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According to a study published in the Journal of Medical Practice Management, the biggest complaint of hospital patients is the customer service – or lack of – that they receive. A majority, 96 percent, of patients complain about the customer service provided by hospitals. In short, patients cite a lack of communication and disorganization as their biggest pet peeves when it comes to hospitals; two things that are directly related to customer service.
Can hospitals improve customer service? Absolutely! – And hospital staff scheduling software can be an excellent way to achieve improved service.
Here are just some of the ways that shift scheduling software can improve customer service, and improve the satisfaction of your patients.
Reduce Wait Times
Nobody likes to be left waiting, yet it seems that a great deal of time spent in a hospital or doctor’s office is in the waiting room. The longer patients wait, the more frustrated and dissatisfied they become. Physician scheduling software can help to reduce wait times by ensuring that there are enough physicians available in your hospital or doctor’s office. When there are more physicians available, there is a significant reduction in the amount of time patients have to wait because patients can be seen more quickly.
Improve Communication
Lack of communication is a common problem in medical settings. Often, doctors aren’t aware of changes that have been made to their schedules, or they aren’t aware of specific needs of patients. In an emergency room setting, for example, emergency medicine scheduling software can improve the lines of communication by allowing doctors to quickly and easily access their schedules and take note of any changes that have been made. Additionally, people working the front desk can input any special needs or requests that patients may have directly into the software program. These needs and requests can be accessed by medical providers, thus improving the service their patients receive.
Ensure Adequate Staffing
Hospital staff scheduling software can be used to create the schedules for more than just physicians, nurses and other medical professionals; it can also be used to create and manage the schedules of the individuals who work the front desk. This software can ensure that there are enough staff members to meet the needs of patients, thus improving the service that patients receive.
Reduce Frustration
Shift scheduling software can effectively reduce frustrations of both patients and medical professionals. Doctors who are overworked, burned out and running behind schedule naturally become frustrated. The more frustrated they become, the less patience they have to treat their patients. As a result, bedside manner can go by the wayside; and the last thing any patient wants is to be treated by a medical professional who has lost his or her patients and who does not provide compassionate care. Scheduling software can reduce the frustrations of medical care providers by minimizing over scheduling and reducing burnout, and it can reduce patients’ frustrations by ensuring they are receiving compassionate care.
Scheduling software can be an effective way to improve customer service, and improve the overall experience patients receive.
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