Recently overheard in the hospital:
Nurse: “Has your doctor been in yet?”
Patient : “Yes, he was here earlier .”
Nurse: “Was it the doctor who saw you yesterday?”
Patient: “No. He did tell me his name... I just can’t remember it. I’m sorry.”
We’re the ones who should be sorry.
Let’s face it. Hospitalized patients have an exceedingly difficult time remembering who their providers are. Studies have repeatedly shown that few inpatients, often in the 20-30% range, can correctly name even a single physician provider. This should come as no surprise. Think about the last time you were at a business meeting or dinner party and multiply the number of new faces by at least ten. How would you fare on a pop-quiz asking you to remember who was who?
If you want to make a lasting impression that improves the patient experience, make sure patients know who you are and how much you care by using your business card. I’m all for using white boards and electronic patient communication systems (if your hospital can afford one), but they’ll never replace the value of a thoughtfully constructed and utilized business card. Here are three tips for making sure that you and your business cards deliver a high impact message:
1) Use Big Fonts
This one is pretty straightforward. Traditional business cards often use miniscule fonts. Patients who are sick, tired and often without their reading glasses shouldn’t have to work hard to read a business card.
2) Include a Welcoming Photograph
People are much more likely to remember you when they have access to a picture. And a welcoming photo (one with a warm, encouraging smile) implies accessibility and genuine interest. There is data to suggest that photographs improve not just patients' recollection of their physician, but also patient experience of care perceptions.
3) Use It to Convey Accountability
This critical step is on us. Explain to patients that you are giving them your business card because you want to be sure they know who is caring for them. In addition to conveying accountability and confidence, this also helps to establish trust. And if you really want to knock it out of the park, combine this with a statement of accessibility and managing up, such as, “if you have any questions for me, please let [nurse name] know. He/she can reach me easily.”
No one should have to struggle to recall the name of their physician. As Dr. Anthony Breu, a hospitalist, pointed out in a thought provoking January 2012 KevinMD blog post, “I am constantly a stranger and a new face.” It’s our responsibility to do everything in our power to facilitate patients’ understanding of who we are and how we are involved in their care. Use your business card well. And don’t be a stranger.
(Below is the business card of one of my colleagues who gave me permission to post this digital image of her card - this is a format we use throughout our organization. Note the inclusion of the statement, “I work with your doctors:” which allows us to write in the name of patients’ primary physician or the specialist that consulted us.)
Comments