My article in Dentistry Scotland December 2011 issue explaining how and why dental practices should gather feedback on their performance.

1. Dentistry SCOTLAND’s marketplace
Do you ♥ feedback?
Jacqui Goss explains At the end of my previous article,
I touched on patient feedback by
with customer feedback! I dare say
there are dental practices that have
how to get patient reminding your receptionist staff to full books and regard this as the only
record the number of new patient measure of patient satisfaction they
feedback and what telephone enquiries, with names of require. If you’re located in areas such
to do with it caller and receptionist and where the as Grampian, the Borders and the
caller has heard about your practice. Highlands, where there are shortages of
I said that this was the only way dentists, you too may be in a providers’
to accurately compare the number market.
of enquiries with the number of Overall, however, the number of
appointments made and kept. (NHS) dentists in Scotland has risen
That information is also a bit of considerably in recent years, reaching
patient feedback. If they don’t show, record numbers. Even though the
they didn’t like you! It’s a bit crude percentage of the population registered
though. Here, I’ll run through some with a dentist has risen too, there’s still
more sophisticated ways of acquiring pressure on dentists – especially private
patient feedback. dentists – to actively seek and secure
new patients. Acquiring, analysing and
Do I need feedback? responding to patient feedback can
Did someone say: ‘Why bother?’ It’s a help you get more patients.
good question.
If I were the owner of the butcher’s
shop in Much Wenlock, which has a Ask!
queue of shoppers stretching along Put simply, you get feedback by asking.
the pavement from the moment it Knowing how, what and when to ask
opens its doors, I wouldn’t bother adds the necessary sophistication to the
50 December 2011

2. Dentistry SCOTLAND’s marketplace
process. Don’t overlook the benefits of involved? Are you able to note down Open questions:
your front of house staff merely asking a their responses (it is not permitted ♥ ‘We have a new appointments system.
patient for a verbal, off-the cuff opinion to record conversations unless you How easy was it for you to make an
about an aspect of your practice when specifically ask the interviewee’s appointment?’
they are in for an appointment. In team permission)? How long does the ♥ ‘We’re thinking of having different
meetings, they should practice ‘open’ interview last, typically? Most patients magazines in the patients’ area. Which ones
would you prefer?’
questions – ones that discourage a ‘Yes’ will ask how long it’s likely to take
or a ‘No’ answer. before agreeing to proceed with the Open questions have the advantage that
survey. patients are being invited to comment on
Surveys When it comes to undertaking the something over which they can have some
influence. Given the unscientific nature of
You can take it a stage further and telephone calls, be flexible. You don’t gathering this sort of feedback, don’t go
ask patients to complete a written have to stick rigidly to your script if the overboard trying to analyse it – a mention
questionnaire. I counsel against this. patient is giving you useful feedback of any emerging trends at team meetings is
Rarely do patients (any of us) feel about a different aspect of the practice. sufficient.
inclined to spend time giving full and And don’t relentlessly carry on asking
honest answers to such surveys. the questions if the time is up or you
Instead, patient surveys should be detect impatience.
undertaken verbally – which effectively The results of telephone surveys
means over the telephone. You need need careful and thoughtful analysis. the space here to go into detail but
to call patients in the evenings or at It’s unlikely that you’ll ever survey a essentially a cross-section of patients
weekends (I’m learning that more and statistically representative sample so the (between 12 to 15) are invited to the
more people are happy to be contacted feedback can only ever be indicative of practice one evening for a discussion
on Saturday or even Sunday mornings), what most of your patients might think. lasting no more than one and a half
explain what you want to do and Nevertheless, it’s valuable information, hours. The facilitiator introduces
why and garner their permission to which you should act upon – there’s no discussion points and ensures that
proceed. If you decide to undertake point doing it otherwise. everybody gets an opportunity to
patient telephone surveys in-house, I participate. These are also good forums
advise you to read the relevant parts to ‘road test’ potential new procedures
of the Code of Conduct of the Market ♥ feedback and to educate patients about some of
Research Society (MRS). Although it In England, the Care Quality the complexities of running a dentistry
applies specifically to MRS members, Commission requires dental practices practice.
it contains useful information and (and other healthcare bodies) to Not only does patient feedback (in
guidance. ‘involve’ patients. To address this, as well its various forms) give you pats on the
Before doing telephone surveys you as telephone surveys, I am organising back and kicks up the backside but it
need to think carefully about the focus and facilitating patient consultation can be truly influential in shaping the
of your questions. Are you trying to get groups (PCGs) for some practices. These future of your practice. Go on, try it.
a general feel for patient satisfaction or are meetings involving patients and Oh, and if you have any comments
do you wish to focus on one particular a facilitator with some of the dental on this article do email them to me. I ♥
aspect – such as the front of house practice staff present. There is not feedback too!
service, the interaction (or otherwise!)
of clinical staff with patients or, say,
the newly introduced teeth whitening Jacqui Goss
is the managing partner of Yes!Results. By using Yes!Results dental
treatment? Write out your questions practices see an increase in treatment plan take-up, improved patient
and then test the survey on staff satisfaction and more general enquiries resulting in appointments.
members, friends and family. Are the Yes!Results turns good practices into great practices.
questions too complex or wordy when For more information phone 08456 448066, email: jacqui@yesresults.
co.uk, visit www.yesresults.co.uk and www.facebook.com/Yesresults
heard over the telephone? Do they or follow @Yesresults on Twitter.
require responses that are lengthy and
OR CALL US ON:
0800 371 652
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