One of the hottest topics in healthcare right now is the patient experience. With healthcare options on the rise, an amazing patient experience is becoming vital for some healthcare facilities to stay in business. If you are a nurse, doctor or any type of healthcare worker, you are the most important part of the patient experience.
Creating a desirable experience for a patient while they are under your care can be the difference between a miserable medical incident and one that was resolved quickly and confidently. If patients have good experiences at a doctor’s office, urgent care facility, hospital, and more, they are likely to come back. A lot of satisfied patients will even take it one step further and tell their friends and family about their great experience, or write a review online.
If you strive to deliver a well-rounded, impactful patient experience, you are a more desirable employee for healthcare facilities. Hard skills are important, but the ability to connect with patients and create a healthy work environment through soft skills is something employers look for in employees. Here are some ways to create and use the patient experience to your advantage:
Focus on patient experience as you are caring for patients
Before you can leverage your patient experience expertise you must be sure to create a great experience for your patients and have these examples on hand for your new job interview. Yes, the quality of care is critical, but there are some small things you can do to create a memorable experience all around: Smile at your patients and ask how they’re feeling.
- Smile at your patients and ask how they are feeling.
- Be respectful of their space, time, requests, and anything else. You may be having a bad day, but they’ll remember if you’re rude to them.
- Make the patient feel comfortable to be under your care. Tell them exactly what you will be doing and why.
- Try to think like a patient. Would you like it if a healthcare professional treated you the way you’re treating others?
Ask your patients to review you or mention your efforts to a supervisor
If the facility you’re working at has any form of survey or comment card, ask your patients to review you. This will build rapport with your employer as they begin to recognize your dedication. If you have an especially good relationship with a patient, ask if they will tell your supervisor about your exemplary service. By simply asking for honest reviews of your care, you are setting yourself up for praise and possibly a promotion.
Enroll in continued learning programs centered around patient experience
Continued learning is always a good idea, but it’s especially pressing surrounding a hot issue. Attending seminars or taking patient experience classes will attract hiring managers when you’re applying for a new job. If you are already employed, continued learning in patient experience will improve the quality of your work and you might actually be able to have your employer pick up the cost of the course if you ask.
Emphasize your attention to detail in the patient experience when interviewing for new jobs
If you’re in the market for a new job, speak about the patient experience during the interview process. Hiring managers, especially ones that are nurses or doctors, will be impressed with your knowledge and dedication to a positive patient experience. If you are not yet interviewing for a job, keep your professional networks up-to-date with patient experience articles. Also, keep your resume locked and loaded with noticeable mention of patient experience skills.
Now you’re ready to deliver a great patient experience AND use it to your personal advantage! If you are seeking a new career opportunity, contact Alliance Healthcare Solutions and put your patience experience skills to use. Search jobs HERE.
