3 Tips to Help Patients During Times of Increased Care Needs
Often, when a patient needs a specialist, it is because something with their health has changed. This can be scary for the patient, especially when you aren’t exactly sure what is wrong. That can make the experience of needing to see a specialist a bit upsetting.
Add on staffing shortages in many medical offices around the country and that can make it even more of a challenge. This can mean booked calendars for months and patients having to wait longer to get the care they need.
So how can you provide the best experience for your patients when they are apprehensive about their health and their care? Let’s get into some tips on how you can provide the best care and experience for your patients who need a specialist.
1 | Have Clear Communication and Set Expectations
First, it’s important to communicate clearly and set expectations with your patients. Make sure that you are both on the same page when it comes to what you know, what you don’t, and why seeing a specialist is crucial for their long-term health. Be sure to set expectations as well. It’s okay to remind patients of staffing shortages in the healthcare industry and to remind them that when they do get an appointment, it may not be for a few months, especially for medical fields that are thinly staffed like rheumatology. (If your patient is in need of care more urgently, be sure to communicate that to the specialist’s office.) This should help minimize frustration patients feel in not getting the care they need when they feel they need it. Frustrated patients could walk away from the care they need, and we want to minimize those occurrences.
2 | Offer Empathy and Compassion
As we work to provide care to all our patients through staffing shortages, it can be easy to just push patients in and out the door. However, we must always remember to keep empathy and compassion front and center. Remember, patients that need to see a specialist may feel scared, upset, angry, frustrated, or sad about their new health issues or diagnosis. Showing that you truly care goes a long way in building patient-doctor trust and can improve a patient’s overall outcome. This is because patients are more likely to follow a care plan if they believe you truly have their best interest at heart.
3 | Arm Them with Information
While a patient waits to see a specialist, arm them with the information as you can. This should be basic information, such as what additional tests the specialist may order. You may not think that even this small amount of information may be worthwhile to go over with patients, but for someone who feels their future is uncertain, this information can be a lifeline. Not only will they be more prepared for their appointment with the specialist, but your patient will feel more confident and empowered at that appointment!
4 | Increase Your Referral Network
Your referrals can have a lot of weight with patients as they trust you to send them to the best specialists for their health care needs. However, it can be helpful to increase your referral network as the medical community deals with staffing shortages. This can help decrease wait times for patients to get in and see a specialist.
Physician’s Liaison Can Help Increase Your Referral Network!
Physician’s Liaison has been helping practices just like yours increase their referral network since 2005! Our commission-free service takes a dynamic approach. Whether you are a specialist looking to increase the number of general practitioners who refer patients to you to fill your appointment book, or you are a general practitioner looking for additional specialist connections, we can help you! Chat with us today to learn more about our services.