Mastering Patient Concerns: Use Advocacy Education to Streamline Your Workflow & Boost Satisfaction

Patient Concerns News – As a healthcare provider, you’ve undoubtedly experienced the challenge of navigating a packed schedule while striving to offer quality care. Picture this: You enter an exam room, and your next patient immediately bombards you with a litany of questions and concerns, all without completing the appointment’s paperwork or answering routine questions properly. You want to address each point thoroughly, but you’re also acutely aware of the ticking clock and the patients still waiting. It’s a balancing act that leaves both parties often feeling shortchanged.

What if we told you that this scenario could be vastly improved, freeing you to focus more on quality care while equipping your patients to be more proactive and prepared? 

In this article, we’ll dive into the important yet often complex issue of addressing patient concerns. We’ll explore it from both sides of the examination table, acknowledging your logistical limitations as a healthcare provider, while also discussing strategies to make your patients more informed, and therefore more understanding of those constraints. 

By employing the “Patients as Partners” method and the EPIC (Equal Partner in Care) exchange, we aim to present a dual-solution approach that enhances point-of-care service for everyone involved. As a healthcare provider, you’ll find these tools invaluable. And for your patients? Well, let’s just say that this is the kind of article you’ll want to share with them.

The Importance of Addressing Patient Concerns

You don’t need a medical degree to know that healthcare is a two-way street. When patients feel heard and understood, it not only boosts their satisfaction but can also lead to better medical outcomes. Yet, the importance of addressing patient concerns extends beyond the emotional aspects—it’s a critical component in the patient-provider relationship that impacts clinical decisions, treatment adherence, and even risk management.

But why is this so important from a provider’s perspective? First, a patient who feels their concerns are acknowledged is more likely to trust you, follow treatment recommendations, and return for future care. This not only improves patient satisfaction scores but can also significantly reduce the risks associated with miscommunication or lack of adherence to medical advice.

Second, acknowledging and addressing patient concerns can streamline your workflow. When patients come prepared, knowing what to expect and having a clear list of questions, it cuts down on time spent clarifying misunderstandings or filling in knowledge gaps. It also makes room for more focused, productive discussions that can lead to faster diagnosis and treatment plans.

Thus, the benefits of adequately addressing patient concerns lead to more than just improved patient satisfaction. They result in a more activity-driven reimbursable appointment, reducing the time you spend on documentation and “hunting” for necessary information throughout your busy day. By creating an environment where communication is clear and effective, you pave the way for more focused and streamlined interactions that ultimately benefit your practice’s workflow and financial health

In a nutshell, the act of addressing patient concerns creates a virtuous cycle: it benefits the patients who feel empowered and understood, and it benefits you as a healthcare provider, improving your efficacy, satisfaction scores, and even your bottom line.

Common Patient Complaints and How to Address Them Within Your Limitations

It’s no secret that a typical healthcare provider’s day is a whirlwind of consultations, paperwork, and decision-making. While your intention is to offer the best care possible, the sheer pace and volume of your schedule can sometimes lead to oversight, causing patient complaints. So what are the most common patient complaints, and how can you address them given your existing constraints?

1. Long Wait Times: Waiting is often the top complaint. While you can’t entirely eliminate wait times, you can mitigate the frustration by offering a comfortable waiting environment and employing a well-organized appointment system. 
2. Lack of Clarity in Communication: Many patients complain about leaving the appointment confused about their treatment plan. Addressing this requires no extra time but a shift in approach—speak plainly, avoid jargon, and confirm the patient understands the next steps.
3. Rushed Appointments: Feeling rushed is a common patient gripe, but did you know that patients often feel less rushed when they perceive their time as productive? By utilizing tools and techniques like the “Patients as Partners” method, you can ensure that even brief interactions are meaningful.

In dealing with these and other complaints, a unified, independent patient approach is invaluable. That’s where Patient Better’s EPIC exchange and “Patients as Partners” method come in. These tools are designed to empower patients, thus freeing you from the responsibility of hand-holding and enabling a more efficient use of your precious face-to-face time. 

When patients are educated and prepared, they are more understanding of your limitations and better equipped to participate in their care, reducing misunderstandings and facilitating quicker, more effective appointments.

From Knowledge to Action: Why Patient Activities Matter 

It’s one thing for a patient to know what questions to ask or what concerns to raise, but it’s another for them to take action. This distinction is essential for healthcare providers because a patient’s active participation in their care is not only a marker of their commitment but also a reliable predictor of how efficiently an appointment will proceed.

