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TEDxMaastricht - Daniel Kraft - "What's next in healthcare?"

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There's some amazing things coming down the healthcare pipeline and Daniel Kraft ( @daniel_kraft ) knows a "little" about all of them. We asked him to take us on a rollercoaster-journey through them. Take for example regenerative medicine, which is starting to experience tremendous growth with the blossoming use of stem cells to help the body heal and replace damaged tissue.

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When you think of jobs where customer service is key, your mind might drift toward jobs like restaurant servers, cashiers in retail stores or the people working customer support phone lines. You may be surprised to find that customer service skills are taking on a new importance in healthcare.

While bustling emergency rooms and clinics may not be the first thing you think of when someone mentions customer service, reforms tied to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have pushed healthcare employers to rethink their approach to patient satisfaction. This is great news for anyone who has polished their customer relations skills in public-facing roles and is looking to get started anew in the healthcare field.

Take some time to familiarize yourself with the events that have led to this new emphasis on customer service skills in healthcare.

Patient surveys shine light on healthcare customer service

Social reform is taking the spotlight after several technical changes have taken place in the healthcare industry over the past decade. A national survey called the HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) started being randomly administered to patients at participating hospitals in 2006.

The purpose of the survey was simple:

To set a standard by which hospitals can be objectively compared

To create new incentives for hospitals to improve quality care

To create accountability by publicly reporting the survey's findings

In this survey, patients are asked to evaluate several categories that are closely tied to customer service skills. Among them are the following factors:

Communication with nurses and doctors

Responsiveness of hospital staff

Communication about medication and treatments administered

Information provided at discharge

The information gathered in HCAHPS evaluations isn't just for show, either. One element of the ACA and healthcare reform efforts is the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program. This provides a financial incentive for hospitals that provide quality care to patients receiving Medicare benefits. This is essentially a "carrot" from the government in hopes to push higher patient care standards-and healthcare providers are taking notice.

A closer look at customer service in healthcare

The fact that the federal government is putting an emphasis on customer service in healthcare is important. Hospitals and healthcare providers may have considered patient satisfaction as more of a "nice-to-have" afterthought in the past. But now with programs that incentivize better service, providers are beginning to adjust their priorities.

Joe Welfeld, healthcare consultant at The Welfeld Group, says he's seen a shift in behavior from hospitals. "Customer service surveys and [improved] hospital amenities are becoming commonplace," Welfeld says.

Changing the healthcare industry is a bit like turning an aircraft carrier-it takes considerable time and energy to make big changes to the path it's on. The gradual changes we're seeing now in healthcare providers' approach to patient satisfaction were born out of a financial nudge from the government, butgreat customer service isn't just about the bottom line.

"It is the right thing to do," says Kiki Orski, former RN-turned- healthcare consultant. For patients dealing with an illness or injury, positive interactions with hospital staff can go a long way in improving an otherwise unpleasant situation.

How much is customer service emphasized in healthcare?

Though some argue it is not emphasized enough, the focus on customer service is surely growing. If you are seriously considering a career in healthcare, don't plan on coming to work in your crabby pants. Many healthcare institutions are bringing in consultants to help implement patient satisfaction-focused policies and investing in professional development training to help existing staff polish up their patient-interaction abilities.

"These days, just being a good doctor or nurse is not enough," says Dr. Resham Mendi, owner of Bright Light Medical Imaging. "We also need to provide transparency, affordability, communication and ways to make things easier for patients."

Dr. Mendi finds that the healthcare providers with the most satisfied patients tend to apply business strategies from outside of the healthcare industry. "[Providers] need to pretend that they're not a doctor's office and observe what the most successful companies do," she suggests.

Michael G. Cassatly, DMD, is among those who believe customer service is still not stressed enough in the medical world. However, with those institutions and professionals who have decided to emphasize and improve upon their customer service, he has definitely witnessed the rewards.

"It has resulted in fantastic results not only in the bottom line, but also in increased practitioner career satisfaction and decreased staff turnover," Cassatly explains.

What are some customer service tips for healthcare providers?

There are a host of ways for healthcare providers and professionals to improve patient satisfaction. Dr. Mendi suggests providers consider the following:

Does the patient know who staff members are? Staff should wear name tags and introduce themselves.

Will patients know how much a procedure will cost? Be transparent about pricing.

Does the patient know what will happen to them? Take time to explain procedures and what they can expect.

Can patients find important information about your services online? Can they schedule appointments online? Make it as easy as possible.

Does the patient know what you're thinking? Communicate!

While niceties like warmly greeting patients, taking the time to explain and answer questions about procedures and keeping patient waiting areas orderly might seem like small details, they can add up and have an impact on a patient's overall experience. These relatively easy-to-correct patient satisfaction factors are often a starting point for institutions looking to improve their overall patient experience.

Does prior customer service experience help?

At times, it may seem that the only experience that translates into the healthcare industry is some sort of medical experience. That's just not true. Anyone who has learned the art of achieving excellent customer service or building a client's trust has honed a skill that is now valued in the medical community.

This is good news for anyone who is short on healthcare experience but has excelled in prior customer-facing roles. While technical competence is always top of the list for what employers are seeking in candidates, someone who knows their stuff and has a demonstrated ability to work well with people may have an extra advantage. If you're in an interview situation, don't be afraid to highlight times where you did well interacting with customers in an otherwise unrelated role.

