A Personalized Patient Experience: 5 Must-Haves

Improving the patient experience is a journey, not a destination.

No matter the type of practice or healthcare clinic you run, it’s always important to prioritize the patient care experience. This includes taking measures to make patients feel comfortable and safe throughout every interaction.

Oftentimes, improving patient satisfaction and creating a personalized patient experience go hand in hand. Read on to learn more about why the patient experience is important and how you can improve it in your practice.

What is Personalized Patient Care?

A personalized care experience emphasizes a holistic approach to preventative care through every step of the process. During one trip to your practice, a patient can have a range of interactions with different health care professionals, equipment, and more. Each of these touchpoints affects patient satisfaction and health outcomes.

Personalized patient care is about keeping patients engaged with their health and overall wellness. Health care professionals are encouraged to use diagnostic tests and medical equipment to create a personalized plan of care while keeping patient preferences and lifestyles in mind.

With this approach, providers can create effective targeted treatment and prevention plans for every patient.

The Importance of Providing a Personalized Care Experience

Providing a personalized care experience can go a long way to improve patient health outcomes. A recent report by McKinsey found that a personalized care experience can keep patients more engaged with their health and wellness. This can lead to improved patient satisfaction and improved health outcomes because they are more involved with their wellness.

At the same time, this approach can also mitigate unnecessary healthcare costs because of reduced readmissions. Especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, offering patients personalized care, including options for telehealth and improved follow-up care, can make a big difference.

Of course, we can’t forget to mention that all of this translates to being able to treat more patients at your practice. A personalized care experience streamlines processes across the board, so you can see more patients in a day and improve your bottom line. When you prioritize patient care, everyone benefits.

5 Ways to Create a Personalized Patient Experience of Care

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to personalized patient care. After all, it’s about tailoring experiences and treatments to the individual.

However, there are some steps to create a personalized, positive patient experience at your practice.

Streamline Health System Processes

Patient perception of your practice begins the moment they make their appointment. It’s important to streamline essential processes like scheduling, checking in, and creating follow-up appointments.

Making it easy for patients to complete these tasks can get the relationship off on the right foot. Providing iPads for self-assessments and check-ins can reduce waiting times and make a more efficient visit. These steps can also help your practice capture important information necessary for providing personalized care.

If you don’t know where to start, consider using patient satisfaction surveys to understand which processes can be improved.

Streamlining your processes also extends to procedures. Midmark has perfected the in-office procedure workflow with well-organized and aptly placed storage and flexible, ergonomic procedure chairs. The right layout and exam room furniture can help eliminate costly bottlenecks and allow your staff to work efficiently with better access to the treatment site.

When you want to control costs at your practice while treating more patients, investing in the best medical furniture is a must.

Listen to Patient Preferences

According to BCG, “As people increasingly take charge of their own health, they have come to expect an experience that’s suited to their unique history, behaviors, and preferences.”

It’s important to have communicative and empathetic staff that listen to patient preferences before creating a care plan. By understanding a patient’s lifestyle, habits, and more, you can tailor treatment to them.

Prioritize Patient Safety and Privacy

Keeping patients safe and their health information secure is another cornerstone of providing a superior care experience. Some ways to ensure patient safety in your practice include properly disinfecting equipment and waiting areas, mitigating medical errors, and having a proper staffing ratio.

The right medical equipment and furniture can also further improve patient safety efforts. For instance, the Midmark 204 exam table can include side rails for added comfort and safety. Anti-slip technology is also included on the step stools on models like Midmark 204 and UMF 5240. These small details go a long way in ensuring your patients can safely sit for their exams.

Provide Follow-Up Communications

Patient care doesn’t end after they leave your practice. Provide your patients with ample resources to help them throughout their care journey. Additionally, stay on top of follow-up communications. This can be as simple as sending schedule reminders or more personal depending on the relationship with your patient.

By following up with your patients you engage them with their care even after their appointment is over.

Make Care Accessible and Comfortable

Finally, it's important to make patient care accessible and comfortable for everyone. This largely comes down to the types of medical equipment and furniture you invest in. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 13.7% of U.S. adults have a mobility disability with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs. This can make it difficult for them to access care.

Consider investing in the right equipment that can improve the patient's personal and emotional experience at your practice while making care accessible to all. Some accessible exam tables to consider include:

Midmark 626 Barrier Free Examination Chair - A Barrier-Free low chair height allows the majority of patients to place their feet flat on the floor for an accurate blood pressure test. It also provides a seamless connection from your devices to your EMR system to streamline care.

Brewer 5800 FLEX Access Exam Table - Attract a broader patient population, perform a wider range of examinations and see more patients per day than would be possible with fixed-height exam tables. Plus, power exam tables qualify for significant tax credits.

UMF 3002 FusionONE Power Exam Table - The hi-lo exam table enables simple ADA access and ease of examination for patients of all ages and abilities. With the accessibility of a power table and the affordability of a box table, the FusionONE Exam Table offers the features healthcare providers need most.

Get the right equipment today by shopping ExamTableDirect’s wide range of accessible diagnostic equipment and exam tables.