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Karen Hickman specializes in Etiquette and Protocol Consulting and is based out of Fort Wayne, IN | TEL: 260-486-7758

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You are here: Home / Blog

Medical Manners…the Power of Nice

October 20, 2016 by procourtesy

Female medicine doctor reassuring her patient. Hands close-up. Healthcare and medical concept.

Medical Manners…the Power of Nice

Patients forming an opinion of your practice are doing so in a matter of seconds. And some of the latest research on first impressions, suggest that it may even be within the blink of an eye. Regardless of the length of time, first impressions are powerful and very difficult to reverse. So, if a patient has formed a bad opinion of you and your staff, during the first point of contact, you have your work cut out for you in changing that negative opinion.

Patients usually assume that you and your staff know how to do your jobs, but they also need to know you care about them, while doing your job. Your patient’s perception of their care is your reality. If you don’t have a good sense of what your practice is communicating it may be time to stand back and view things from the patient’s point of view.

Since many practices today are large and run by CEO’s and practice managers there is a temptation to turn everything over to them in the running of your office. However, checking out in that regard can create some problems and leave the physician without a good understanding of what’s going on. It’s the physician’s name on the door, not the managers. Creating a positive corporate environment starts at the top and that means with the physician.

If you want your practice to make a good impression on your patients try some the following tips:

Develop a well defined mission statement and make it a priority in delivering care. Be sure that a patient-centric philosophy carries through in everything you and your staff members do. In order to develop that philosophy you need to ask the patients what matters to them. After all, no one would have a job, including the physician, if it weren’t for the patients.

Train new and existing staff in the courtesies you want them to observe. Never assume that staff members know what that means. Small kindnesses make powerful impressions, but so do small rudenesses. That small rudeness from a staff member may be enough to cause a patient to leave your practice. Studies show patients will even forgive a bad outcome, if they feel you care about them and are listening. So, patient perceived physician empathy, communication and relationships count for a lot.

Respect and trust your staff. Approaching your staff with intimidation and negativity creates a toxic environment and one that your patients will surely pick up on. Be attentive to how often staff members leave your employment. If you have a revolving door of people coming and going frequently, you have a problem. Replacing staff members regularly is also, very costly. In a study done by the Society of Human Resource Management they reported that it can cost a company up to six to nine months of an employees salary to replace them.

Many staff members today, complain that they don’t think their physicians even know everyone’s name who works for them…a sad commentary. If you bumped into some of your staff in the grocery store could you greet them by name? Interact with your staff and be sure to thank them regularly for what they do for you. And the thank you needs to come from the physicians…don’t staff that out. The staff can be some of your best P.R. agents.

Have a well defined dress code. Your patients are paying attention to how people look in your office. Everyone in the same uniform can make a great impression and create a sense of solidarity within the staff. Insist on good grooming from top to bottom. Tidy hair, clean shoes and pressed scrubs are a must. And gum chewing? As tempted as some might be, it is a solitary activity and should not be done in public.

Avoid the “cattle call” when calling patients back to an exam room. Encourage staff members to walk out into the waiting area to call patients back instead of standing at the door shouting their name. When patients check in, consider making a notation on a sticky note that can be put on the chart to identify the patients waiting. In doing that the person rooming patients can walk right up to them to take them back. (For instance, noting the color of an article of clothing.)

Do keep patients apprised of waiting time and apologize if you’ve kept them waiting. That apology let’s them know you value and respect their time too. Patients should be checked on every 15 minutes while waiting in the exam rooms and kept informed of the physician’s timing.

Be professional in greeting your patients. Address them formally until invited to do otherwise. Age and rank have their privileges. Also, avoid using patronizing terms such as,”honey” or “dear” when addressing patients…it’s insulting.

Smile and introduce yourself to your patients and make sure staff members do the same, even if you wear name badges. And using please and thank you often and you’re welcome or my pleasure, instead of “no problem” is always in style.

Maintain a pleasant atmosphere in your office, but avoid a party atmosphere. Patients coming in for serious issues need to feel that you are taking them seriously and are ready to do what is needed to address those issues.

Never let your patients hear you or staff complain about work, co-workers or other patients. Be aware of how loud you talk and what can be overheard from out in the hall or other areas where patients may be within ear shot.

Reach out and touch your patients with a warm greeting and handshake before you start your exam and log into your computer. Your patients should never leave your office without someone physically greeting them.

Try making a little small talk at the beginning of the patient’s visit. This helps establish a relationship with your patients and can help relax them if they are nervous.

Displaying a sense of confidence with your patients is important, but be careful that your confidence doesn’t come off as arrogance. Arrogance is off putting and does not endear people to you.

Sit down when speaking with your patients and make good eye contact. If eye contact is a problem while you are working on the computer, look at your patient when asking a question and look at the computer when entering the data. It’s an important balancing act.

Watch your body language while with your patients. If you have one hand on the door knob and one foot out the door before your patients finish talking, you are sending the message that you don’t have time for them. Always, close your conversation by asking if they have any other questions or by letting them know that the nurse will be in to finish up, before you walk out of the room. We call that, “taking your leave.”

