1 6 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7
N
othing irks patients more than sitting around and waiting
for an unreasonably long time. Fortunately, it doesn't
happen often at our urology center, but when it does, we
have what we call a service recovery program. We keep a supply
of $10 Starbucks cards on hand, and send one or more to the
patient (depending on how many people were inconvenienced, but
no more than 2 per patient), along with a note of apology — a
hand-written note, by the way, so they know it's from the heart,
not from Hallmark. It's an inexpensive way of acknowledging that
we could have done a better job, and that we appreciate their
patience and their business.
Cindy Snider, RN, BSN
Augusta (Ga.) Urology Surgicenter
csnider@augustaurology.com
When You Make Patients Wait, Make It Up to Them
• THIS ONE'S ON US A small investment can go a
long way toward improving patient satisfaction.
Ideas Work
That
