Learn From Obamacare’s Mistakes… How To Prevent a Patient Uprising

November 12,2013
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What can you learn from the less than perfect launch of Obamacare about how to grow your dental practice? 

No matter if you are part of the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, or the Sun Ripened Warm Tomato Party, I think we can agree that the launch of Obamacare was a little less than spectacular (to put it mildly).   

Annoying website bugs, long online processing times, data errors, and people finding out that their insurance plan is getting cancelled are a few of the issues that have upset and worried many Americans. 

So what does this have to do with your dental office?  

When I studied Economics in college, my Senior Thesis was all about Customer Satisfaction.  I learned from the academic research that creating a satisfied customer has nothing to do with the service you deliver.  All that matters is how the service you deliver compares to what the customer EXPECTED you to deliver.  

Customer expectations are everything. 

And because satisfied customers return to purchase again, refer their friends, and accept your recommendations, it becomes very important to surpass their expectations in everything you do!

The alternative is what we are seeing with Obamacare...

  • People were told "it would be easy to enroll in healthcare through the insurance marketplace"...  Instead, they were met with long wait times and error messages.
     
  • People were told "you can keep your old insurance plan if you like it"... Instead, many found out that their plan was being discontinued. 

When expectations aren't met, you have a major problem... even an uprising in some situations!

So what expectations are most important to your patients?  Here are some high-impact opportunities to manage your patients' expectations for a positive result. 

  • Wait Time - I don't want to show up for my 10:00 appointment and sit around until 10:40.  Let me know if you are running behind before I get to your office. On the other hand, I'm expecting to wait a little, so how great would it be if you could seat me immediately when I get there!? That would surpass my expectations.  
     
  • Pain - "This won't hurt a bit..."  Really?  If it hurts then I'm not going to trust anything you say for the rest of the day!  Help me prepare for the pain, or anything else I should expect during the procedure. 
     
  • Insurance Coverage - Don't tell me on the phone that you accept all insurance just to get me in the door.  If you don't accept assignment of benefits, take the time to explain how it works up front.  I'll be much happier later, trust me.
     
  • Warranty - How do you stand behind your work? Don't leave me assuming, because I may assume it's for life, and if I break something, I'm going to be upset when you tell me I need to pay.  Give me something in writing to set realistic expectations.  In fact, try surpassing my expectations by covering things like damage I cause, or continuing to cover me if I move out of your area.
     
  • Patient Experience - When I walk into a medical practice, I expect a certain level of cleanliness, order, and professionalism.  If I see cobwebs, dirty bathrooms, or clutter, what does that say about the dentistry you do?  On the other hand, a professional, fun, welcoming office will surpass my expectations because I'm not expecting your place to be too awesome coming in... 

There are many others, but this is a good place to start. 

How do you surpass your patient's expectations? 

 

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