Take a Look Under the Cap of Thy Neighbor's Ketchup Bottle
by Hal Ornstein DPM, FACFAS and Lynn Homisak, PRT, PMAC

Several strong messages are often delivered in the places we least suspect.  Next time you feel a little devious, visit your well-hygiened neighbor’s house, tiptoe to the refrigerator, and check under the cap of the ketchup bottle.  You will find either a clean bottle top or a red, dry, crusty creature ready to attack.  If you find our little friend, the crusty creature, what is the message staring you in the face?  Your mind may wander to start thinking that the house is clean in the areas seen by visitors but what lingers where the eye cannot see?  The same negative image may be created in that beautiful five-star restaurant with a dirty bathroom. 

Mirror this to a podiatric office with patients seeing a toenail from your last patient walking across the floor, corners of your wallpaper peeling from the wall or a paint job last done in the 70’s, and they will likely start to question things such as how clean your office is and if you regularly sterilize your instruments.

We typically ask patients who have left other podiatrists or physicians why they chose to change.  They frequently answer with a simple “their office was dirty”.  On the other end of the spectrum are patients who comment first about how nice our staff is and then how our office is the cleanest they have seen.  In today’s competitive market, we are constantly searching for ways to distinguish us from others in our area.  By all means, we have found our focus on keeping our office fresh and clean has lead to improved patient satisfaction and serves as a practice-builder.

For a few dollars a week, you can deliver a strong message by having a small vase of flowers in each treatment room, reception room, bathroom and front desk.  Do a double check of the floor and counters of each treatment room before every patient is brought in.  Sit in your reception room, spend some time in every treatment chair, and stand where the patients check in and out, and you may discover negative messages you never imagined.  Your best investment is in the image of the doctors, staff and physical environment, which will inevitably translate into improved patient satisfaction, pride, reputation and profitability.