What Healthcare can learn from the Service Industry
To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity. ~Douglas Adams
Consider the last time you went out and had an exceptional experience. I mean truly exceptional. Everything about the experience was perfect. From start to finish the ambiance was exactly what you were looking for, the table was perfect, the food hit the spot, and the services provided everything you needed and nothing you didn’t. I would wager to bet that you were greeted warmly at the host stand, you had the comfortable table you wanted, you were quickly greeted by the individual serving you, they were friendly and helpful, the wait for food and drinks was appropriate and comfortable, everything you ate and drank was delicious, someone was there if you needed anything, your server was ready with your check when you wanted to go and you weren’t “held hostage”. This all results in a seamless and deeply enjoyable experience.
Let’s contrast this with how most medical visits seem to go… You show up and wait to be greeted by someone who acts like you’re making their life more difficult. You’re put in an uncomfortable space and you wait … and wait … and maybe wait some more. Then, the person you’re there to see comes in and rushes through their questions. Maybe your questions get answered, maybe they don’t… After the whirlwind experience, feeling unfulfilled, you head back out to wait for someone to get off the phone so that you can schedule, or pay, or get information to see another or a different medical provider.
If we’re being honest, you can have this sort of poor experience at a restaurant as well. It’s also fair to comment that not all medical visits play out this way. The point could be made that even if you remove the products, whether is be food or medication, drinks or imaging, there are a lot of other components of the experience that can bring it closer to that exceptional level. Carl Buehner, in 1971, is ascribed to the statement, “They may forget what you said – but they will never forget how you made them feel”. Healthcare needs to realize that while we’re making people feel better, we’re not making people feel better.
Personally, I blame third party payers and insurance companies… Deductibles and co-pays go up while clinician reimbursement goes down, and you know that money is going somewhere (9% growth to $201 Billion in 2017 for one company). In order to pay back somewhere around a quarter-million in student loan debt (per physician), or keep a clinic in business, more people need to be seen per hour per day. This is going to push both clinicians and support staff to their limits. Are costs out of control? Yes, without a doubt. But, that is another post for another time… This is all a little besides the point since it is more of an excuse and doesn’t really provide any solutions.
So, we’re starting to see research being done on non-cognitive skills, therapeutic alliance, emotional intelligence, and the like… We’re starting to realize that research done by John Bowlby (1907 – 1990) holds weight not only with children, but with adults in relationships. What would we call patient-centered care between the patient and clinician? Oh, a relationship… Relationships take time, patience, humor, and two-way communication. Quality service requires attention, having everything you need and nothing you don’t, a sense of comfort, shared goals, and no one holding you hostage.
So, as clinicians we need to keep in mind that we’re building relationships and we’re providing a service. In the current atmosphere we don’t have much control over the time, but let’s consider the other factors that make strong relationships. What does 10-star service look like? Even with our education, and degrees, and doctorates, and experience, and biases, what can we pull from hosts, hostesses, servers, bartenders, and wait staff who are buried and in the weeds but still create exceptional experiences. How can we work to connect with the client or patient sitting in front of us in a way that helps them to feel heard and cared for when they are seeking exactly that – care? What can we do better when it comes to the services we provide? -M