How to increase patient satisfaction with effective communication techniques

Contextualizing Patient Satisfaction

Patient satisfaction is just what it sounds like – a measure of how content a patient is with their care. As such, patient satisfaction is typically seen as a key indicator for measuring the quality of care provided.

However, the challenge with increasing patient satisfaction is that there is no single standard to adhere to. While some factors can universally affect satisfaction, being able to tailor care at a minute level is easier said than done.

Before our current climate of corporate hospitals and third-party involvement in healthcare, the patient-provider connection was far more personal. Today, it’s not uncommon for the often complicated process of seeking care to become a legitimate obstacle to better health outcomes.

This is not to say that establishing a deep understanding of how to support patients and ensure satisfaction rates are high is impossible. Instead, it means providers must continually adapt the tools they use to promote satisfaction to suit the changing world they live in.

Patient Satisfaction in Behavioral Healthcare

Research on patient satisfaction within the behavioral health sphere–specifically, mental health services–indicates that some unique factors can impact outcomes.

Among the most important variables impacting satisfaction levels was continuity of care, which involves care delivery, accessibility, and communication.

When these areas are strong, transitioning between different services and needs becomes much easier, allowing patients to more significantly improve their quality of life.

How to Increase Patient Satisfaction Using Effective Communication

While it may be just one piece of the puzzle that is patient satisfaction, communication is of particular importance for long-term care providers. It’s also among the easiest to manipulate out of all the variables that affect the quality of care you provide.

Simple changes you can implement almost immediately can help you discover how to increase patient satisfaction levels across the board.

What is effective communication in healthcare? What does it look like?

Setting out to “improve communication” is a lackluster goal – the most significant changes come from specific, quantifiable, and realistic milestones. In other words, it’s better to have a set of smaller, more specific goals than to have one that’s so ambiguous.

Below are some examples of changes providers can make to facilitate more regular and quality communication in a healthcare setting:

• Offering patient messaging that enables asynchronous or real-time communication through voice, text, or video
• Updating digital patient records and medical information, which care teams may use to monitor progress across different facilities
• Creating clear definitions for care services that can be distributed to providers and patients alike
• Conducting telehealth appointments that allow patients to receive care from their homes

5 Key Communication Techniques for Behavioral Healthcare Providers

There are probably many areas of your care system that can be tweaked to allow more frequent and seamless communication.

However, beyond what you’re doing outside of appointments to increase patient satisfaction, you should also consider what happens when you are actively providing care.

These simple but highly effective techniques can help you ensure that each individual you work with gets the best version of yourself.

1. Utilize Open-Ended Questions

Questions that aren’t designed to allow for explanation can naturally limit what a patient or client is able to share with you. Prompt open communication that will help you deliver more tailored care by using open-ended questions instead.

For example, instead of leading with something like, “Are you experiencing any new symptoms?” you might ask, “How have you been feeling since our last visit?

2. Practice Active Listening

Equally important to giving patients space to share their experiences is showing them that you’re someone they can trust.

Active listening means being present in the moment, not formulating responses ahead of time. It means listening without preconceptions about what you’re listening for.

Open-ended questions can help you set yourself up to be an active listener, as can taking notes as patients talk. Showing your understanding with gestures like nods, smiles, and follow-up questions is also important.

3. Offer Good Eye Contact

Never underestimate the power of eye contact, especially as you listen or offer guidance.

It’s easy to get swept up in the logistics of providing care–navigating tech, equipment, and schedules–and forget to slow down and focus on the little things. However, eye contact can serve as a barrier between open and closed communication.

Even sporadic eye contact is better than none at all, as it demonstrates that you’re paying attention to and are interested in what’s being said.

4. Read Nonverbal Communication

Also in line with focusing on being present is being able to identify and respond to nonverbal communication cues. To do that, you’ll have to make sure you achieve the above goals so that you’re in a position to recognize body language, both intentional and unintentional.

Fidgeting, tension, the crossing or uncrossing of the arms, hand gestures – there are endless examples of nonverbal cues that can contextualize the words exchanged with patients.

When you can factor what you learn from these cues into your care approach, you can give your patients the feeling of having their minds read, an ultimate sign of connection and understanding.

5. Diversify Communication to Support Patient Engagement

As you adjust your healthcare delivery, make sure you consider how it will fit into the larger care process, too.

If you’re highly attentive and personable during appointments but unable to engage with patients outside of the office, your wonderful care can seem like a stark contrast to the “real” world.

And when that’s the case, it can be difficult for patients to feel engaged with their care plan. They need a means to be involved and share their thoughts on their schedule and in ways that go beyond the traditional healthcare model.

Fortunately, technology that enables digital communication can help with this challenge. It places the power to spark conversations about how care is going into the hands of patients, which in turn makes it far more likely that they can access support they’ll be satisfied with.

Boost Communication to Increase Patient Satisfaction with Linear Health

Linear Health is a patient engagement and communication platform built to help behavioral healthcare providers interact readily with their patients or clients.
We understand the obstacles that often cause poor communication in healthcare, and we’ve developed digital solutions optimized to overcome them.
Our tools allow patients to ask questions, share updates, and complete care goals in a centralized location that your team can access at any time. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg – we customize our approach to fit your needs.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you improve communication to increase patient satisfaction.