PATIENT EXPERIENCE - It’s Not Enough to Make a Great First Impression

      I could see it in her eyes.  The young mother, listening to me drone on about her son’s treatment, was going to walk!  She was looking at me, nodding occasionally, asking a few questions, but I sensed that it wasn’t going to be enough and ultimately, she would leave without scheduling treatment in our office. 

      This was all so confusing. I was doing exactly what I had been taught in school to do during the New Patient exam.  I had warmly greeted the patient and Mom, made some small talk, assessed the problem, and presented my treatment plan.  I was now explaining all the reasons to proceed with treatment.  Convinced that I had made a favorable impression, I hoped that they would get started in our practice.  But I could see now that she wasn’t making eye contact and I was losing her. 

     Walking out of the New Patient room, I was frustrated.  This had been the third time that day. The third “free orthodontic consultation” who either wanted to “talk to Dad”, had to “check with my insurance company” or simply wanted to “think about it”.

     What was I doing wrong?

It’s not enough to make a great first impression

         The traditional view of the New Patient Exam is to determine whether the patient needs orthodontic treatment and create a favorable impression, so they will select our office.   Unfortunately, this approach, too often, is just not enough.

         But what is enough? How do we need to think differently and act differently to get a better result?

         To answer this question, let’s reverse the roles for a moment.

         Your practice has been going well and you’ve decided to treat yourself by buying a new crossover SUV.  You’re considering several models. 

         First stop, Toyota. You’re very impressed with the dealership; it’s a warm and inviting place, the people are nice, they have several great choices, but for whatever reason, you walk out without buying one. Later, you buy a brand-new SUV at another dealership. Maybe it’s a Jeep, or a Ford, or God forbid, a Buick.

      So, a favorable impression is not enough - in crossovers or in orthodontics.  For a successful dealership (or practice for that matter), we need to create a favorable impression AND get a commitment to action!

         But how do we get that commitment?  What goes through the mind of a parent when they’re deciding whether we’re the orthodontist to treat their child? 

The 5 C’s necessary for Commitment

         Most decisions are made emotionally and justified rationally.  How you feel behind the wheel of your new SUV may be the reason you bought it, but you’ll tell your neighbor that “it needs to be this big to take all those kids to soccer practice and, by the way, it also gets great gas mileage”.

         In choosing an orthodontist, the parent & patient (whether they’re fully aware of it or not) goes through several psychological steps before committing to your practice.  It’s an emotional decision. For them, the New Patient Exam is a psychological journey, not a diagnostic & treatment planning exercise.  If we can successfully guide them through this process, the chances that they will say “Yes” to us goes up dramatically. 

         To illustrate this point, let’s consider it from the patient’s perspective. 

         Let’s imagine that you’re the patient - you have this unsightly mole on your face that you want removed by a plastic surgeon.  You make an appointment at the surgeon’s office, go for a visit, and finally have a chance to meet the doctor.  So, how would you decide whether this surgeon was right for you?

         As the doctor enters the room, the first question you may ask yourself is:

1. Do they CARE?

         First impressions do matter. Studies show that within the first 7 to 30 seconds of meeting someone new, we form an initial opinion that is often resistant to change.  Beyond the first few seconds, however, what’s your next impression?

         Do they take a moment to get to know you as a person and your concerns?  Do they find out where you work, what you do for a living?  What are some of your interests?  Do they seem genuinely concerned about your problem and want to do their best about getting a good outcome?  If the surgeon seems to be indifferent to you, treating you simply as the next patient on the schedule, you’d be put off.

       First and foremost, then, you want them to care - care about you and care about achieving an excellent result.  We don’t care about how much they know until we know how much they care.

2. Do they have CHARACTER?

         If they seem to care, next you want to be able to trust the surgeon’s clinical judgement and personal character.  That is, by what they say and do, you sense that they are telling you the truth. The truth about what’s the best approach.  The truth about the post-op pain and risks of an unfavorable outcome.   Are they “selling” you on the procedure or offering viable options to specifically address your concerns? To entrust them with your care, you must trust them first.

3. Are they COMPETENT?

         Up to now, you’ve been sizing them up, deciding whether you want to work with this person.  Now you want to know: are they competent? Can they do the job well or are they simply talking a good game?  You evaluate this in several ways - How often have they done this procedure? Do they get good results?  Can they show you some of those outcomes?  

   You want a doctor who is confident without being cocky.  You've done your research. Personal referrals and reviews are important, but you want to assess the doctor's confidence and competence for yourself.

4. Do they COMMUNICATE well?

         Fourth, can they explain everything well - the clinical procedure and the reasons why they intend to take this approach? Is this someone who can answer your questions in an easily understandable way, or do they talk in technical terms, not making the effort to explain the procedure in a straightforward manner?  Basically, can you understand this person AND feel understood?

5. Have they CREATED VALUE that exceeds the COST?

         With a positive experience so far, the cost may not be that important as it was when you first arrived.  The more that you value their concern, character, competence and communication skills, the less you’ll worry about the cost as long as it seems reasonable.            

         However, if you don’t think they care, care about you, care about doing a good job, you may want to get a second opinion.  If you don’t think they’re competent, it wouldn’t matter how personable they are or how well they communicate with you, you’re going to go elsewhere. And if you’re not completely satisfied so far, cost becomes a major factor.

Take Aways

         During the New Patient exam in your office then, parents will choose your office if they firmly believe that:

• You care about their child and making treatment a good experience for their family.
• You are of good character. That is, they trust you as a person and what you’re saying about treatment.
• You’re competent. They have confidence that you have the necessary knowledge and skill to deliver as promised.
• You can communicate well with them in ways that they can understand and feel understood
• You’ve created exceptional value during this visit to justify the cost of treatment.
  • Only after you’ve checked all five boxes, then and only then, are they willing to commit to treatment with you.

         This initial visit is about taking them on a psychological journey, exceeding their expectations, putting an end to any doubts, and reassuring them to the point that they’re willing to commit.  Commit to you and your office because, through this experience, they become convinced that your practice is the best place for them.