First it was a phone call. Then I got an email. Then I got a text. Each step was a different communication designed to reassure me that every measure was being taken to protect me from contracting COVID while visiting their location. No, it wasn’t from my doctor’s office. All of this was from my hair salon.
Every day we see communication from healthcare organizations advertising that it is safe to come back – and it is. But do patients know and believe that?
I must admit that I probably would have continued avoiding my salon had my hairdresser not picked up the phone to call and run through their precautionary measures. Once I heard how well they were managing, I scheduled an appointment. When I came on site, I was once again reassured to see that they were following protocol to a tee.
Healthcare organizations have a much higher bar than a salon. Anything that hints at sloppy practices will send patients running. They will be much less forgiving of a healthcare provider than a salon.
A CXO recently shared with me that his organization is getting tons of comments on patient satisfaction surveys about staff not wearing masks, wearing them incorrectly, or not social distancing on elevators.
The public is watching and listening.
Tags: Communication, COVID, COVID-19, HCAHPS, healthcare communication, Patient Experience
