Health Care Consumer Satisfaction

The health care industry is quickly shifting its marketing strategies toward efforts designed to attract and appeal to its consumers. Patients have now become consumers of health care with hospitals and physicians all jockeying for position in order to provide their medical services. This shift from treating patients to providing services to health care consumers has greatly directed focus and attention toward customer service. Initiatives aimed at boosting customer service and experience include customer service training for staff, offering convenient services such as free valet parking, or even upgrading facilities with more luxurious amenities. Patients often have a choice in where to spend their health care dollars so health care providers are now advertising directly to them in order to capture this market (Ossoff & Thomason, 2012).

Increasing patient satisfaction will hopefully increase patient loyalty, which in turn should lead to repeat business from patients. Satisfied patients are more likely to positively market and recommend a physician or hospital to a friend or relative whereas an unsatisfied patient may negatively inform those around them to seek services elsewhere. Another reason to strive for high patient satisfaction could stem from financial pressure from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS has realized that there is a correlation between patient satisfaction and positive clinical outcomes and will be putting in place initiatives to financially incentivize providers with high patient satisfaction rates and penalize those who are unable to meet the set levels for patient satisfaction(Ossoff & Thomason, 2012).

It is in the best interest for hospitals and medical facilities to invest in education and training programs designed to hone and strengthen patient interaction, communication, and customer service skills of physicians and staff. This will help to maintain and create long lasting relationships between health care providers and health care consumers while helping to ensure maximized reimbursement benefits and minimized reimbursement penalties.

References:

Ossoff, R. H., & Thomason, C. D. (2012). The Role of the Physician in Patient Satisfaction. Journal Of Health Care Compliance, 14(1), 57-72.