Chapter 3 Patient Management Copyright © 2011, 2006 Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier. All...

Chapter 3

Patient Management

Copyright © 2011, 2006 Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier. All rights reserved.Copyright © 2011, 2006 Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier. All rights reserved.


Objectives

Understand patient needs

Identify barriers to communication

Recognize nonverbal cues

Manage interpersonal communication in the reception area

Design an office policy statement

Explain marketing techniques

Describe external and internal marketing

Understand patients rights


Who is the most important person in a dental practice?

A. The dentist

B. The patient

C. The office staff


B. The Patient

Never overlook the fact that each patient has a different background and different needs.

Recognize and be sensitive to the patient’s specific and individual needs.


Understanding Patients’ Needs

Each person who comes in contact with patients should have an understanding of the basic drives involved in motivating patients.

Two humanistic psychologists, Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers, developed theories about patient motivation and behavior.


Dr. Abraham H. Maslow

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs identifies five basic levels of needs ranging from basic biological needs to complex social or psychological drives.


Physiological or Biological Needs

Physiological or biological needs are bodily needs and they are the first to be satisfied.

You must satisfy these physical needs or you will not live long enough to satisfy any social or psychological needs.


Safety or Security Needs

The second level, safety or security needs, allows you to explore the environment around you.

You feel free from danger, threats, or deprivation.

You feel secure and safe to advance to the next level.


Social or Love Needs

At the third level, social or love needs, you begin to interact with people with whom you share similar beliefs.

This love or interaction gives you confidence to advance to the next level.


Ego/Esteem Needs

At the fourth level - ego/esteem - you focus on needs that relate to your self-esteem, reputation, and recognition.

Self-satisfaction from achieving your goals will increase your self-esteem.


Self-Actualization

At the fifth level, self-actualization, you are motivated by the need to grow.

You must have achieved self-esteem and have confidence in yourself.

People at this level want to help others achieve their goals by teaching them lessons they learned in earlier stages.


Awareness of Need Conflicts

Before a dentist can motivate a patient to accept a certain type of dental treatment, the dentist must understand where the patient is on the hierarchy of needs.


Conflict Needs

Setting up payment plans for a patient often exposes a conflict of needs.

A patient must ensure that basic needs of food, housing, and clothing are met, and yet may desire to meet social needs by improving appearance with some form of dental treatment.


Establishing a ReasonablePayment Plan

The doctor and staff must make an effort to determine the patient’s needs, realize the patient’s potential conflict, and consider presenting an alternative treatment plan, so the patient has some options.


Dr. Carl Rogers

Dr. Carl Rogers developed the client-centered approach to understanding personality and human relationships.

This theory assumes that patients know their feelings, desires, and priorities.

Applied to dentistry, this philosophy encourages listening to the patient.


Respecting Patients

Client-centered therapy suggests that you must respect patients as human beings, not just numbers, case studies, or research projects.


Barriers to Communicationwith Patients

Often we are unable to communicate with patients because barriers have been established.

Several barriers to communication include

Prejudging a patient

Hearing but not listening

Being preoccupied


Prejudging a Patient

Prejudging a patient can involve assumptions about the economic status of a patient.

The way the patient dresses or the type of automobile he or she drives should not determine the type of treatment plan presented.

Prejudging a patient can also involve persons with disabilities.

All of your communication should be directed to the person with a disability, not at anyone who may accompany them to the office.


Hearing vs. Listening

Do not just listen to the words; listen to the meaning of those words and the feeling behind the meaning.

Restate what has been said, to the patient’s satisfaction, before presenting your point of view.


Preoccupation

During daily routines, many demands are placed on your time, and suddenly you begin to think about other activities while trying to communicate with a patient.

Patients recognize preoccupation and may stop talking or coming to your dental office.


Other Barriers to Communication

Unawareness of importance, impatience, and even hearing loss is a barrier to communication.


Recognizing Nonverbal Cues

Nonverbal cues refer to the gestures and body movements a person makes in a given situation.

Gestures give insight into a patient’s reactions.


Nervousness

A patient may grab the arms of the chair, clench the fists, perspire, or even hyperventilate when he or she is nervous.


Nervous Patient in a Dental Chair


Defensiveness

A patient or staff member may use a gesture of crossed arms and clenched fists as a signal to indicate disagreement or defensiveness.

This may occur when a patient is ignored by the doctor and assistant as they communicate with each other.


