Why Customer Service is Key Function for Medical Assistants
When you think about your role as a medical assistant, you may not think about customer service first. In fact, you may think about administering vaccines and taking a patient’s vital signs. While these are some functions as medical assistants, one of the key roles of this title is customer service.
As you start to think about yourself in a medical office, the first and last person you talk to is a medical assistant. It is vital that each medical assistant be able to communicate with patients and offer warm and positive interaction.
Customer service extends beyond just the physical interaction with patients too. In fact, you will need to practice good phone etiquette and cleanliness throughout the office environment. All these things together help to create a positive experience for each patient.
Think you have what it takes to be a medical assistant? Take a moment to see just WHY customer service is a key function and learn more about if you have what it takes.
If you are interested in becoming a medical assistant, UEI College offers the training you need to be successful in this field.
PATIENTS THRIVE ON PERSONAL ATTENTION
A warm and friendly welcome into any establishment can set the mood for a good experience. It is even more important that patients feel welcomed into the office they walk into. In addition, a great welcome can set the stage for professional and excellent medical care.
Often, patients find themselves overwhelmed when they enter the doctor’s office because, if you think about it, they are likely there for something that is bothering them. Quality customer service and a soft and friendly voice can help soothe their anxiety and help them feel important.
Welcomes into any medical office should be immediate and focused on the individual patient. In some settings, it may be appropriate to use the patient’s first name, if the patient is a regular and, in the office, often.
While you do not need to carry on a full conversation with a patient, patients do appreciate a brief engagement such as asking them how their day was or if they have any questions.
On a side note, patients also expect a high level of professionalism and discreet conversation when it comes to personal information or diagnoses.
YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE A WAITING ROOM SUCCESSFULLY
It is no surprise that patients will wait in the waiting room of the office before they see the doctor. The wait time can be anywhere from a couple minutes to up to even 30 minutes. It is crucial that the waiting room be just as welcoming as the first interaction with the office staff.
A welcoming waiting room should contain these elements:
- Soft and soothing colors or paintings on the wall
- Enough seating for all patients
- Comfortable seating for patients
- Materials to read or look at
- Children’s toys (when necessary)
- Televisions
- Well-lit but not too bright
- Easy access to a restroom and the front office staff
Medical assistants should take charge of the patient’s experience and ensure the waiting room is clean, inviting, and stocked.
A WELCOMING ATMOSPHERE EXTENDS BEYOND THE APPOINTMENT TOO
As a medical assistant, you will find that you are constantly busy. There may be little down time, but your job never stops. Customer service does NOT stop once the appointment is over and needs to carry on after the appointment as well.
Patients who are exiting the building need assistance setting up follow-up appointments, knowing where to go to have procedures done, and their prescriptions. In these following moments after the visit, you want to capture the patient and give them a reason to return to the office.
GET THE TRAINING YOU NEED TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL MEDICAL ASSISTANT
UEI College is proud to be able to offer you the opportunity to become a student in our medical assistant program. This program prepares you for an entry-level position in a medical office and the program can be completed in as few as 10 months.
If you have what it takes to offer great customer service and you have a passion for caring for patients, becoming a medical assistant may be the right career choice for you.