Here are some activities that are telltale signs of an engaged and prepared patient:

• Answering Routine Questions: Patients who can quickly and accurately respond to routine questions about their medical history, symptoms, and medications save you valuable time.
• Bringing a Notebook: A patient who comes with a notebook is likely organized and has given some thought to what they want to discuss, helping make the appointment more efficient.
• Completing Paperwork Ahead of Time: A patient who arrives with all necessary paperwork completed is obviously committed to making the most of the appointment, saving you administrative time.
• Prepared Chief Complaint: When patients can succinctly state their main concern or reason for the visit, it streamlines the diagnostic process.
• Asking Questions: An inquisitive patient is often an engaged one. Questions not only clarify any misunderstanding but also demonstrate that the patient is active in their healthcare journey.

However, it’s not enough for patients to know what to ask or look for; they must take actionable steps. These actions are an excellent indicator for healthcare providers of how streamlined and efficient their appointments will be, directly impacting their workflow and overall satisfaction.By promoting these simple yet effective behaviors, you encourage a smoother, more effective healthcare interaction. This benefits you by creating more manageable appointments and reduces the stress that comes with potential schedule delays or disruptions.

Identifying Problem Patients and the Impact on Healthcare 

While healthcare providers strive to give equal attention and care to all, it’s an unfortunate reality that some patients can be more challenging to work with than others. These “problem patients” are often not those who lack knowledge; rather, they are those who fail to take actionable steps in their healthcare journey. 

Failure to perform health advocacy activities like answering routine questions or completing paperwork doesn’t just inconvenience you as a provider; it also has wider ramifications. Research shows that such lapses can wreak havoc on your schedule, staff, and caseload. More critically, these behaviors put an additional strain on the healthcare system. This includes medication misuse, increased rates of rehospitalization, longer hospital stays, and unnecessary trips to the emergency room, thereby jeopardizing the patient’s overall health journey.

Recognizing these signs early can help providers take proactive measures. Education plays a key role here, but as we’ve emphasized, it’s not about what the patient knows—it’s about what the patient does, both inside the treatment room and the time they spend in between office visits.

Elevate Your Practice with Patient Better’s EPIC Exchanges

Navigating the complexities of healthcare is no small feat for providers. From juggling administrative tasks to delivering personalized patient care, the list of responsibilities is exhaustive. Amidst this, facilitating effective patient-provider exchanges often becomes a secondary focus. That’s precisely where Patient Better comes into the equation.

Patient Better isn’t just another tool; it’s a comprehensive solution that seamlessly integrates into your existing workflow. Here’s how we make a difference:

1. Effective Communication: No longer will you need to manually prompt patients for questions or concerns. Our educational program ensures that each patient understands the importance and necessity of every aspect of medical communication—be it filling out forms, understanding the concept of informed consent, or knowing the architecture of a medical note. This ensures that each patient walks into an appointment with a clear understanding of verbal, nonverbal, and written communication needs in healthcare.
2. Promote Preparedness and Safety: Eliminate the need for handing out checklists or collecting scattered forms. Patient Better goes beyond basic preparedness by equipping patients to manage their chief complaints effectively and fostering better treatment adherence and compliance. Moreover, our program instills a sense of safety preparedness and prevention, guiding patients on how to minimize medication misuse, reduce rehospitalizations, and cut down on unnecessary trips to the emergency room. Our tools even teach patients what to do in emergency situations, how to document their experiences, and how to retrieve and communicate this vital information back to you. This comprehensive approach allows you to dive straight into meaningful discussions and focus on direct patient care, reducing your administrative burden.
3. Leverage Technology: Our system is designed to complement existing EMRs and patient portals. Patients will know how to retrieve medical records, access patient portals, make online appointments, and display the digital literacy skills required for next-level healthcare management. With Patient Better, you have a unified hub that holds all relevant patient data, which minimizes the risk of oversight and streamlines each appointment.
4. Identify and Educate “Problem Patients”: Allow us to handle the identification and education of less-engaged patients. Our platform not only identifies these individuals but also automatically provides them with tailored educational resources. This ensures they come to their appointments ready to take an active role in their care, reducing strain on your staff and resources. (Learn how we can help before the enters the exam room here.)