Jiffy Lube and Patient Care
By Russ Titsch
I don’t care whether it’s Jiffy Lube or Johns Hopkins. If your customer deems your service and care inferior, it erodes their consumer confidence. And make no mistake your patients are your customers.
Now I realize I haven’t discovered penicillin here, but if what I’m saying is so obvious, why is it so seemingly elusive? Most days I feel like I have a better chance of finding a unicorn than a smile and some consideration when handing over my cash.
Although I am my own favorite subject, I usually resist detailing whatever maladies I may have had to the general public. But since we’re all pals here, let me give you an example of my own experience in our healthcare universe.
During the last year, I’ve had three rather unpleasant surgeries. The first one doesn’t count because it was of the emergency variety, and at that moment customer service wasn’t a big consideration. It was a distant third behind survival and pain.
But my outpatient aftercare, and the poking, prodding, scoping and scanning in assorted ASCs for the follow up surgeries, gave me a unique perspective on the customer service question.
In some facilities, I was greeted by Nurse Ratchet and was manhandled in a way that resembled changing a tire. In other instances my outpatient nurses were literally saints and the “procedures” were administered with great care and explanation.
The point being, whether a procedure is elective or otherwise, every patient is rife with trepidation and questions — even if they are a “tough guy.” Customer care on every level, from the sign-in desk to the technician or surgeon’s table, is critical to the process.
Ambulatory surgery centers can’t survive without it.
Be sure to send out patient surveys. If you don’t have one, make one. They’re important to analyzing your facility, and people do respond. I never answered a letter from Publisher’s Clearinghouse, but you can be sure I sent those surveys back.
OK, so we all know the sky is blue. I’m just suggesting we should all look up from time to time to be sure.
Speaking of customer service initiatives, Today’s Surgicenter introduces our first annual “Meet Your Supplier” supplement, beginning on page 37. It’s that time of year when we all play “Stretch the Budget” to get the best product at the best value. I urge you to visit these pages to get a more detailed perspective on companies that are providing mission critical equipment and services to your business.
And yes, I feel great.
Russ Titsch
Publisher
russt@vpico.com
