Front office roles are no longer confined to hotels
Being ill, particularly when it involves having to go to a hospital to take medications for pain or anxiety, can make anyone confused. The hospital environment adds to the problem. Often perceived as cold and impersonal, traditional hospitals must reinvent themselves to offer more welcoming spaces. Indeed, like hotels, hospitals can use their existing infrastructure to improve patient satisfaction.
When this 120 –bed hospital run by doctors and named after royalty, opened, there were a couple of smartly attired pleasant looking girls, positioned at the entrance, who smilingly welcomed everyone who entered, enquired what they were looking for and politely gave directions as to where they should go. It was done very professionally – similar to the ‘meet, greet and seat’ role that a hostess in a good restaurant would perform. There was even a suited person (like a hotel lobby manager) overlooking the foyer area to whom one could address matters on-the-floor.
During those early days, the car park was barely full with very few bays reserved for visiting doctors / consultant. Whenever I visited this hospital my perceptions of care across all settings was extremely high. It truly delivered on its boast “Every patient we serve is treated with the utmost respect and consideration. But that was then and no longer now! Nowadays, the hospital’s car park is always invariably full with several bays (closest to the hospital building) reserved for the ever-growing group of consulting medics – thus requiring a long trudge from the car park across the street. The helpful employees at the entrance are no longer there at the entrance and the staff responsiveness and hospital cleanliness, especially in the public areas has significantly gone down.
The other day, I stood at the reception desk invisible or ignored for a good sixty seconds, while the two members of staff seated behind the counter were in animated discussion over something. Another wacky rule that I encountered recently was when I was told to make a fresh appointment to see the doctor, who had, on my previous visit, asked me to get a report done and to show him… simply because the hospital’s ‘7-day rule’ on showing reports had lapsed. Funnily, my doctor instructed me to take the report only after completing a 10-day course of prescribed medication. How does one comply? When I queried this from my doctor, his laconic reply “I don’t know, that’s a hospital rule.
All evident signs that business is booming and that this hospital has joined the elite band of Hospital companies, whose leaders and their numerous investors are putting their money where their mouths aren't. Would I recommend this hospital to family and friends? Hmm, I’m not really certain, because I fear that this hospital too will soon operate in the shadows in health care, as historically seen in privately run medical institutes. Would I continue to visit? No.
Thankfully, there are some hospitals that have realised that improving the patient experience is not at odds with medical quality but is an essential complement… and boosts their bottom lines. It is not only an ethical imperative; it’s also a profitable investment.
You never get a second chance to make a first impression - absolutely true for the check-in process at a hotel. Taking a cue that front office roles are no longer confined to hotels, some hospitals have redesigned their admission process to be warmer and more fluid – such as employing dedicated coordinators who explains administrative procedures and the course of care while answering any questions patients might have. This kind of attention reduces stress and builds trust from the very first interaction. Many other hospitals have developed concierge services modeled after those used in the hotel industry to simplify the patient journey, such as providing families and patients with practical information and assistance.
Finally, staff training is important. Just as much employees in the hotel industry go through intensive programs on the art of listening and courtesy, it behoves hospital operators to provide staff some training in communication skills and emotional intelligence.
Shafeek Wahab – Editor, Hospitality Sri Lanka, Consultant, Customer Service Trainer and Ex-Hotelier
|
|
|
|
