In the past years, cosmetic dermatology has benefited from biotechnological advances that contribute to improving treatment plans and aesthetic outcomes. However, the complete success of a medical procedure should also take into consideration the patient’s wellness and subjective perception of his/her experience at the doctor’s practice. The following piece illustrates how I believe communication at each and every step of a standard visit offers a great opportunity to build a fruitful relationship and increase patient satisfaction.
1) Pre-procedure consultation
Welcome
Before consultation, nurses or assistants introduce and promote the reputation
of your practice. They reassure patients which helps them feel comfortable and relaxed.
Listen
Upon meeting the patient, sitting down and speaking face to face will also greatly ease communication. I do refrain from completing charts or moving around.
I focus and give the patient my undivided attention. In my personal experience, it is also important to make good note of the patient’s initial request because, while we may do many other things, in the end, satisfaction will largely depend upon fixing this very issue.
Propose
Anyway, this request should not prevent you from proposing a more comprehensive treatment plan. People do not necessarily realize what they need. In my eyes, the best way to deliver bad news is by giving good news first. So, to ease things, I identify a patient feature that looks good and start by complimenting it. Then, I am tactfully honest about additional steps that I estimate, in my professional opinion, would be necessary for overall results.
Inform
On a very first visit, be sure that patients understand that sometimes to reach the ultimate aesthetic result, several visits may be needed. As far as patient aesthetic satisfaction is concerned, I always find it better to under-promise and over-deliver than the other way around.
2) During the procedure
Accompany
Treatment itself provides you with yet another chance to communicate with your patients and talk them through a potentially stressful experience.
I like to call it ‘talk-aesthesia’: make the conversation easy, lively and enjoyable so that patients focus on the discussion dynamics rather than on the comings and goings of your needle.
This way, the procedure also goes by faster for the patient
Document
Paying attention to life events and interests mentioned by each patient can also serve as a nice entry for your opening conversation at the next visit. I also like to pay attention to patient’s skin changes over time. It is important to keep track of patients’ physical changes, because they tend to forget how they looked like before treatment. I consistently take before/after pictures, to illustrate the aesthetic results and provide a communication support with my patients. It also serves as a good baseline to make sure we are always improving while keeping the original natural look of the face. Remember, patients want to look better, more attractive, healthier and younger, but they still want to look like themselves. Convenient photographic devices such as 3D cameras can help make this really quick and easy. And remember: high quality photography is also an asset to deliver convincing lectures on your professional achievements.
Dr. Joely Kaufman, MD, FAAD Dermatologist
Miami, FL, USA’
Director of SKIN Associates of South Florida
SKIN Research Institute
Associate Professor of Dermatology
at the University of Miami / Miller School of Medicine
Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology