The best way to effectively run a medical practice is by constantly making improvements in order to ensure that patients are receiving the best possible care. Collecting patient feedback is essential for doing so in urgent cares and emergency departments.
Not only does patient feedback provide a direct line for healthcare professionals to gauge how well their services are meeting the needs of their patients, but it also helps gather insight into operational issues that may need improvement. By understanding the experience of the patient, healthcare staff can better identify trends and make adaptations accordingly.
If you’re looking to enhance the way that you collect feedback in order to provide a better patient experience, here are some tips to do so efficiently:
Use an Online Survey Tool
One of the most efficient ways to collect patient feedback is by using an online survey tool. There are a number of simple and accessible online survey tools available, such as SurveyMonkey and Google Forms.
These sites allow you to create your own customizable survey and send it out to patients electronically. Patients can then easily complete the survey at their convenience and you can view the results in real time. These tools also make it easy to analyze the data and spot any major trends to identify where your practice is succeeding or could use improvement.
Use a Patient Portal
Another way to collect patient feedback is through the use of an online patient portal. Patient portals are secure websites and/or apps that allow patients to access their medical records in one place and easily communicate with their healthcare providers.
Many patient portals have features that allow patients to provide feedback on their care. For example, some portals have forums where patients can post questions or comments about their experience. This is a great way to collect feedback from patients while they’re already on the portal viewing test results, requesting medications or communicating with their provider.
Use Social Media
Today, social media is one of the most powerful tools for any practice. It’s not only effective for marketing, but is also a great way for your urgent care or emergency department to collect patient feedback.
There are a number of ways that you can leverage social media to do so. For example, you can create a hashtag for patients to use when posting about their experience at your practice.
This will not only boost your practice’s online presence, but allow you to see what your patients are saying online. You can also encourage patients to leave reviews on your practice’s Facebook page or Google listing after their visit.
Use a Third-Party Review Site
Another option for collecting patient feedback is to use a third-party review site, such as Healthgrades or RateMDs. These sites make it super easy for patients to rate and review their healthcare providers. They also allow prospective patients to find your practice and view existing reviews.
Send Out Surveys After Appointments
You can also collect patient feedback by sending out surveys to patients after their appointments. This can be done electronically or by mail. Surveys should be short, to the point and focus on specific areas, such as the quality of care, wait times, and customer service. In order to collect the most responses, patients should be given a reasonable amount of time to complete the survey and they should be made aware that their responses will be anonymous.
Make it Easy
There are a number of creative ways that you can collect feedback from your patients. The number one rule to keep in mind is that you should make it easy. Patients are far more likely to leave a review if it is quick and convenient for them.
One strategy to accomplish this is by providing a QR code in your office that patients can scan upon leaving. This code would direct patients to your website or a third-party review site where they can provide feedback. You can also provide links on your website for patients to easily leave reviews.
Provide a Better Patient Experience with ER Express
ER Express provides intuitive and effective software for emergency depts and urgent cares that makes your practice’s day-to-day administrative tasks smooth and painless. As a result, you can spend more time with patients and provide them with excellent care.
Our solutions allow your practice to free up more time so that your team can focus on providing the best patient experience possible with more accurate data collection and reporting capabilities.
To learn more, request a demo with us today.
