Being remarkable sets you apart from everyone in your field of work. It not only sets you apart, but it puts you ahead. Ahead of the competition and ahead of the curve. That is somewhere we all strive to be as small business owners right? I am hoping to shed light on different markets and how different businesses can be remarkable in their own special and unique way. First up – The doctors office.
The idea is simple:
- You set up an appointment by calling into the doctors.
- Each half hour slot has its own extension on the doctors number (ie: call in and push 830 for 8:30am)
- The doctors office sets each inbox to only allow ONE message (the person who is able to get the appointment for that time).
- If the inbox is full, the person needs to select a different extension
- When the office opens in the morning, they check messages and have a schedule ready to go without the issue of overbooking.
Why is this remarkable?
Have you been to the doctors office in the past 40 years? Do you see how many people are in the lobby waiting? Much more than the time allotted allows, but somehow the doctors see everyone (even if it is for only a few minutes and you leave unsure if you’ve really been treated correctly because you can’t even remember what your doctor said, it was over so quick – yeah, I’ve been there too).
The idea is remarkable because no other doctors office ONLY books 1 appointment for each time slot and no other doctors offices make it THIS EASY for you to book your time. The person visiting the doctors office is happy for a few reasons:
- There is no real wait – you’re in at the time you called in for and there is nobody else waiting at the same time
- Calling in and knowing your appointment is scheduled that fast takes a lot of weight off your shoulders, especially if you’re already under the weather.
- It shows your doctor cares about you because he’s spending the entire half hour ONLY with you.
How many doctors offices could follow something so simple and turn it into what is remarkable about their office and gain more customer satisfaction and word of mouth exposure? I know my doctors office could. It’s generic just like every other doctors office. Simple posters showcasing some dumb catchphrases about health, a magazine rack and a fish tank. Sound like yours? Yeah, I thought so.
Although this would be nice, the doctors would have to charge a lot more. Currently they can work continuously for the whole day, since they are paid by the visit or procedure and not by the hour that is the way for them to make the most profit. Doctors don’t know in advance the length of any visit so it’s better for them to have a few people waiting then for them to be waiting around.
Before you start on a change like this you’d have to think about how this affects the business – sure it makes life easier for patients, but what’s the point of being extraordinary if you’re also poorer than the “normal” doctors?
The “waiting around” issue could possibly be addressed for drop-in clinics using phone or SMS. If you could call in to “take a number” and it sent you an SMS with the number of people still ahead of you, you could wait in line at a nearbye coffee shop instead of in the lobby of the clinic.
True Dobes. However, wouldn’t you be willing to pay a bit more in order to receive the extra time with the doctor? I know I wouldn’t mind it.
I love the idea of the phone/SMS idea though! That is what I like seeing here, innovative ideas
I work in a busy doctors office. That will never work. The reason why patients wait so long in the office to be seen is not because of double booking for one slot. They wait because a few patients before them were 10-15 min late or because certain patients want to address every problem all at one time which takes longer than the the allowed time. Plus that would mean that the doctor might get all new patients in a day or all physicals. The doctors like to have some kind of control over how the day is going to run.
I love the simplicity of the idea. Booking of patients, handling the late ones
, and controlling the patients who like to talk a bit, while still hearing them out, and leaving all of them feeling special is definitely an art.
If you ever have the time to stop by, our office is a bit different than most. The patients always have a chance to schedule lots of time if they need it.
Good article, and a good thing to keep doctors thinking about.
dk
your post is good