The doctors and the healthcare workers look at hospitals as their office or second home. They are familiar with the place and hence, they feel safe within its walls whether they are doing something as simple as retrieving data from Google cloud image storage or doing something challenging like stitching a deep wound. Patients, on the other hand, have a different viewpoint to that of the healthcare workers. They feel uncomfortable and somewhat scared of hospitals because of their illnesses. Here are a few ways to make patients feel safer.
1. Making Small Talks
Communicating with patients always makes the patient feel comfortable. Conversing with the patients like asking them how their treatment is going or how well the doctor is treating them and how their therapy is going will make them feel good and safe about the environment they are being treated. Train your staff in employing the best behavior towards the patients and solve any problems they have with an appropriate language and tone.
2. Equipment-Free Environment
Patients may fear the environment that they are stepping in. A bad environment scares the patients even in a dentist’s office. Equipment plays a huge role in making the environment uncomfortable and fearful. Have your intimidating equipment in a separate room than where you talk to your patients for a basic checkup. You can also add a play area for kids to feel safe too.
3. Have a Clean Office
A hospital should always be spotless due to health reasons as well as making patients feel safer. A dirty hospital will have a negative impression on the patient, especially the new ones. Encourage your staff as well as patients to have themselves clean by placing sanitizers in close proximity. Housekeeping should be friendly and introduce themselves as well as ask the patients if they missed anything to clean before leaving. This makes a positive impact on the hospital and their staff which makes a patient feel safe and sound in the environment.
4. Privacy
Many patients are sensitive in many aspects like giving blood, fear of needles and disrobing for tests. Staff should give the patient some space to calm down and reassure them. Being sensitive to their thoughts and giving them privacy will have a huge positive impact on the patients about their safety.
5. Listen to Them
Whether if it’s a patient for a regular checkup or someone who is admitted, as a doctor you must listen to the patients because that’s the most basic need for them. Having someone to talk to and understand their suffering will benefit them and their illness. Visiting patients at bedside and conversing with them for less than even five minutes will make them feel good and safe. Don’t be in a hurry to see the next patients that you forget to listen to the current patient completely.
6. Explain to Them
Patients don’t usually know the medical terms and tools that doctors use to explain them. It comes off as gibberish to them and the patient might get frustrated. Doctors must take it slow and share every bit of detail even if you have to explain what disease they have or how a Google online image storage works.
Conclusion
The patients feel uncomfortable and somewhat scared of the hospitals because of the strain of their illness on their mind. However, doctors need to ensure them that they are in safe hands.
