Too often I find that physicians and health care workers talk above or around their patients:
- They take a patient’s blood pressure and enter it in the health record without ever telling the patient what it was.
- They send a patient for x-rays or radiology procedures without showing and explaining the resulting images and report to the patient.
- They order tests without fully explaining how they work and what the patient can expect to experience and learn from the results.
- They prescribe medications and treatments without really talking to the patient about exactly why they are needed and potential side effects.
- And of course, there is the ongoing challenge of ordering tests and treatments without disclosing the out-of-pocket cost to the patient.
Many of today’s patients are quite savvy about their health and wellness. They know their numbers, they keep track of their lab and imaging results, they monitor their medications, they budget health care expenses, and they proactively research any potential health issues and treatment options.
So erase the mystery.
Keep patients informed. Engage them as partners in their health care. And empower them with education. You will strengthen your patient relationships, and they will share their satisfaction with others, boosting your reputation and generating “world” of mouth referrals to your practice.
Education — it is one of the most cost-effective and powerful marketing tools you can employ.