Listen and Learn
Lisa Bainham, President of the Association of Dental Administrators and Managers (ADAM) gives her thoughts on patient feedback.
Most of us will probably like to think of ourselves as good listeners, and that listening is an attribute, but in fact it is a skill. Visit any practice website and you will see the owners extolling the virtue of their “patient centric” ethos. Whilst all I am sure are genuine in their passion to put the patient at the centre of everything they do, we must listen to our patients to understand their needs. This is especially important for more established businesses, who think they know their customer base. Chances are, they do, but why leave something as important as your future income to chance?
Patient feedback is one of the most valuable tools a practice can use. Whether it be to retain existing patients or attract new ones. There are several different ways in which you might gain feedback. If you hold a NHS contract in England, then you will almost certainly be using their ‘Friends & Family’ feedback forms. Introduced in 2014 it is designed to help NHS service providers and commissioners assess if patients were happy with the service. As well as allowing NHS practices to monitor services, it gives an overview of patient dynamics nationwide. Patients should also be able to access a summary of your results.
What format should feedback take for those who do not have an NHS contract or want to gather more detailed information on the services they provide? Various formats can be used. Traditionally we all probably relied on word of mouth, then paper, but in the digital age, electronic data capture makes collation and interpretation of feedback much simpler and more robust. Most dental software providers will have their own version that allows you to gather digital feedback from your patients. This can be done in practice or by follow up emails or specific marketing campaigns.
If you don’t use practice management software you can, however, do it independently using email software such as Mail Chimp. This is easy to set up and administer and very cost effective. Once you’ve captured your data, it is worthwhile using the findings on the homepage of your website or use with social media as a marketing tool. I know of one company (www.microminder.com) who post their client feedback on their homepage daily, so confident are they in the service they provide. Dental Sky (www.dentalsky.com) also publish their feedback, at the time of writing their TrustPilot rating was 9.3 out of 10 based. Clearly the dental trade values positive feedback and we as a profession should do the same.
Video testimonials on your website could also be useful (although do ensure you have the appropriate consent of the patient). If you communicate with your patients via a newsletter, then you should also make them aware of the opportunity to provide feedback on their experience and the cumulative results of fellow patients. We all feel reassured when we buy something on Amazon if 50+ others have previously bought it and are happy with it. Dentistry is no different. If you’d rather use paper, then keep the form simple to encourage patients to fill it in. A star rating system from 1 to 5 is all you need. An anonymous comments box is also a good idea.
Despite the ease of technology, some patients will prefer the ‘old fashioned’ approach of being asked about their experience. Don’t dismiss it, but do act on any negative feedback and formalise an internal procedure so that the whole team can review feedback. It is also an idea to define feedback (treatment v customer service) so that you know what area needs refinement or reward! You might also want to review the demographics of the feedback. Your older patients, for example, might be happy with your service, whereas younger groups may view your admin as a little antiquated. Don’t dismiss your paediatric patients either, they are your future! A particularly nervous little boy in our practice was always put at ease by the fact that I knew how his football club had performed at the weekend. All it took was a quick internet search before he arrived and I immediately had something to talk with him about. How did I know he liked football? He commented on a feedback form that he liked our dentist as he was a Manchester United supporter!
When devising a questionnaire you need to ensure you’re compliant with CQC and GDC standards (I advise you go onto the website for each organisation & check). Whilst positive feedback is great to receive, negative feedback is a hard pill to swallow. Don’t ignore it. Use it as a tool to improve. Addressing negative feedback does not need to be a negative process. If you receive negative feedback in person, listen to the comments and empathise with the patient. Generally, it’s better to follow up a complaint rather than try to handle it there and then. This gives you time to think, assess and calmly formulate a response. Hard as it may seem, do thank them for their feedback. If the negative feedback is online, remember to never discuss any clinical cases due to patient confidentiality. Keep responses polite and concise. As a consumer, you can generally tell if someone is ‘having a rant’; you don’t want to give fuel to the fire by responding in a curt fashion or appear petty/aloof. The only time I would recommend that you challenge the complaint is if you feel they have the wrong practice (which is not uncommon) but consider data protection. Remember, negative feedback isn’t necessarily a formal complaint but treat it as though it was, as the next one might be!
ADAM represents all members of the dental administration team as they recognise that each and every administrative role is vital to the smooth and efficient running of a busy dental practice.
For more information about ADAM click here.
