Comments on: Secret Shopper Patients for Doctor’s Office Scrutiny

By: healthcare mystery shops

healthcare mystery shops — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:48:35 +0000

The think having mystery shoppers in the Health Care field is great. Why not if everything is being done as it should be?

By: Healthcare mystery shopping

Healthcare mystery shopping — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:10:41 +0000

How many of us have been frustrated by the wait times when we visit the emergency room or the doctors office? It’s really important that the doctors office know the perception of the patients as far as the service they are giving their patients.

I support the mystery shopping concept and think all doctors should get on board with this. Don’t they want to know how they are doing and what their patients are experiencing? I bet the insurance compaies that pay them would like to know as well.

By: Healthcare mystery shopping

Healthcare mystery shopping — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 21:48:18 +0000

It is very important that mystery shoppers provide feedback to healthcare organizations so that they can improve on the service they provide to their patients
Nothing is more important then a patients relationship with their doctors office as they are a partner in healthcare and the patient is trusting them with their health.
Feedback is a gift! That way you know how to provide excellent service and help to develop associates.

By: kristi

kristi — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:25:32 +0000

I love this idea. As you said, so much about going to the doctor is scary for patients. If the main point of the secret shoppers is to gauge how patients are treated in the waiting area, then I think people can only stand to benefit from the findings. I’ve been to many, MANY doctors in my life, and when I’m treated with care and respect in the waiting area, I’m more comfortable and at ease. I can’t understand why any doctor wouldn’t want this for their patients.

By: Amy

Amy — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:57:24 +0000

I like to think I’ll switch doctors if I ever end up seeing one with a terrible office staff (right now, both are great). My past doesn’t bode well for this, though……I put up with really terrible customer service at the pediatrician in my old city, mostly b/c the doctor took AG’s health very seriously and the hours were phenomenal–weekends during flu season, early and late sick appts., etc.

Then again, her asthma is under such good control now that I’d probably be pickier.

Asthmagirl, this is from the Globe article:

“The secret visits seem to be working, she said. Shoppers awarded waiting room staff members an average score of 85, on a scale of 1 to 100, after a second round of visits this spring. That’s an increase from 76 in January.”

So it seems to help at least a little.

Mostly, I like the idea of increasing accountability for poor treatment of patients in the waiting room.

By: keepbreathing

keepbreathing — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 01:43:49 +0000

Of course, if patients are dissatisfied with the way doctors treat them, they can simply fire them and find a new one.

By: Asthmagirl

Asthmagirl — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 23:33:14 +0000

I’ve experience bad customer service at my docs, but I’ll keep going to him anyway. I don’t think that secret shopping his front desk would make them any better, but it would be worth a try.

By: Allie

Allie — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:01:26 +0000

I’m actually trying to decide if bad customer service will make me change my doc. I love my doc and physician’s assistant, but the nurses and office staff are horrid!

When we were on vacation, one of the nurses left me a message saying that my blood results were abnormal and I needed to call back. I couldn’t get anyone on the phone to talk to me about them until 10AM the next morning after several phone calls. Turns out my cholesterol is a little high, but nothing to worry about. You just don’t leave a message like that for a patient. I think I may be shopping for a new doc soon.

By: Claire

Claire — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:20:31 +0000

Hello! I haven’t been reading blogs very much in the past couple of weeks with stoopid computer problems. I agree that improving customer service at the doctor is a good idea although I personally have had good luck with that.

I don’t know if bad service would make me stop seeing a doctor I was really impressed by.