The success of your practice or hospital depends on the people you serve — your patients. That’s why it’s important to survey patients and collect feedback.

One of the most common healthcare surveys examines patient satisfaction. It can help providers improve quality of care and the patient experience.  But what if your survey goes one step further? Say in addition to patient satisfaction, your survey helps you:

  • Identify the health concerns of the men and women in your community. Then you could offer new services, provide outreach programs to meet their needs, or better manage population health.
     
  • Learn how patients find you. Is it word-of-mouth, online reviews, a Google search, or your Facebook page? Then you could adjust your marketing efforts accordingly.
     
  • Determine if potential patients are driven by technology. Would you be able to attract more of the patients you want by utilizing online visits, for instance? If so, would you consider offering this service?
  • Find out what keeps people in your community from seeking care. Is it cost, lack of transportation, or a breakdown in communication? Then make the necessary changes to address these issues.

Don’t limit your surveys to only patient satisfaction. Digging deeper can guide you as you continue to build your practice or care for your community within a hospital setting. Take a look at the results from the Complexity and Opportunity: A Survey of U.S. Health Consumers’ Worries and Wants:

  • 38 percent of consumers are willing to pay for same-day appointments with a family doctor.
  • 36 percent are willing to pay for an appointment with a specialist within a week.
  • 36 percent are willing to pay for a home visit by a doctor.
  • 36 percent are willing to pay for a visit to a retail clinic.

Yes, those results are on a national scale. But imagine what you could do with similar data specific to your region?

Better yet, don’t imagine — let’s do this! Consider it an investment in your future — and your patients.