Transforming Customer Service in Healthcare, with Health Educator Jennifer FitzPatrick

We don't generally consider healthcare providers to be part of customer service: they provide medical treatment, after all, without answering questions about a software subscription or helping with a banking enquiry.

And yet, there is a huge overlap between customer service and healthcare. Ultimately, both involve providing the best possible experience for the people you're trying to help.

Indeed, there are a lot of best practices that the healthcare profession can learn from customer service; the way we listen and respond to people's questions and concerns is fundamental to earning their trust. For people who are preparing for surgery or who need to move into an assisted living facility, it is absolutely essential to establish a climate of trust.

"Whether you're performing surgery or fixing someone's internet connection, the fundamentals are the same: true customer empathy goes a long way."

Whether you're performing surgery or fixing someone's internet connection, the basics are the same: true customer empathy goes a long way. And the result? Even the most anxious customers can relax and become more confident.

Today's guest, Jennifer FitzPatrick, calls for reinventing customer service in healthcare.

Over the past two decades, Jennifer has worked in a myriad of departments from the healthcare industry, from administration, marketing and sales to hands-on clinical work as a psychotherapist. She is a Gerontology Instructor at Johns Hopkins University, CEO of Jenerations Health Education, and author of Cruising Through Caregiving: Reducing The Stress of Caring For Your Loved One and her most recent, Reimagining Customer Service in Healthcare.

In this episode, we caught up with Jennifer to talk about simple strategies that can turn clients “from haters to grateful.”

Here are some key takeaways, applicable not just in healthcare settings, but in any customer service interaction:

Creating a welcoming and nurturing environment in healthcare not only leads to better clinical outcomes, but also reduces the risk of malpractice, bad reviews, and other administrative burdens. Mixed messages during the pandemic have eroded trust in healthcare institutions, causing people to question even proven, scientifically sound practices. To rebuild trust and create strong bonds with patients and clients, it is essential to encourage patient involvement and view the treatment process as a partnership. Prioritizing the well-being of employees and treating them with respect is essential for organizations to retain and drive employee and customer satisfaction. When dealing with difficult patients, it can help to recognize potential underlying issues, be kind and empathetic, respect organizational policies, and avoid power struggles.

If you like our discussion, check out other episodes of our podcast. You can follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or grab the RSS feed in your player of choice. The following is a slightly edited transcript of the episodeode.

Beyond clinical results and financial results

Liam Geraghty: Hello and welcome to Inside Intercom. I am Liam Geraghty. Today we're looking at a very specific area of ​​customer service, one that touches us all at some point in our lives, and that's health. I am delighted to be joined by Jennifer FitzPatrick, author of the new book Reimagining Customer Service in Healthcare. Jennifer has worked in healthcare since the age of 16, so she has an in-depth knowledge of customer service in this unique space. Jennifer, welcome to the show. It's great to have you.

Jennifer FitzPatrick: Thank you very much, Liam.

"I've done almost everything you can imagine, from administrative work to marketing and sales to actual clinical work"

Liam: I would like to know a bit more about your professional journey so far. As I mentioned, you started in this space when you were 16. Where did you start?

Jennifer: Well, I worked in a nursing home when I was 16 when it was really hard to find a job in the healthcare industry. It was a ...