5.1. Achieving patient-friendly services
Practices should respond to both the clinical and non-clinical needs of their patients. If you are welcoming and helpful, your patients will feel valued and your staff will experience greater job satisfaction. In addition, the general atmosphere in the practice will improve, making it a more appealing place to work and visit.
Benefits
- Friendly reception staff can help patients to maintain a positive frame of mind in a potentially stressful situation, thus improving their visit.
- By delivering a more personalised service, reception staff gain greater job satisfaction; this may help with staff retention.
- Good care also helps to retain patients. If your patients experience poor service, they may go elsewhere.
Drawbacks
- Reception staff are often overloaded with work: juggling the phones with checking people in, finding prescriptions and answering queries. Providing a personalised service may not seem like a priority.
- Some staff may resist efforts to update their skills or work in a different way.
Value for money
Improved, patient-focused services can be achieved without incurring any costs.However, some optional costs could include:
- Training. Will external training be required?
- Front-desk cover. If receptionists undertake training during practice hours, extra cover may be needed
