To achieve practice success we should focus on taking advantage of each and every opportunity to WOW our patients and those in our practice circle.   These “opportunities” are what give us the competitive edge in our communities and lead to heightened patient satisfaction and a more pleasant place to spend our many hours each week.   One of the most powerful tools is not the Dremel or surgical saw but that pesky little creature we call a “telephone”. 

The telephone’s power is stronger than we realize and so underutilized as a tool for WOWing a patient, referring physician or an insurance company, collectively known as “our customers”.   The combination of these “customers” and your telephone presents a chance for you to become remarkable.   We suggest the doctor and staff team in your office each take three blank pieces of paper and write the headings:  patients, physicians and their staff, and insurance companies.   Have everyone write their own list of telephone opportunities to WOW them.   Think of occasions when you have hung up the phone as a customer and thought “I was just treated like gold”, and then translate these ideas into practical applications in your office

One the best practice builders, especially for new practitioners, is to call EVERY new patient the evening of their first visit to simply ask “How are you feeling?” or “What other questions do you have?”.   You will be amazed how many friends and co-workers that patient will tell about “that doctor who really cares” or “the doctor who took their time to make me feel so important.”   We find that when a doctor in our office calls another local physician and says a simple “How are you today?” or “Isn’t it beautiful out today?” to the staff member who answers, the word gets back to us about how their staff thinks our doctors are so nice, leading to more referrals.   When calling an insurance company we are sure to get the representative or nurse’s name and use their name at least twice in the conversation.  They also appreciate a little light humor about the current health care delivery system.

Just give the unexpected that takes so little effort on our part, and your practice and happiness will flourish.