patient portal, find out why this is the case, fix the problem, and ensure that it doesn't happen again.
• Become your patient – Look at your practice from the eyes and ears of your patient. Be able to answer the question, "Would you go to a doctor like you?" (ref old article) Mystery shop your own practice and see and hear what your patients experience. Sometimes, this is as simple as calling your office on the line patients use and hearing how the receptionist answers the call. Were they polite? Did they have a friendly voice? Did they offer to be of assistance? Did they use the caller's name? If the answer is no to any of these questions, you have some training to do for your receptionist.
• Don't be shy, it's okay to toot your horn – If you're going to make it easy for your patients, let them know. Explain why you and your practice are different. Do you see patients early in the morning and on weekends? Do you return calls and answer emails within 24 hours? Do you offer virtual visits? Promote your differences on your website, in a blog, and on your social media.

Bottom Line: Every time you remove a point of friction, eliminate a form, reduce waiting time, or simplify a process, you tell the patient you value their time and that "you'll take care of that" for them. Whether those five words are explicitly stated or implied through your actions, you're saying, "We'll take care of that," so you don't have to!

The idea for this article was inspired by a newsletter from Shep Hyken (shep@hyken.com), a customer service and experience expert, an award-winning keynote speaker, and a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author.

Neil Baum, MD, a Professor of Clinical Urology at Tulane University in New Orleans, LA. Dr. Baum is the author of several books, including the best-selling book, Marketing Your Medical Practice-Ethically, Effectively, and Economically, which has sold over 225,000 copies and has been translated into Spanish.