Are you collecting enough patient feedback to help boost patient satisfaction in your hospital?

More and more people are willing to spend extra money to improve their state of health.

As a result, they actively scrutinize the quality of healthcare they receive. They ask more questions. They also consider more factors when rating their experience and patient satisfaction other than accessibility.

When expectations are not met, this dissatisfaction spills online. And most people are willing to talk about their experience – especially the bad – in the form of online reviews.

The influence of online reviews in the healthcare industry has surged, and it now plays a pivotal role in shaping the choices individuals make throughout their healthcare journey.

A 2020 survey reveals that 66% of respondents consider doctors’ responses to genuine online patient feedback a heavy factor when evaluating physicians.

It’s a good indicator that encouraging and collecting patient feedback, without violating HIPAA laws, is a prudent strategy for healthcare practices.

Rather than allowing dissatisfied patients to run amok online, your hospital will benefit more by collecting patient feedback and directing their online reviews.

In this article, let’s examine how responding to feedback influences satisfaction and 5 reasons why healthcare facilities should actively collect it. 

Understanding Patient Feedback

Patient feedback is the cornerstone of improvement in healthcare. It’s a powerful tool that provides insights into the patient’s experience, satisfaction, and the quality of care they receive. It’s applicable to the following:

• clinical care
• appointment scheduling
• front desk and reception
• communication
• wait times
• cleanliness and facility maintenance
• billing and financial services
• release of information and care coordination
• Information privacy and security

But as all-encompassing as patient feedback is, a study from NIHR Evidence brings to light how healthcare professionals seldom harness this tool. 

Collecting patient feedback but refusing to act on them only hurts your practice. The last thing you’d want potential customers to think about is your apathetic approach to patient care.

5 Reasons to Collect Patient Feedback

Patient feedback has risen to prominence as a powerful instrument for change and growth in healthcare. With strategic use, your practice can implement changes that will benefit patients. In return, this can boost online reputation and improve brand perception. 

Here are the key reasons why you should always collect feedback:

1: You Enhance the Patient Experience

Positive patient feedback is a testament to your dedication to improving patient experience. 

You help patients make informed decisions and improve interaction by actively soliciting patient perspectives and implementing them.

Taking action on their feedback allows you to improve the following aspects of your patient experience:

• Personalized care: By allowing patients to express their feelings, you allow your practitioners to tailor treatment plans that cater to your patient’s individual care. 
• Reduced wait times: Addressing concerns identified in feedback can lead to shorter wait times, enhancing the patient experience.
• Better communication: Insights from feedback help improve communication between patients and healthcare providers.

2: Improve Your Quality of Healthcare

Patient feedback is a goldmine of information that you can use to understand areas of improvement. If sympathy for the plight of the sick is the heartbeat of outstanding healthcare service, data allows it to become efficient and effective.

Data-driven healthcare allows you to identify operational weaknesses. Collecting and analyzing patient feedback helps you pinpoint areas that are dragging your efficiency. It could be staff communication or the frustrating release of information process.

3: Building Trust and Loyalty

Healthcare is synonymous with trust, especially with individuals who are very concerned with their health.

Positive patient feedback is a strong indicator that your healthcare practice is trustworthy, it helps cultivate trust and loyalty. Patients with high trust in their healthcare provider are 5x more likely to stay.

Satisfied patients often become advocates, referring others to the healthcare facility they trust.

4: Legal and Regulatory Compliance

Compliance with healthcare regulations is paramount, and patient feedback can assist in this endeavor.

Like it or not, online reviews are here to stay. As much as you love the glowing reviews you read online, you cannot completely escape the negative and scathing ones.

Remember HIPAA dangers when replying to online reviews. As much as your reputation as a doctor is at stake, adhering to HIPAA compliance is your bigger concern.

You can use previously collected patient feedback to counter negative remarks, as long as you do NOT disclose information that can identify patients.

5: Competitive Advantage

Healthcare is a competitive world. By leveraging patient feedback you can set a facility apart from the rest.

Negative reviews can be weaponized against you. But you can also use positive feedback from patients to manage your online reputation.

Positive feedback online attracts new patients who value the experiences of their peers.

The more you build a reputation for quality care and responsiveness, the better you can sustain your growth. It’s what makes a good online reputation a powerful differentiator.

How to Improve Patient Feedback

Gathering patient feedback is a vital step, but equally important is the process of harnessing it effectively to enhance patient experiences and healthcare services. 

The better the experience, the more willing the person is to give patient feedback.

1. Gathering Feedback Effectively

Effective feedback collection starts with ensuring patient satisfaction. 

• Streamlining ROI process:  Release of Information is one of the most frustrating aspects of healthcare – for both patients and healthcare providers. Leveraging platforms like ChartRequest to streamline the process of requesting and retrieving medical records allows for faster medical attention. 
• Efficient data collection: Remove as much friction for patients when it comes to feedback collection. Utilize software that allows for secure and efficient data collection, ensuring the accuracy and privacy of patient information.
• Multichannel feedback: We’re done with the caveman era where drop box is the only method to collect feedback. Offer online surveys, in-person conversations, and mobile apps, catering to different patient preferences.

B2. Analyzing and Acting on Feedback

Data is nothing if you don’t utilize it. 

When you implement changes based on patient feedback, they notice. Patients feel heard and understood. 

• Data analytics: Use analytics tools to uncover patterns and trends in feedback data. This way you can identify key areas for improvement.
• Actionable insights: Translate feedback data into actionable insights, providing a roadmap for enhancing patient care. Your medical staff is also better equipped when they know how patients perceive the care they provide.
• Patient involvement: taking the time to explain to patients their condition and the treatment plan is a good way to educate them. Patients who are involved in their treatment are also less likely to leave negative reviews.

Improving Your ROI Encourages Better Patient Feedback 

Coming and going for a checkup is already stressful. Your practice can help unburden patients and ease their anxiety by streamlining your release of information process. 

Remove the unnecessary back and forths trying to request and retrieve medical information. ChartRequest is your safest and speediest method of sending and receiving all types of protected health information.

Processing papers and patient forms is frustrating. It can contribute to employee burnout–which happens to almost 40% of healthcare workers. As a result, their performance suffers and negatively impacts patient satisfaction.

Our software allows you to protect both patient information and your medical staff from suffering inefficient ROI.

Leverage ChartRequest today and encourage positive patient feedback by streamlining your PHI release process.