One of folks we follow on twitter @RaganHealth, posted a story where one of their bloggers (Jessica Levco) had to go to an ER for an eye issue. She was undecided between two local hospital ED’s, and was trying to decide where to go.
“Then, I narrowed my choice to two big-name hospitals in Chicago, both of equal distance from my condo and of equal reputation. Figuring out whether my insurance would be accepted would be the deciding factor.
I called the ER admissions at Hospital One to see whether my insurance would work. I was transferred to another department, but got stuck in someone’s voicemail. I called the operator again and was transferred again, this time to a different voicemail box. So much for Hospital One.
I called Hospital Two. Immediately I was told that my insurance would be accepted. I even got to talk to a nurse. I explained my situation; she listened patiently and advised me to come in and get it checked out. Plus, the wait time was only 30 minutes. Sold.”
Think of the revenue (not mention the good will) Hospital One lost by not having anyone available to answer Jessica’s question. Multiply that amount by multiple encounters and the ROI of live customer service becomes evident.
Providers have to understand that today, it is not only about the newest medical technology, fanciest building, or slickest marketing campaign that makes the difference. As providers race to best each other on patient perceptions inside their facilities, they also have to remember that external factors, like how patients are treated before they enter, play into the picture as well. Jessica, who works for one of the best healthcare marketers in Chicago says it best.
“As I sat in the waiting room (and really, it wasn’t for that long), I thought about all the stuff hospital marketers do to promote their hospital—the billboards, the live-tweeted surgeries, the Facebook pages—but it became clear to me: The thing that made me chose this hospital was the people”
And size does not matter. At last year’s ACHE Congress I heard multiple times, from hospitals large and small, how moving the culture to embrace great customer service impacted the bottom line. And solutions do not have to be grand or expensive. Little steps can make a key difference. Like having teaching the Hospital One operator where to route Jessica’s call, and to make sure someone was available to answer it. Probably not a lot of out of pocket on the process change. But a big impact on the patient experience.
