My husband and I have been working on house projects. Most recently, someone came to sand, stain, and apply polyurethane to our windows and woodwork, which necessitated a deep clean from us.
A Rediscovered Book
As part of that process, we’ve been sorting belongings, including books. Specifically, we made a stack of books to give away when one of them caught my attention. Titled “Beyond Bedside Manner: Insights on Perfecting the Patient Experience,” by Shareef Mahdavi, the book was given to me by a referral center.
I remembered glancing at the book briefly when I first received it, but then putting it aside, as I was busy reading something else at the time.
In noting this book has been getting lots of mentions lately, I took this as a possible sign from the universe and removed the book from the giveaway pile to start reading it.
The book goes into how to create patient loyalty. A key take away from it is that 6 drivers influence how patients perceive a practice: (1) profession, (2) patients, (3) people, (4) place, (5) promotion, and (6) price.
It's the People
Although I agree that each of these drivers is important, it’s been my experience that, ultimately, patients perceive a practice based on its people and, in particular, their doctor’s listening skills, which earns patient trust.
It’s about listening to the patient who just lost her husband and needs a safe space to visit. It’s about listening to someone tell you they’re scared about their health—even if the health issue isn’t related to their eyes. It’s about listening to a father grieve over the loss of his son to suicide.
Most recently, it was about a patient of mine who divulged that his recent diagnosis of cancer was the reason he put off his cataract surgery, even though his vision was affecting his ability to function.
Specifically, he told me his doctor gave him 6 months to live, 3 of which had already passed. I listened. He further explained that he had chosen to forgo chemotherapy and had been rallying. I listened. With his and his wife’s input, we went through all the pros and cons of cataract surgery.
Fostering Loyalty
In a world where word-of-mouth referrals and online reviews can make or break a practice, fostering loyalty isn’t just good practice—it’s smart business. Patients who feel seen and heard don’t just return; they refer, advocate, and become our most powerful marketing engines.
The patient experience is the new frontier of differentiation in health care. If we want loyalty, we must make patients feel like people, not numbers. I have found that listening is the key to this and, thus, the prescription for long-term success.
By the way, that patient who has cancer is due to have his cataract surgery later this month. OM
