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Patient-centered value-based care = differentiation and growth What’s the difference between patient-centered care and the patient experience or in-clinic experience. The in-clinic patient experience is a component of patient-centered care. Patient-centered care can be defined as “providing care that is respectful of and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs, and values and ensuring that patient values guide all clinical decisions” Knowing your patients and creating an in-clinic environement that supports a patient-centered approach is how you differentiate from other clinics, increase patient satisfaction which increases referrals - a major factor in growth. There are 7 dimensions of patient-centered care. The 7 dimensions of “patient-centered Care” as defined by the picker institute 1. Respect for patients’ values, preferences and expressed needs Involve patients in decision-making, recognizing they are individuals with their own unique values and preferences. Treat patients with dignity, respect and sensitivity to his/her cultural values and autonomy. 2. Coordination and integration of care During focus groups, patients expressed feeling vulnerable and powerless in the face of illness. Proper coordination of care can alleviate those feelings. Patients identified three areas in which care coordination can reduce feelings of vulnerability: Coordination of clinical care Coordination of ancillary and support services Coordination of front-line patient care 3. Information and education In interviews, patients expressed their worries that they were not being completely informed about their condition or prognosis. To counter this fear, hospitals can focus on three kinds of communication: Information on clinical status, progress and prognosis Information on processes of care Information to facilitate autonomy, self-care and health promotion

Nailing That First Impression - First Impressions Matter – A LOT! By the time a patient walks in your front door, you’ve already invested significant time, money, and resources to get them there. You’ve overcome the battle for mind-share and attention and effectively persuaded this individual to trust you, rather than choosing an OTC device or another provider or big box retailer. To optimize this investment, you want to reinforce their decision to choose your practice and help them move forward in their decision to improve hearing health. This means using your practice environment to focus patients on their hearing health and educate and engage them so they are active participants throughout the entire appointment. You want to keep them focused on positive emotional triggers and the benefits of hearing health and use every second they are in the practice intentionally. Let’s start at the beginning of the patient’s experience in the practice. They open the door and the first thing they see is your reception area. The reception area is much more than just a place for patients to wait or check-in for their appointment; it is the window to your clinic’s soul. You have, on average, only seven seconds to make your first impression. And believe me, first impressions are important. In these moments patients begin to either doubt or trust you and your team. There’s a great quote from Maya Angelou that goes, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you’ve said. I’ve learned that they’ll forget what you did. But they will never forget how you made them feel.” That’s the key. Your reception area provides you the opportunity to make your patients feel appreciated, valued, and respected. So, how do you intentionally create an engaging reception area? First, you want to understand what your patients see. You want to maximize the investments you’ve made to get your phone to ring and capitalize on those moments in the waiting room. Even if it’s for a few minutes, that is precious, powerful time that you have to engage and interact with your patients while they wait. Click on the link to download our white paper, How to Use your Waiting Area to Engage, Educate & Inspire your Patients. www.cleardigitalmedia.net