Everyone wants to be treated with respect, to be fully informed and to receive services from excellent employees-regardless of industry, Orski says. She explains that excellent service combined with exceptional clinical skills helps build trust between provider and the patient. Trusting patients are more likely to comply with treatment plans, which results in better patient outcomes.

"It's a win-win for everybody," Orski adds.

Leverage your customer service skills in healthcare

You're now aware of the importance of customer service skills in the healthcare industry. You have the people skills the medical industry is seeking, so why not dig deeper to find your dream career in healthcare?

The good news is there's a variety of positions that are currently in demand. Learn more about your options in our article, "11 Entry-Level Healthcare Jobs Employers Want to Fill Now."

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was originally published in September 2012. It has since been updated. Insight from Orski and Cassatly remain from the original article.

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Customer Service Skills in Healthcare: Why They Matter

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When you think of jobs where customer service is key, your mind might drift toward jobs like restaurant servers, cashiers in retail stores or the people working customer support phone lines. You may be surprised to find that customer service skills are taking on a new importance in healthcare.

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1. Start seeing patients as customers. Taking care of patients is what healthcare is all about. It may be hard for some people to think of patients as customers, but they definitely are. Their choices bring thousands and even millions of dollars into a hospital's coffers. In most cases, they don't necessarily need to use your hospital, even though you have Dr. Brightstar on staff. They may end up at the institution down the street that treats patients better.

2. Be courteous and respectful. Always, always, make sure patients are treated with courtesy and respect. I know executives who pretended to be patients inside their own institutions and were shocked by the lack of focus and concern they received. Treating patients has become simply a job for many healthcare professionals. They manifest boredom with their jobs by treating patients indifferently. That's not professional and it's bad business!

3. Never show indifference to patients. Watch the way patients are treated when entering the ED. It can be quite disappointing at some urban hospitals and even at some suburban settings. If the illness is not life-threatening, patients are virtually given a number and told to sit down and wait. Many otherwise competent and even brilliant healthcare professionals give patients the feeling they are an inconvenience and a bother. Patients should not be made to feel inferior and misinformed.

4. Don't contradict, argue or match wits. Telling patients they are wrong about anything is just plain rude. Even when they have incorrect information, they still should be accorded respect. If you disagree with them, politely explain why their point of view isn't necessarily correct. Your goal should be to explain and communicate, and then to continue to explain and communicate. Help patients understand what is going on as treatment is being given. Patients should feel they are just important, in the scheme of things, as you are.

5. Tell patients you appreciate their business. Everybody likes to be thanked when purchasing an item in a retail store, but in all too many healthcare venues, saying "thank you" is seen as inappropriate. You know as well as I do that saying "thank you" has magic vibes for any kind of relationship. Go ahead and try it! It's a great way to receive your customers' repeat business.

6. Use plain terms and simple explanations. It may be fun to throw around complicated jargon, but it results in misunderstandings and sometimes errors. Nobody wants errors in today's healthcare environment. Always make sure your explanations are not clouded with excessive and complicated verbiage. Be brief and to the point. True professionals go out of their way to explain things in simple, declarative sentences.

7. Good manners will get you everywhere. Good manners are part and parcel of confidence and competence. Don't hide the truth even if it creates problems for you. Treat patients the way you'd want to be treated. Saying the appropriate words can show respect. Establishing eye contact is also part of good manners. Go way out of your way to show respect to others! It's what being civilized is all about, isn't it?

8. Keep seeing healthcare as a calling. Too many professionals begin to see healthcare as a job rather than a calling. There's a big difference between the two. When healthcare becomes a job, mistakes are not far behind. Today there are so many complicated variables in healthcare that it is easy to get off track. Remember who you are and what your core business is. It might help to recall what brought you into the healthcare field. Was it to take care of people or was it to make a lot of money?

9. Stay in touch with patients. Many healthcare professionals don't think they have the time to stay in touch with patients after care is rendered. They tend to think it's unnecessary and creates too much stress. That rationale should never be tolerated. Staying in touch with patients, even if it's an e-mail or a phone call, will pay off.

10. Keep your promises. Many promises made to patients are never kept. Things like, "You'll get the best care here" and "We treat each individual who comes to us with dignity and respect" and also, "You'll be just fine in a week or so." The difference between empty talk and promises is that promises must be kept. And if it turns out you overpromised, own up to it. Being honest will pay off later. Any quality business must keep its promises.

Chuck Lauer (chuckspeaking@aol.com) was publisher of Modern Healthcare for more than 25 years. He is now an author, public speaker and career coach who is in demand for his motivational messages to top companies nationwide.

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Chuck Lauer, Former Publisher of Modern Healthcare and an Author, Public Speaker and Career Coach

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10 Strategies to Provide Patients With Superior Customer Service

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1. Start seeing patients as customers. Taking care of patients is what healthcare is all about. It may be hard for some people to think of patients as customers, but they definitely are. Their choices bring thousands and even millions of dollars into a hospital's coffers.

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In our louder and louder world, says sound expert Julian Treasure, “We are losing our listening.” In this short, fascinating talk, Treasure shares five ways to re-tune your ears for conscious listening -- to other people and the world around you.

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Eric Dishman: Health care should be a team sport

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When Eric Dishman was in college, doctors told him he had 2 to 3 years to live. That was a long time ago. Now, Dishman puts his experience and his expertise as a medical tech specialist together to suggest a bold idea for reinventing health care -- by putting the patient at the center of a treatment team.