Defensive Patient


Touching

An assistant has many opportunities to use this gesture, which indicates caring or loving.

A hand on a small child’s shoulder may show concern, or an arm around the shoulder of a senior citizen may give reassurance.


Openness

During a consultation with a patient, a doctor should express openness rather than assume an authority posture behind a desk.


Consultation with patient


Embarrassment

A patient’s hand covering the mouth may indicate a wish to avoid the embarrassment of exposing an unsightly oral condition.


Patient Embarrassment


Improving Verbal Image

A health professional has an obligation to allay fears and comfort patients.

Try replacing discomforting terms or phrases with words that create a more positive environment.


Patient Rights

As our society becomes increasingly concerned with individual rights, members of the dental healthcare team cannot afford to neglect patient rights.

You must be considerate of the patient as a human being rather than as just a subject of a dental procedure.

Patient rights: Pg. 34, Box 3-1


Managing Patients’ Special Needs

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, commonly known as the ADA, sets specific guidelines for businesses.

Factors in this law require the dentist not to discriminate against a person who requires dental care.

For most disabled persons, if they can get into a treatment room, they can receive treatment.

For the dentist, the greatest problem is treating a patient who cannot mentally or physically cooperate.


Recognizing Abuse

The dentist has an obligation to examine the patient thoroughly, ask reasonable questions about existing conditions, and document the injuries on the dental record.

Reports of suspected abuse should be made to the state or county social services office.


Reception Room Techniques

The administrative assistant is often the first person to greet patients as they enter the office.

You will want to appear neat and professional.

Acknowledge patients immediately with a cheerful “hello” and pleasant smile and call them by their first name.


Reception Room Appeal

A bright, cheerful, and pleasantly decorated office will usually make a favorable impression on the patient.

Reading material in the reception room should be current and geared toward a wide variety of interests.


Waiting Patients

Unexpected delays or emergencies should be explained honestly.

Be careful not to make excuses or to say that the doctor is running late.

Be honest about the length of time the patient will have to wait to be seen.


Office Policy

The office policy is the key to establishing an understanding between the patient and the office staff.

The policy should be a written statement of the doctor’s philosophy and policies, defining the responsibilities of both the patient and the dental office staff.


Contents of an Office Policy

Each practice will have its own specific needs, but every policy should include the following elements:

Philosophy

Office hours

Appointment control



Policy elements

Payment policy

Hygiene

Attitude toward children

Auxiliary utilization



Policy elements

Infection-control policies

Quality assurance

Staff continuing education

Office data


Dental Office Web Page

Today a dental office can design a web page about the practice and be able to promote the office through this source.

A web site is a good way to reach prospective new patients and to welcome and educate them and their families about your practice.


Marketing

Dentists across the country have come to realize that in a competitive, consumer-oriented society, they must become involved in marketing to increase their practice loads.


Office Trademark

The dentist needs to verbalize an identity for the office.

An office trademark makes the practice stand out from other offices.

It emphasizes how your office is different from other practices.


Enthusiastic Attitude

The single most important characteristic in a staff member is an enthusiastic attitude.

The enthusiastic attitude means the patient’s problems come first and personal problems are kept to yourself or shared with a friend in private.

“No Whining” rule because whining is contagious.


Practice Ambassadors

Each member of the staff is expected to be an ambassador to the practice.

Each staff member should be provided with his or her own business cards, and they should promote the practice to family and friends.


Internal Marketing

Marketing can be divided into two forms, internal and external.

Internal marketing is what one does within the office to retain patients.


Internal Marketing

Internal marketing includes

Follow-up calls

Clean and attractive office

Staff enthusiasm

Timely correspondence

Open houses

And much more


External Marketing

The key to successful external marketing is to determine the prospective patients you wish to attract to the practice and which method is the best way to attract them.


External Marketing

External marketing includes

Office tours

Lectures to groups

Building signage

Media advertising

And much more


Newsletters as Marketing Devices

As dentistry seeks to address the consumer market, newsletters become a major asset for the dental practice.


Newsletters as Marketing Devices

Newsletters may be considered for the internal market by sending them to current patients or for the external market by sending a newsletter to the nearby community addressed to the resident at the given address.

Chapter 3 Patient Management Copyright © 2011, 2006 Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier. All...

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Transcript of Chapter 3 Patient Management Copyright © 2011, 2006 Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier. All...