Hospitals can sometimes be scary places for kids and certain patients. Keeping them happy and welcoming them at the same time is a constant pursuit. Let us discuss some tips as to how can you make hospitals more welcoming.
1. Welcoming Theme
Hospitals to start with, as soon as you enter should have a theme that makes a patient both comfortable and relaxed. You can invest in getting interesting and unique prints and themes installed on your walls and also a bit on the furniture as well. Invest in something that gives your patient peace of mind. Something that feels like home. You do not want your patients to leave with a sore back after waiting for an hour to meet the doctor. You would also want it to withstand minimal wear and tear. Hence, there are many choices available in the market. Try to find something that fits each criteria.
2. Friendly Staff
Since there are many things going on in a hospital on a daily basis. Patients can sometimes panic or get scared after witnessing or hearing the death of somebody. You can train your staff to become friendly and help in relaxing the patients. Ask your staff to welcome your patients with open hands and make them feel that they are in the right place. If they have any doubts and mis-understandings, make sure that they are cleared. You would want your patients to leave the hospital with a lifetime experience. A place where they would not feel hesitated to visit again.
3. Develop Interest
Try to develop interest in patients. They would love to be heard and understood. Whenever a patient walks in the door, train your staff to stand up and greet them. It is both courteous and respectful thing to do. Standing up for a patient makes the feel special and important. In some cases, when you visit and someone hands you over paperwork to fill by just sitting behind the desk makes the patient feel as if he/she has made the wrong decision and that is exactly what you do not want.
4. Start a Conversation
Start a conversation and communicate with patients. Communicating helps patient distract from the overall experience. Start with asking certain questions as to how their day was and what would they like to do? Etc. After observing the patient, talk to him/her about the same topic. Work towards building your interest in them. Ask them of their opinion regarding politics or anything happening currently just to keep the conversation going.
5. Help Patients with Everything
After the patient has entered the hospital, do not just handover them boring paperwork to fill. That is both unprofessional and disrespectful. Help them with anything and everything. If possible, show them around the hospital, places where they can sit and relax have something to bite or drink. Make them feel that help is always 24/7 by their side.
Moreover, upgrade your hospital’s IT department and tools to reflect the vision of best care for patients. Use of advanced diagnostic medical imaging for MRI and CT-Scan is recommended.
After all, these procedures are challenging for patients and when you assure them with the use advanced medical imaging technology, they get a bit relaxed.
