Looking to Increase Trust? Start with a Clean Practice and Safe Patient Experience
The relationship between doctor and patient is one built almost entirely on trust. Whether they have confidence in your diagnoses, treatment effectiveness, and recommendations is a huge factor in whether or not they continue to return to your practice.
But this trust isn’t all on the shoulders of practitioners — as COVID-19 has showed us, everyone in the practice plays a role in helping patients trust their eye doctor.
More than ever, patients want to come to their appointments without having to worry about whether their doctor can keep them safe. Here are a few ways to ensure that your patients never lose faith in your ability to maintain a safe environment inside your practice:
#1 Post and Regularly Update Your COVID-19 Protocols for Patients and Staff
For as long as the pandemic continues to affect public health, patients will be expecting you to clearly communicate the things your practice is doing to keep them safe.
This means posting things like mask policies, office cleaning protocols, patient instructions, distancing rules, and more — inside your practice, outside your practice, and easy-to-find on your website.
#2 Follow CDC General Requirements for an Infection-Free Office
Just keeping patients informed isn’t enough by itself. The CDC regularly posts guidance for business owners — especially those in the healthcare space — to keep their patients safe. This includes things like additional sanitization guidelines for office equipment and recommended cleaning schedules for common areas. Follow and spotlight these recommendations to show patients your commitment to their continued health and safety.
#3 Maintain Overall OSHA Requirements for the Safest Possible Practice Space
Yes, OSHA compliance is primarily designed to maintain a safe work environment for your staff. While this is very important, OSHA violations can put patients at risk as well. Unsecured cords in the exam lane and open containers of chemicals in shared bathrooms can put your team AND patients in the way of potential danger.
Clear up any potential violations. Make sure your practice is up to OSHA regulations. Show your patients you can back up your promise of a safe space for patients to receive critical eye care.
PCS Can Help Build Trust with
Your Staff and Your Patients
Remember: now more than ever before, people are considering health and safety standards when deciding who to trust with their family’s eyes. This is also a consideration for potential new hires deciding whether to accept an offer. Following and displaying OSHA protocols shows everyone that you’re acting in their best interests: to start getting up to speed, you can catch up on COVID-19, OSHA, and related concerns on our FAQ page.
And to learn more about how you can get peace of mind about OSHA, HIPAA, HR, and more, contact PCS today. We’re always ready to have the conversation about how to get all your practice compliance needs taken care of in one place by the people who understand your business best!
