Every patient comes to a health care facility expecting to be handled with utmost care and respect. There are a few factors a patient considers to decide whether they were satisfied or not:
- Their experience:
Patient-centered care can be affected by the interaction between a nurse and a patient. If a customer was satisfied by the services offered, they will not only appreciate you but also recommend another patient to your health care facility. It is important to note that poor communication and lack of empathy can be a big hindrance to providing quality service.
- The condition of the health care facility:
Factors that a patient might consider as soon as they get in to a health care facility include: cleanliness, how well it is maintained, use of modern machines.
- The system in use:
How is the system? Is it effective?
Is there too much time wasted on paper work and hence a patient takes too much time before they are served?
Patient-centered care improves the quality life of a patient, gives great rating on the hospital and the nurse. When a patient is satisfied, the hospital will experience high patient retention, loyalty thus increasing their profitability. On the other hand, the nurse will be motivated.
To help increase the patient satisfaction, there are a few points to consider:
- Understand that your patient has high expectations and hence you have to make sure you meet or surpass those expectations by offering quality services.
- Be personal and show empathy.
- Be an effective communicator making sure that the patient understands the message.
- Reduce the waiting time for your patients.