What Effective Steps Could be Taken to Deal With Unhappy Patient in a Healthcare Setting?

 Introduction

Healthcare is a service that is filled with risks and perils from unexpected emergencies to lethal illnesses at every turn. It should come as no surprise then that patients receiving treatment or other high-priced services from a healthcare provider are delicate to the nature of the service they receive. Because medication can be a matter of life and death, patients must be kept relatively content throughout their complete experience.

Collect All Pertinent Facts

The initial step in alleviating patient objections is revealing what the issue is in the first spot. Start by accumulating as much data as you can by asking open-ended questions such as, “How did this state arise? What is it that is baffling you the most?” so that front office personnel are better furnished to manage the situation. To assure that your crew know how best to tackle such complaints, they must be trained widely in that capacity.

 

Communicate with the Patient

You must monitor complaints so that you can address them early on. Although it is never easy to reach patients who have left angry or unsettled, communication is the sole way concerns can be fixed. In cases where misbehavior, severe medical liabilities, or allegations of fraud are involved, it would be wise to discuss an attorney. In all other circumstances, you should reach them directly via a phone call, as emails and texting are more impersonal and don’t carry the same degree of concern.

 

Scrutinize the Issue in Depth

Start by defusing the circumstance by saying, “It is essential that we approach the dilemma you are facing because we forever take pride in presenting the best care feasible for our patients.” Beginning with a positive note will help relieve some of the stress as upset individuals seldom expect to be treated empathetically from the other side. Once you have their consideration you may begin to ask more open-ended inquiries to determine what went down to cause their disappointment.

 

Conduct Due Diligence

Now that you have a comprehensive picture of how issues escalated to this point, you can figure out which side was at fault so that you can rectify the situation. If your staff were at fault, you may need to set specific protocols in place to counter issues like these from transpiring in the future. If it looks like the patient’s demands were unreasonable, share your evaluation with a few associates to decide whether your conclusions are valid or not.

 

Get Back to the Patient

It is now an opportunity to follow-up with the patient and tactfully and professionally communicate your evaluation. If your office was at fault, notify them of this finding and apologize for their poor experience. You may also take this chance to inform them of the changes you plan to make in the prospect. In case you find that the patient was in the wrong, be gentle but firm in your account and avoid getting into a dispute by stating the facts and moving on.

Conclusion

It is acknowledged that unsettled clients will be any business’s fall regardless of the area of the market you are in. Healthcare is no exemption. Considering how costly medical care can be, great steps should be taken to keep your customer’s treatment and service experience top of mind. The most reliable way you can assure that your patients continue to rely on your services is by carrying a thorough evaluation of the circumstances that unfolded, executing corrective measures, and adequately communicating with all parties involved in the process.