Are senior health executives really committed to creating better customer experiences, or are they just saying what we all want to hear?

I just read a recent HealthLeaders Media study that says patient experience is among the top five priorities of senior health executives.

Given my latest experience with our current healthcare delivery model, I hope they get started soon!

My wife needed outpatient surgery on her hip. On the appointed day, we dutifully showed up at the local hospital at the unseemly hour of 5 a.m. for her scheduled 7 a.m. surgery. Following registration, we were taken to a private room, and she changed into one of those flimsy gowns that hospitals are famous for…except this one had holes in it. (what does that say about respect for a patient?)

And then we waited. And waited. And waited some more. Finally, after numerous inquiries, we learned that our surgeon had switched the order of surgeries for the day. Finally, at 2 p.m. she was taken down for her one-hour surgery. Wouldn’t a little communication have been helpful?

We finally left the hospital after 7 p.m. that night, tired and with a less than positive impression of the hospital and the doctor.

Apparently, I’m not alone. Discontent with the current healthcare system is growing. A new study from Deloitte indicates that healthcare consumers want to be more engaged and gain greater control over their healthcare decisions. The Deloitte study finds:

• Nearly 40% of consumers rate the U.S. healthcare system a D or F
• A quarter of consumers have skipped care when they were sick or injured; two in five of them did so
because they simply could not afford it, were not covered by insurance or thought the costs were
too high
• Three in 10 switched medications in the past year; 38% switched to save money
• 53% of consumers would like employers to be required to provide health insurance for employees
• 37% favor a mandate requiring every American to obtain health insurance either through direct
purchase of through an employer or government program
• Seven in 10 say they would participate in a wellness program if they were given financial incentives,
such as reduced insurance premium or monetary reward
• 13% of consumers have visited a retail clinic this year and 30% said they would do so if it cost 50%
less than seeing a doctor in a doctor’s office
• 42% want access to an online personal health record connected to their doctor’s office
• 65% of consumers are interested in home monitoring devices that enable them to check their
condition and send the results to their doctor

Sounds like consumers know what they want, and many of them are demanding to be heard. So if you’re a healthcare provider or a health plan, you should probably be asking – do I know what my patients and/or customers want? Am I engaging them in a way that makes them want to tell others? Or are they unhappy and ready to tell anyone who will listen?

Consider these websites…all devoted to giving disgruntled customers a voice:

Physicianreports.com

RipoffReport.com

Complaints.com

PissedConsumer.com

What are your customers saying about you?

Is your organization going through some kind of major change? If so, what are the ramifications for your CUSTOMERS?

This may be a moment when you need to intentionally add resources and attention to being sure your customers get through the change with you.

I got to thinking about this the other day when I visted my usual Harris Teeter grocery store to buy about a dozen items. The store is in transition – they are enlarging the existing store by about 20%. And the store is staying open while they move entire sections from one side to another. Some areas are not well lit, and some of the floors are unfinished (raw concrete). Now, I can handle all that. But here’s the rub: I couldn’t find a number of the items I wanted to buy!

There were NO SIGNS hanging above the aisles. Worse, there were no store employees posted around the store to help me. And check-out took longer than normal (not sure why).

The net result was that I spent less than I would have, I’m dissatisfied, and I’m not going back – at least until I’m absolutely CERTAIN that the place is completely finished. I may even switch to a competitor.

True, I’m just one customer. But how many others are having the same experience?

So, if your organization is doing a major remodeling, or just making a significant shift to other things that “touch” your customers – like your phone system, billing system, etc. THINK long and hard about what disruption may mean for your customers – and take steps to OVER serve those customers, if you want to keep them.

Over the past two months, I’ve had the “privilege” of being a consumer of healthcare services, and let’s just say I’m underwhelmed. I’m left with the distinct impression that the two different urology specialists I saw are still living in the last century in terms of the total “customer experience” they provide to their patients.

Why? Let me illustrate -

Wait Time: F

With the specialist I’ll call “Dr. Adams,” I had to wait an average of 45 minutes in the waiting room past my scheduled appointment time, then another 15-20 minutes in the “little room” aka exam room. I went to see a second specialist whom I’ll call “Dr. Baxter,” and the length of time spent waiting was about the same, only worse. Worse because in that case I asked the receptionist how long th wait would be, and she said only about 20 minutes.

So, I’m left wondering – (1) Why can’t doctors function somewhat closer to schedule, (2) why can’t they call or text me ahead of time and tell me to come 15-30 minutes later if they are running late, and (3) why can’t the staff help manage my expectations by providing a more accurate answer when I ask about the waiting time?

Personal Communication by the Doctor: A

Both doctors were good at this. They sat down and made eye contact. They asked relevant questions and took notes. They conveyed medical information clearly and directly (as I would expect). They also asked if I had questions and answered with responses that sounded honest and were helpful. They laid out the alternatives and risks. I appreciated all of that.

