Patients are the asset of a doctor. To make them feel comfortable and at ease should be the healthcare department’s number one priority. Here are some ways by which you can make patients feel respected.
1. Listen to the Patient
This might not sound ground-breaking, but it makes all the difference. Patients love doctors who listen to their concerns and queries. A lot of the times, patients don’t feel comfortable around doctors, who are stern and impose their decisions on the patient. Being an active listener towards your patient will make them feel respected and special. You will always be remembered in good words by the patient and the best part is that it makes you humbler towards a suffering person. Whatever you do, always listen to the patient.
2. Physical Touch
This tip is also great, especially for emotional and anxious people. You will seem more affectionate and humble if you have physical contact with the patient. Even if it is just a pat on the back, a warm handshake or a hug, these small displays of affection will make a huge impact on the patient. You will be regarded a lot by them and they will prefer you over other doctors, because you have a warm and greeting energy, every time you see the patient.
3. Remember Names
This is a huge lifesaver, when it comes to making patients feel welcomed and special. Conversing with them by their name makes the patient feel special. You must try to remember your patients’ names, if you want to be remembered by them. Calling them out by their name on an appointment is a warm gesture that all patients appreciate. They love the fact that someone, who is a stranger, remembers them by their name.
4. Don’t Make the Patient Wait Too Long
Nobody likes to wait for hours just to get an appointment with a doctor. This is a huge let down for most patients. To make the patients feel better, make sure that you are scheduling them on time and not making them wait too long, with some exceptions. This will make the patient like coming to visit you, as you are not wasting anyone’s time. You assure them that you know the value of time, and not everybody has a lot of time to visit doctors.
5. Ask For Feedback
This is also an amazing tip to make the patient feel special. At the end of an appointment or before discharge, ask them for their feedback, whether it’s about the behavior of the staff or about the place. This will make the patient realize that their opinion matters to you the most. Emphasizing feedback and suggestions from the patient will make them feel respectable and special. On the other hand, you can work around these suggestions to improve your work ethic as well.
6. Use Better Tools
If you have manual medical data system, you’re wasting time. Use tools like EHR and DICOM medical imaging viewers.
As most of the time, DICOM medical imaging data takes times to process, it’s a good idea to use DICOM tools to ensure efficiency.
Conclusion
It’s all about attention and affection. As a doctor, these traits should be rooted deep within you, if you want your patients to be comfortable with you and if you know what is medical imaging used for.