Success file by Bob Levoy

Do you know what patients most like about you, your staff and your practice in general? Do you know what they most dislike? Or why some patients switch to other practices in your area? Obviously such information holds the key to improved patient satisfaction and practice growth.

Unfortunately, there are several obstacles to obtaining such information. One is that unhappy patients rarely complain. They either “grin and bear” the minor annoyances of dealing with your office or, if they become major, just leave your practice.

At the other extreme are the extremely pleased patients who have the highest regard for you and your practice but rarely tell you about it. The absence of patient feedback in both cases leaves you and your staff in the dark about what you need to do more of, perhaps less of, and what, if anything, needs to be changed. The solution is market research.
A previous article (“The Growing Importance of Patient Satisfaction,” Chiropractic Economics, Issue 9, July 2003) included two patient satisfaction surveys: a short and a long form. Another — very different — way to obtain this vital patient feedback is through focus groups.

Focus Groups
Long used in qualitative market research about consumer products, focus groups are becoming increasingly used by healthcare providers to view their practices through the eyes of their patients.

A typical focus group consists of eight to ten invited patients who meet for 60 to 90 minutes, usually in the evening, to talk specifically about your practice. The ideal participants are astute, verbal and willing to speak up about the practice. The preferred setting is a small conference room in a hotel or private room in a restaurant. Light refreshments, such as coffee and cake or fruit and cheese, are typically served.

Many patients are pleased to participate without compensation. Others are more interested if an incentive is offered, such as a credit against future services.
The ideal person to conduct the session is a professional focus group facilitator, who, by definition, is neutral about the practice and more likely to make the participants comfortable enough to express their true feelings, for better or for worse. To locate such a facilitator, contact the school of business at a local college. A professor or perhaps a graduate student may be available. Or look in the Yellow Pages under “Marketing” or “Market Research.”

The facilitator should have strong interpersonal skills and be able to start the discussion and then listen without interrupting or getting defensive. He or she should also be strong enough to manage the direction of the discussion, while making sure that more outspoken participants do not overwhelm low-key individuals.

The following types of questions can be used to start the discussions:

• In your experience with the practice, what have you liked? (It’s best to start with a question that everyone will find easy to answer.)

• What, if anything, have you disliked? (Participants may at first be hesitant to answer. The facilitator needs to be patient: Someone will speak, and then others will follow.)

• What are some of your “pet peeves” about the office?

• Why did you choose this practice above all others?

• Can you think of specific situations you wish the staff had handled differently?

• Have there been situations that you wish the doctor had handled differently?

• How do you feel about the office environment? Could it be improved in any way?

• How about the office hours? Appointment scheduling?
Suggestion: Let the facilitator do the job; you stay home. Your presence will cause people not to be open and honest in their responses.

You’ll get better results if the group is homogeneous in terms of education and socioeconomic status. People will be more at ease with each other and more willing to participate in the discussion.

Periodic focus groups will enable you to obtain valuable feedback about how your practice is perceived and perhaps some surprises that you’re doing far better (or worse) than you realized.

Equally important, these surveys will alert your staff to the importance you place on patient satisfaction and their role in achieving it.

Bob Levoy is a seminar speaker and writer. He can be reached at 516- 626-1353.