Send a thank you note to new patients for choosing your practice and to referring physicians. Those seemingly small courtesies, have a big impact and distinguish you and your practice. Remember, patients and referring physicians have a lot of choices today in such a competitive market.

If you are in a practice with long standing patients and a patient dies, have a system in place to acknowledge the death with a note to the family members. It can come from the physician or one of your staff members. Keep in mind, as a physician, you are often part of some of the most important and intimate events in a person’s life. Some of those events are happy, like when a baby is born, but some of the events are sad, like when a patient dies. Not acknowledging a death can leave the impression that you and your staff don’t care. And it has even caused patients to leave practices.

As you step back and evaluate the pulse of your practice be mindful of some of the small things that can make big differences in how your patients perceive the care you and your staff deliver.

Remember what Maya Angelou said…

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Filed Under: medical manners Tagged With: etiquette expert, Karen Hickman, medical manners, medical manners expert, medical office etiquette, medical office practice, patient kindness, physician courtesy, Professional Courtesy

Are You Guilty of Facebook Bragging

October 4, 2016 by procourtesy

Are you guilty of Facebook bragging?

No question about it, social media has been a game changer in our world. The ability to communicate, share, rant and let the world know what’s on your mind is easier than ever. It has allowed us to connect with old classmates and some distant family members that we wouldn’t normally know much about.

As a marketing tool, we can spread our message and encourage business without much effort or expense. However, there are some things to consider about this social media form of communication. Stand back and look at what you post with a critical eye. What message are you sending about yourself and your business. Is it the one you want to send?

If your social media posts are all about you, only you and what’s happening in your life and your business, it might be perceived as being a tad narcissistic or even seen as bragging.

How about sharing all 300 photos from your exotic vacation and a daily update of where you are and what you are eating? Has social media become the new family home movies that your company dreaded having to sit through?

While I enjoy seeing photos of family and friends and their children and even enjoy sharing an occasional photo of my own family, I encourage people to be careful about over doing it.

When you share live updates of where you are in the world it can leave your home vulnerable to thieves. There are plenty of people out there checking out your posts and feel like you are saying, “please rob me” Post your vacation photos when you come back home and be discreet about how many you share. If people want to see more, they’ll ask for a photo tour of your trip. And be mindful that what you share can be perceived as…”don’t you wish you had our life?”

Keep your business pages free of political and opinionated comments unless you are a political pundit and people are following you for your point of view. It’s rare that we can change someone else’s mind on their strong beliefs by posting a barrage of counter attacks on the opposing party. That old adage of not mixing religion and politics with business is still sound advice.

Be generous and happy for other people’s successes and if they share your stuff, be gracious and return the favor. What goes around, comes around, even with your competitors.

So remember, sometimes, less is more.

Filed Under: social media photos Tagged With: etiquette expert, facebook etiquette facebook bragging, Karen Hickman, social media etiquette

E-Mail Etiquette

November 5, 2015 by procourtesy

Open email letter with blue arrow isolated on white. Vector illustration
E-Mail Etiquette…
E-mail guidelines are very important in the work place. Every company should have specific e-mail etiquette laid out in their employee handbooks. But, in case your company doesn’t, here are some things everyone should know:

Be aware that an e-mail sent from any organization may be the first impression of your company to the outside world. First impressions are powerful and you want to make sure you are sending the right message to potential clients or customers.

Have a standard format that everyone in your company follows with the setup of their emails.

Include a professional signature block in every e-mail that includes, Company name, your name, title, address & phone number and website address.

Utilize the subject line. Leaving the subject line blank can lead to your e-mail being unopened.

Start a new e-mail for a new topic. Don’t keep a running e-mail going with the same person or persons, if you are discussing a new topic. Keeping topics separate makes it easier to file and keep track of specific e-mails.

Keep e-mail brief. If a longer correspondence is needed try using a another way to deliver the message.

Reread your message before hitting send and make sure there are no typos or spelling errors.

Avoid using unusual and colored font. And no all caps or all lower case. All caps is considered “cyber shouting” and all lower case looks like you are in a hurry and sloppy.

Don’t “reply all” unless “all” need the reply.

Use the BCC function when sending e-mail to multiple people, especially those outside your company. This protects the e-mail address of others.

Always respond to an e-mail that contains an attachment or document. Let the sender know it arrived and you are able to open it. If the message needs a reply that takes some thought let the sender know when they can expect your reply.

Avoid sending jokes and other forwards at work. You and your company can be held liable for inappropriate and damaging content.

Don’t rely on email alone to communicate with people. There are times when picking up the phone or getting up from your desk to speak with someone in person, can be very advantageous. E-mail can sometimes feel emotionless. Speaking directly with someone can your improve communication with them.

Always double check the email address in the “To:” line before sending to assure your message is going to the right person.

Be aware that the time you send an e-mail is noted on your message. Sending business e-mails at 3:00 a.m. doesn’t send a good message. If need be, schedule your messages to go out during usual business hours. And make sure you have a professional e-mail address. Your name and @ whatever your service is, is ideal.

