Most people in America don’t enjoy visits to the doctor. Some people find doctors intimidating; others are afraid because they don’t know what to expect during their visit. Most doctors and clinics are aware of these issues but struggle to address these fears in a friendly and unobtrusive way that increases patient satisfaction. As a result, the doctor-patient relationship suffers, and care plans can be compromised.
But there’s good news! The screens many clinics already use to provide waiting room entertainment make the perfect avenue for better, more deliberate communication strategies. Use these screens to display information that empowers patients: humanize your doctors by displaying bios, build trust and authority around the products and services your clinic and physicians offer and provide patients with the necessary tools to access their provider when necessary.
Humanize Doctors While Patients Wait
Even doctors with an excellent bedside manner can come off as intimidating. With limited time to see each patient, doctors need to focus their energy on diagnosis, rather than building rapport through introductions or conversation.
Since making time for relationship-building communication is difficult during appointments, introduce doctors to patients before their appointments begin. While they wait for their appointment use the screens in your waiting room to share physician bios, fun facts and photos so that patients get to know their doctor ahead of time. Reading about a doctor’s favorite hobby or beloved pet creates common ground between the patient and their doctor. This sets the stage for a better relationship, helping doctors become trusted care providers. Learning about a care provider as a person creates connections between patients and their doctors, building an authentic doctor-patient relationship and ensuring better patient satisfaction.
Build Trust Around Recommended Products and Services
Most doctors recommend additional products and services in a genuine effort to improve the health of their patients. However, skepticism around pharmaceutical marketing and other less-than-transparent sales efforts makes patients wary.
Digital signage provides a non-confrontational way to educate patients on the advantages of suggested items and treatments. Patients are less likely to feel like doctors are selling them on a product when they’re already familiar with the product/services’ benefits. Add testimonials from patients that have used a product or service for social proof. On other messages, display a custom QR for patients to scan, allowing them to visit a website where they can learn more or take action on an offer.
Educating patients empowers them to engage in conversations and ask questions of their doctor. Informed patients feel more in control of their own health. When patients feel in control, they become more active participants in their own care. This shift improves the doctor-patient relationship by transforming it into a partnership and increasing the likelihood of a patient leaving their exam satisfied—which means they’ll keep coming back.
Increase Communication and Encourage Follow Ups
Patient care doesn’t end when a patient leaves a doctor’s office. Many patients require follow-up visits, some may need to discuss future test results and others have special care needs necessitating increased physician involvement. For these patients, the ability to reach their doctor is extremely important.
Clinics aim to ensure open communication with apps. These apps allow patients to access test results and reach their care provider at any time without needing to call a clinic, leave a message and wait for a response. Here is the catch; patients only use apps if they know to take action and download them.
Use digital signage to promote your app as a quick, private and convenient choice for communication with care providers. Integrate a custom QR code into your waiting room or exam room messaging to direct patients to download the app instantly, directly from their phones. The more patients utilize the app to communicate with their doctor, the more satisfied they will feel with the quality of their doctor-patient relationship.
By showing patients the friendliness, trustworthiness and supportiveness of doctors in your practice, your patients will leave their appointments with much higher satisfaction and increased motivation to return. With the right digital signage tools at your disposal, you can deliver this experience before a patient even sees their doctor.
