What if my retainer patients Underutilize?

Author: Bert Polacek 

In the concierge environment, it is no longer enough to wait for patients to call.  Part of superior service is to reach out to patients for both medical and non-medical reasons.  Medical follow up is crucial to instilling trust with the patient that his or her care is being closely watched.  Outreach also establishes the patient as a valued member of a practice focused on personal attention.  When done on a regular basis, this is another point of differentiation from the traditional practice and reinforces the value of a concierge practice. 

The follow up could come as a result of a prescribed regimen or simply as a call to monitor ongoing conditions and progress.  Every opportunity to connect with the member should be taken advantage of.  This includes the obvious post-specialist visit, test results, etc. Outreach should also encourage the well patient to visit for wellness and preventive purposes.  A member who hasn’t taken advantage of your unique services may not readily see value in your practice when the time comes to renew.

There are also a number of ways to make contact with your whole patient population at once. This could be a well-timed seminar like one of GSC’s client’s conducted recently on selecting a Medicare Part D Plan or through a periodic newsletter which includes relevant health information as well as the comings and goings of the practice.

Lastly, with the aid of standard customer relationship management software, non-medical outreach should recognize personal milestones in the lives of patients.  Recognition of anniversaries, birthdays, special events, etc. continue to enhance the patient-physician relationship.  The Concierge dynamic is most successful when patient and physician interact and it is up to the physician to be proactive in this activity.

How does a greeting impact success?

Author: Bert Polacek 

Many, if not most, patients join a concierge medicine practice with the expectation for more of the physician’s time and attention – at the moment it’s needed. And since the phone is usually the first and most often used point of contact, the way you use this important tool can differentiate you from the traditional practice.  Phones should be answered personally by the physician or staff within a few rings.  The use of automated systems should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.  A professional yet friendly script should be implemented and adhered to.

Over time, staff must be able to recognize the caller and acknowledge their place as a welcomed member.  Obviously, this protocol needs to be extended to visits. All staff should know which patients are in the office at any given time and greet them in a friendly and relaxed manner. GSC has found it helpful when its client practices keep a log of non-medical facts about each patient (e.g. they are planning to go to Europe in July) so the interactions can be on a more personal level.This applies to physicians in particular. The doctors must make himself available 24/7 and usually will not have a staff member to act as a buffer after hours.  Calls should be returned at the earliest time possible.  E-mail, for those patients who prefer it, should be used on a regular basis.  Scheduling should be configured to allow for ample patient time and for the unexpected patient need.When it comes to superior service, a pleasant surprise for the patient is the goal.  Stories abound about how patients are shocked when the doctor answers his phone, especially after hours or weekends.  These experiences, when added to other surprise opportunities in service delivery, assure continued good word of mouth and retention of existing patients

What does my staff need to do differently?

Author: Bert Polacek 

Because of the personal nature of the successful Concierge practice, every member of the staff plays a vital role in delivering superior customer service.  To a great extent, your staff represents a distinguishing feature of the practice that weighs heavily on the level of success you enjoy.  And, because most concierge practices enjoy much lower staffing levels, there’s a greater need for cross training and multi-tasking. 

Staff must be exceedingly professional and part of a team that is clear on the objective of satisfying patient needs.  A pleasant and outgoing personality is invaluable, second only to professionalism.  Regular team meetings should be established to assure that all members are fully informed of daily, weekly, and monthly objectives.  Staff should be encouraged to develop closer relationships with patients and to take note of key patient requirements, peculiarities, personalities, milestones, etc.  Because of the increased level in expectations and accountabilities, and to maintain continuity and dependability in staff, the concierge physician may want to consider enhanced pay and benefits. In a traditional practice, the office manager’s primary roll is to ensure that the flow of the office is as efficient for the physician(s) as possible and that all information flows properly and timely for billing purposes. In a concierge practice  the concierge coordinator (the replacement for the office manager) main purpose is to make sure that the flow of the office is efficient for the patient as possible and that the information is gathered and disseminated for the optimum use in providing proper care and follow-up and billing will virtually handle itself (that is why GSC usually recommends outsourcing it). A skilled, motivated, engaged, and properly empowered Concierge staff plays a critical role in patient growth and retention and, therefore, the success of the practice. 

When do I fire a patient?

Author: Marc Grossman 

After opening day comes and the physician realizes he actually can attract a decent number of patients into his concierge practice, they realize there are patients who have signed up that maybe should not have – this may be because they had unrealistic expectations for the practice or maybe there is a personality incompatibility which precludes a proper doctor patient bond from forming. While not every patient is ideal and high-maintenance patients are necessary components of any practice, there needs to a recognition of when the contract between doctor and patient is not meeting the standards set by the doctor.

The number one concern should be the effect on other patients. If the extra attention that one patient needs is not detracting from your ability to treat them or to tend to other patients, then it probably is a situation that can be tolerated. If you are risking losing more desirable clientele then action needs to be taken.

The first step should always be a conversation with the challenging patient and discuss with them how you believe the relationship should be. In many cases it is ignorance and not belligerence that is driving the inappropriate behavior. Also, even if the conversation ends that it is best for both parties for the patient to leave the practice, they are less likely to start complaining about you to other potential patients than if the separation is not handled well. To this end, if there is any question as to the appropriate refund amount, error on the side of the patient. And it goes without saying that any transition to another practice should take into account all continuity of care issues.