Filed Under: Techno etiquette Tagged With: e-mail etiquette, e-mail format, etiquette expert, Karen Hickman, techno etiquette, work e-mail

Cell Phone Ring Tones

November 2, 2015 by procourtesy

Ring tone

We’ve all been there…we are in a quiet place like church or a meeting when our cell phone rings. You thought you had silenced it, but obviously you missed that step before going into the meeting. And it causes embarrassment for all of us. The best thing to do in that situation is apologize, if that is an option, or quickly silence or turn off your phone. But,something else to consider is the ring tone you have chosen and the notification sounds that alert you to a new message or text. Some of your choices can draw more attention to your phone going off than others, and be annoying to those around you.

Recently, I was getting a manicure and the manicurist’s phone kept “sneezing.” I asked what the sound was and she informed that it was her phone letting her know she had a text message. On top of the phone sneezing, she kept looking at her phone while doing my nails. To say the least, I didn’t feel like I was a priority.

Be sensitive to the sounds your phones make…those cell phone ring tones. To hear a “quack quack” sound from a nurse’s phone while caring for a sick patient or having your college fight song playing all three verses, for your ring tone will draw more attention to your phone going off anywhere, but especially in inappropriate places.
And for sure, it doesn’t sound professional.Take the time to think through your choices and where they will be heard.

Filed Under: Cell phone etiquette Tagged With: cell phone etiquette, cell phone ring tones, Cell phone rings, etiquette expert, Karen Hickman, Professional Courtesy, text message notification

Calling Friends in Hospital Etiquette

July 20, 2015 by procourtesy

Calling Friends in Hospital Etiquette

 

517287

 

Calling friends in hospital.

There is a natural inclination for many people to pick up the phone and call friends and loved ones in the hospital. They usually want to express their concern or gather information about the individuals status. However, those phone calls can be intrusive and disrupting to the person’s rest and recuperation.

Here are some things to consider before picking up the telephone to call someone who is in the hospital:

Check with a family member who knows the status of the patient to ask if they are up to speaking on the telephone. If someone is very ill or has had surgery they are often too uncomfortable or too groggy from medications to speak. And a ringing telephone can wake them from needed sleep.

Consider having a family member place a call at a convenient time, to you when that family member is in the room with the patient. That way you can speak to the patient on their terms.

Don’t call the nurse’s station for information unless you are listed on the patient’s chart as someone allowed to receive information. Collecting information otherwise is a violation of the patient privacy guidelines. And besides, nurses have enough to do without fielding questions from their patient’s friends.

Do keep calls brief and upbeat when speaking to someone who is the hospital. This isn’t the time to unload your personal problems or talk about distressing topics.

If you can’t speak with someone on the phone, do remember them with cards.

There is a natural inclination for many people to pick up the phone and call friends and loved ones in the hospital. They usually want to express their concern or gather information about the individuals status. However, those phone calls can be intrusive and disrupting to the person’s rest and recuperation.

Here are some things to consider before picking up the telephone to call someone who is in the hospital:

Check with a family member who knows the status of the patient to ask if they are up to speaking on the telephone. If someone is very ill or has had surgery they are often too uncomfortable or too groggy from medications to speak. And a ringing telephone can wake them from needed sleep.

Consider having a family member place a call at a convenient time, to you when that family member is in the room with the patient. That way you can speak to the patient on their terms.

Don’t call the nurse’s station for information unless you are listed on the patient’s chart as someone allowed to receive information. Collecting information otherwise is a violation of the patient privacy guidelines. And besides, nurses have enough to do without fielding questions from their patient’s friends.

Do keep calls brief and upbeat when speaking to someone who is the hospital. This isn’t the time to unload your personal problems or talk about distressing topics.

If you can’t speak with someone on the phone, do remember them with cards.

There is a natural inclination for many people to pick up the phone and call friends and loved ones in the hospital. They usually want to express their concern or gather information about the individuals status. However, those phone calls can be intrusive and disrupting to the person’s rest and recuperation.

Here are some things to consider before picking up the telephone to call someone who is in the hospital:

Check with a family member who knows the status of the patient to ask if they are up to speaking on the telephone. If someone is very ill or has had surgery they are often too uncomfortable or too groggy from medications to speak. And a ringing telephone can wake them from needed sleep.

Consider having a family member place a call at a convenient time, to you when that family member is in the room with the patient. That way you can speak to the patient on their terms.

Don’t call the nurse’s station for information unless you are listed on the patient’s chart as someone allowed to receive information. Collecting information otherwise is a violation of the patient privacy guidelines. And besides, nurses have enough to do without fielding questions from their patient’s friends.

Do keep calls brief and upbeat when speaking to someone who is the hospital. This isn’t the time to unload your personal problems or talk about distressing topics.

If you can’t speak with someone on the phone, do remember them with cards.

Filed Under: medical manners Tagged With: call people in hospital, etiquette expert, hospital etiquette, Karen Hickman, medical manners, visiting and calling sick friends

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