Six Things That Matter Most in Patient Satisfaction

Here are 6 of the most important things that contribute to patient satisfaction:

Wait time

What is the ultimate purpose of healthcare? 

Of course, it is to make people well, but healthcare also involves making people happy. 

But there are quite a few things that can contribute to the dissatisfaction of a patient and wait time is one of them. For instance, a patient who sees a doctor who is always in a hurry can be put off by their ability of not giving them enough time. Similarly, a patient who waits too long for an appointment just to have a prescription refilled can leave the facility feeling unhappy. 

If a facility is slow to perform procedures or if your staff is slow to respond to a call, it can also lead to patient dissatisfaction.  A patient’s time is super important in today’s busy lifestyles so staying aware of that can help your organization with patient satisfaction.

Experience with the welcome staff

Healthcare organizations vary in their ability to deliver a good patient experience. But one factor that often distinguishes the best from the rest is how patients are treated when they first walk into the facility.

The welcome staff is the front line of patient care. Their role is, in part, to set the tone for the patient. Good welcome staff is built via good training. They answer questions and keep patients informed about what is happening in the registration process.

Cleanliness of the facility

The healthcare system's obsession with meeting standards and reporting results can obscure one fundamental fact about health care: it is dirty.

Healthcare facilities are places that must create positive feelings. And patients have high expectations regarding this, and they want those expectations to be met. Cleanliness is a big part of that. People want to know that they are in a clean environment and that it won't harm them.

In other words, the cleaner the facility, the higher the level of trust and the more patient satisfaction. 

Patient-doctor interaction

The single greatest influence on patient satisfaction is the interaction between patient and doctor. Patients value doctors most when they feel the doctor is knowledgeable, takes the time to listen to them, understands them and is responsive to their concerns.  Good interaction is a good interaction.

People of all walks of life are impressed by doctors who take time with them, who explain things, and who treat patients as individuals. The better the experience, the higher their satisfaction. 

Patient-nurse interaction

Nurses interact with patients in a variety of settings including, but not limited to, the emergency department, labor and delivery, the operating suite, the intensive care unit, the home care setting, and the primary care clinic. Safe to say, nurses play a huge role in your care, so they ought to be versatile.  

They are the front line of the patient’s medical care and can have an impact in making the healthcare facility feel more pleasant and comfortable. 

The quality of the treatment

This is pretty self-explanatory. The average person does not understand much about how healthcare works. All they know is that they want to get treatment for their issue.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that the quality of your treatment will significantly influence patient satisfaction—often accounting for at least half of it. If your treatment plan falls short of expectations, patient satisfaction will likely decline.

When it comes to patient care, the little things matter the most. As long as you work on them, your patient retention rate will remain high. For the simple reason that people don’t like going clinic-hunting every time they have a medical problem. They like to have reliability when it comes to their medical needs and they want to be assured that they can count on your care even during the eleventh hour. 

If yours is the first clinic that pops in their head every time they experience an issue, then you will have succeeded at satisfying your patients with not only superior treatment but also excellent hospitality. 

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They may forget your name, but they will never forget how you made them feel!

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