Discharge Instructions: F

After a biopsy, which was done under general anesthesia, I was given no discharge instructions in writing and was only told verbally not to drive for the next few hours. There was no indication that there might be some unpleasant side effects or aftermath to the procedure, which, unfortunately, I had to find out on my own.

Follow-Up Communication: F

The doctor’s office where I went for my biopsy had me fill out a new sheet indicating whether I wanted follow-up phone calls made by their office to my business, home, or cell numbers, and whether or not they were permitted to leave a message on any of these numbers. Well, they must have lost the sheet. They did the opposite of what I requested!

Secondly, only some five days after my biopsy did someone from the doctor’s office call to say that I was supposed to get a prescription and start taking the meds right away! The person was gracious enough to say they would call in the prescription to a drug store of my choice, but asked me if I knew the number of the CVS pharmacy I mentioned!

Now, also consider the following:
– a waiting room that, in one case, was too cold and pretty sterile
– a check-in staffer who was not warm or welcoming
– websites that only provided the most minimal information about the quality of the doctors and their experience with my condition
– a bill that was larger than I expected (yes, I had asked a staff person about the costs since I’m paying for this out of my HSA)

Overall, I came away feeling disappointed and frustrated by the experience. I’m certainly not ready to recommend either of these well-respected physicians, and I may seek another one for future needs.

As a consumer, I’m left wondering: is there a urologist who “gets it” in terms of delivering the kind of 21st century customer experience I’m seeking?

Are your customers having experiences that enhance their perception of your brand, or is the opposite occurring?

I needed to get a new clip-on carrying case for my Blackberry. So, I stopped by my local Verizon Wireless store to see if I could just buy one and be down. No such luck! They carry some other brand, not an official Blackberry one, and the one they are offering does not have the hinged clip that has helped keep my PDA on my hip getting in and out of cars, etc. No thanks!

So, I went home and got online to order a replacement case directly from the Blackberry site – assuming this task would only take a moment. I found the correct model and proceeded to the “check-out.” I supplied all the necessary information, but wouldn’t you know – I got an error message saying I had failed to enter the type of credit card I was using. I went back and entered the info, pushed all the right buttons, and completed my purchase. What?! Same error message AGAIN! Tried a third time. Same result. Frustrated, I tried to call the Customer Support number shown on the screen and learned – via a recorded message – they close at 8 Eastern. Too late.

The next morning, I called from my office to explain my frustration over spending more than 20 minutes trying to complete what I thought should be a very simple task. I got “Kyle” on the phone, and he was pleasant enought. After hearing my story, he admitted that their software was having problems with certain web browsers. (Mine at home is Firefox which I thought was a pretty popular one!).

Kyle graciously took my order, then asked me about shipping. At that very moment, having heard my whole story, he had a chance to be a hero for his brand. But no. Instead, he wants to charge me the same $8 to ship the case to me, via regualr shipping. He could have (a) waived the shipping charge altogether, or (b) offered to upgrade the shipping and send it overnight for my $8 fee. But he did neither.

Being a person who is insanely curious (that’s my business, you know) – I asked him if he could do so. And what do you think he said? That’s right – “No, I don’t have the authority.” Hmmm…. I believe some hotel companies empower their maids to spend up to $2000 to address and solve a guest problem, and this poor guyy can’t even waive an $8 charge to make me feel a bit better?!

So, I’m left with a sour feeling about the brand called Blackberry… probably one of the most profitable companies in North America, but one that has offered me a poor online experience and a less-than-satisfying experience on the phone.

How’s that for “brand building” – in reverse!

How long does it take to say the simple English word – “please?”

Time yourself, and you’ll see that it’s less than a single second!

Yes, this compact word seems to be disappearing from our national vocabulary, as does its sibling – thank you.

I go to the grocery store and the clerks are pleasant enough, but when they nonchalantly announce that my total purchase is $153.87, they never add the simple word please, as I was taught to do in my father’s retail business when asking a customer for money.

This lack of what I consider to be a fundamental courtesy is widespread, and it feels like the phenomena is growing.

Perhaps we’re all in too much of a hurry, and so we choose to communicate ever more briefly with our fellow citizens by eliminating an exta word or two from our conversations. Perhaps it’s because children no longer grow up in families where this kind of basic courtesy is demonstrated and reinforced. Or perhaps it’s because employers do not expect this behavior, teach it to their front-line employees, and then actively reinforce this practice.

Fortunately, there are still a few exceptions, and we’re making a stand! In our organization, one of our core values is “respect,” and a powerful way to demonstrate this value is by offering a sincere “thank you” to clients, suppliers, and associates.

So, I’m on a one-man crusade to overcome this deficiency in our society. Won’t you join me in this endeavor? Please?!