The Five Pillars for Effective Customer Service in the Health Care Industry

There are five pillars for effective costumer service in the health care sector and there are as follows:

1. Knock before you enter. Don't enter a patient or resident's room without knocking. You should enter the room with some degree of politeness and decorum. Leave all your negative attitude at the door. Even if the patient is comatose you should show the same respect for their privacy and dignity.

2. Introduce yourself. State your name clearly and boldly. Don't yell or speak too loudly. Some patients like to be called by their first names while others may like the more formal approach. Make sure you get the correct information about the patient before entering their room. Always appear warm and friendly; remember the patient is a human just like you and may pick up hints if you are not genuine.

3. Set a time limit. Mention the duration of your visit. The patient may be in pain or severe discomfort; setting a time limit adds another dimension to their level of care and your level of service. You may be in the room to administer directly to their needs or indirectly relating to them. Whatever it is let the patient feel empowered even though they are depending on you for their needs and comfort.

4. Explain why you are there. Don't lecture to the patient. Stick to the point. If you are going to perform a procedure avoid using medical terminology that will make them feel apprehensive. Even if your visit is not directly related to their needs explain why you are there.

5. Thank the patient when leaving. The hallmark of your visit should be to ask the patient if they would like any other thing else to be done while you are there. If their request is not related to your training inform them that you are going to find the relevant personnel to assist them. There may be times when patients are not fully aware of your visit due to various reasons; treat them with the same dignity and respect.

Effective customer service in the health care sector is vital. There are various segments in the health care sector that may have indirect contact with the patient such as; housekeeping, food handlers, maintenance and some persons in administration. This does not mean that those individuals should not practise the rules to effective customer service. Everyone that work within a health care facility or work within the environment of the patient (home care) should strive towards effective customer service. Finally, we must strive to be consistent in our approach for better customer service. This is not a one time experience but an ongoing service aim to please those we serve in the growing health care industry.