While the subject of this book is universally important to all service areas of health care, many of the topics covered will be of particular interest to physicians and staff working with customers in an outpatient office setting. While Susan Keane Baker focuses on the physician-patient relationship, the author also expands her ideas to include everyone who has contact with patients.

Managing Patient Expectations is divided into five easy-to-follow sections, all of which elaborate on understanding and improving patients’ expectations of a medical practice.

Part 1 — Creating Expectations

Baker explains that patients’ expectations are based on several different factors, including prior experience, word of mouth, advertising, and media. Patients’ first impressions are critical in forming their expectations of a practice.

Baker suggests several techniques through which you may come to understand your patients’ expectations, such as asking open-ended questions:

• What is the most important quality you are looking for in a physician?
• How have physicians been helpful to you?
• Why have you decided to choose a new physician?

Part 2 — Identifying Expectations

In order to accurately assess your patients’ expectations, listening skills must be honed. Baker includes several active listening techniques. This section of the book also explains the importance of identifying expectations, and whether you are meeting them, by collecting and analyzing patient feedback. Various survey methods are examined and an emphasis is placed on the fact that eliciting feedback is a step that cannot be overlooked when building a successful practice.

Part 3 — Managing Expectations

Each interaction with a patient represents what the author refers to as a moment of truth—an opportunity for patients to decide whether they think your practice is a good one or a bad one. It is crucial to the survival of your practice that staff members understand the vital role they play in forming successful patient experiences. Baker recommends comprehensive training of staff, including instruction on techniques for communicating with patients about their treatment options.

Part 4 — Responding to Unmet Expectations

Because complaints from patients are inevitable, a plan for responding to these service failures is essential. Your success is dependant on how well you are able to respond to these types of situations.

The author identifies common obstacles to effective complaint handling. One such barrier is the delay of giving a response in hopes the complaint will simply go away. Another is simply not knowing what to do and how to respond.

This section also addresses how to handle patients who leave your practice. Baker strongly encourages you to not be fearful of following up with patients who defect to ask them why they chose to leave and what you could have done to improve their experience.

Part 5 — Exceeding Expectations

Respecting your patients’ preferences and knowing them personally will help to take you beyond average service. Baker suggests creating and implementing a system for recording patient preferences as you learn them. By understanding your patients and charting their preferences, you will be one step closer to exceeding expectations and building loyal relationships.Susan Keane Baker draws upon her decades of experience in health care to write a book that will aid physicians and their staff to better connect with patients. Themes covered are applicable to a range of readers, from the new physician to one in practice for many years.

For easy online ordering, visit www.amazon.com.