Does Customer Service Training Influence Patient Satisfaction Scores?

Competition in ambulatory health care is challenging leaders to focus their energies on increasing patient satisfaction at all levels of the patient experience. Gaining new and retaining established patients is essential to staying viable in this dynamic health care environment. A qualitative research study was conducted to determine if training staff in customer service principles would increase patient satisfaction. Patient surveys were conducted before and after training of staff. Patient comments regarding interactions with staff from the first survey determined the training materials. The second survey was conducted after the training. In the first survey,6,8% of the surveys contained dissatisfying comments regarding their experience of care; 93.2% were positive. In the second survey, 2.5% of the surveys contained dissatisfying comments; 97.5% were positive. Staff training resulted in a positive impact on patient satisfaction. Satisfied patients tell others, are more likely to follow physician directives, and will ultimately decrease health care costs. Now is the time for health care leaders to make patient satisfaction a priority