When you are sick the last thing you want is to walk into a clinic, and be greeted with unpleasant smells; and an untidy and unprofessional reception area.
To then, be asked to take a seat on an uncomfortable chair that looks like it hasn’t been cleaned in years…
Right next to other patients who are coughing and spluttering.
Going to see the doctor can be daunting enough, you don’t want to add to it with an anxiety inducing first impression.
A study published in the Journal of Health Communications concluded that “the first impression has a strong impact on positive and negative judgments on doctors’ communication approach and may facilitate or inhibit all further interactions.”
When a patient comes in to your clinic they want to walk into a soothing, welcoming, professional and hygienic environment. You want the patient to feel as though you genuinely care about their wellbeing, that they are going to be cared for and that they aren’t going to catch something else whilst waiting to see the practitioner.
Scientists say first impressions are made within the first three seconds of meeting someone. We form our initial opinion. In this case, a patient has made their opinion of the doctor or healthcare professional before they have even meet them.
The initial contact can either be a phone call or a web booking.
If a patient is greeted with an abrupt “hold please” or have to navigate through a slew of transfer options, when they are trying to get an appointment their first impression won’t be great. The same is to be said with web booking. Since social media posts, websites, blog posts and online reviews are becoming more important in today’s society make sure you cultivate your online presence, to make sure you can be found by prospecting patients.
Your patient wants to be able to book an appointment with ease. They want to be greeted with a friendly demeanour and have a professional and organised experience. You are in the business of caring and your staff are perceived as an extension of you.
Is the reception area tidy and professional-looking? Are the staff genuinely welcoming?
Consider the layout of your waiting room. Does it let your patients have their own space, privacy and is it comfortable; or are the chairs just clustered together? Providing hand sanitiser for patients to use on entry can be a small and powerful way of making patients feel as though the area they are stepping into is hygienic. The waiting room and bathrooms should be checked every hour for cleanliness, such as discarded tissues etc. Artwork with blues and greens can create a calming effect, making the clinic feel more home like, rather than clinical.
Other considerations you might look at are:
How you are greeted by the reception staff. Each patient wants to feel welcome, they want to feel important, the “Most Valuable Patient” you could say. You want the patient to feel as though they made the right decision in coming to your practice.
Being a medical centre, patients have the expectations that you will provide a hygienic and clean environment. You will be judged more harshly on this. SWS Group helps many Perth based healthcare businesses with everything from hygiene services, managed first aid kits to laundry services such as linen/uniform rental, pest control and even commercial cleaning. As we said, first Impressions matter, let us help you put your best foot forward, so you can focus on what you do best.
Call us on (08) 9336 6944 to talk to one of our expert consultants, so we can help you open your doors with confidence every day.