Clear Idea #4

30 www.acasociety.com | info@acasociety.com W e all know COVID-19 has forced people to change almost every aspect of their daily routine, adding a layer of stress when venturing outside of the home. Even essential activities like visiting the dentist have been impacted, with social distancing, mask-wearing, as well as waiting room limits and staggered appointments adding to the social tension. It’s our job as industry professionals to make these appointments as normal as possible in a challenging time, going the extra mile to ensure the customer experience is outstanding, rather than lacking. While COVID-19 has severely im- pacted local businesses, it has provided an opportunity for dental practice managers and owners to revisit and reassess their own patient experience practices. There are numerous components to building a better customer experience for your patients, from the layout of your waiting room, through to communication; how staff greet and address patients etc. Sometimes, however, knowing what to keep, stop, and start in your practice can be challenging, and puts you at risk of unnecessarily changing something that was working, or implementing something that does not have the desired positive effect on a patient’s visit. It is becoming increasingly common for practice managers to take a human- centred approach to problem solving. So, what is it? Human-Centred Design The notion of human centred design is that you should understand the people who experience a problem before you create a solution to that problem. What differentiates human-centred yourself in the patient’s shoes, the changes you make to your practice will be informed, rather than an assumption, and have the biggest impact possible. To take this one step further, incorporating your patient into the process can prove most effective. This does not mean getting a patient to take charge of redesigning the layout of your practice, but it could be as simple as getting patients to complete a survey help direct you in where you can better meet their needs. Putting it into practice There are countless, subtle customer issues that may go unnoticed in day-to- day operations that can be uncovered and solved by human-centred design. For example, hearing dental instruments in use from the waiting room can be a cause for anxiety for many patients. Ensuring appropriate noise insulation is in place is a simple but important fix. Some common areas that human centred design can improve the experience of patients are the physical design of a practice, and of course customer service practices. Clinical functionality A dental practice that looks great inside and out – but lacks key functional aspects – is a practice setup to fail. Human-centred design can also be looked at internally – the way you and your staff will move and operate within the clinic daily. For those in the aesthetic dentistry space – namely, orthodontists – it’s vital to understand the requirements that will need to be incorporated into your practice’s design, based on the services you will be providing. For example, will you require a photography room? Or alternatively, will you be taking imagerywithin a designated area of the practice? How much space will be required for this process and equipment? Answer key questions early with both your patient and services in mind. Does your practice design have capacity for a consult/presentation room? Weighing up your service offering, functionality, and patient needs can determine the scope of your practice design. If you are tending towards a modern, open plan layout, a consult room that is away from treatment and patient waiting areas may be ideal for that added layer of privacy and professionalism. Designing a better patient experience S u r g e ry D e s i g n Lighting is a major factor in aesthetic dentistry. Care and forward thinking is vital in resulting in a design that creates both the perfect atmosphere for your visitors, but also for staff to operate effectively. This includes selection of light fittings, placement, as well as optimal lighting warmth to use. Also, natural lighting elements such as window location must design from alternative problem-solving approaches is the deep understanding of the person experiencing the problem – and crucially, from their perspective. Your business hinges on the happiness of your patients, so why not work to understand their needs and whether they are being effectively met. By putting