Introduction
Founded as a response to the shifting dynamics of healthcare, Advanced Urology Institute (AUI) recognizes the limitations faced by solo practitioners and small groups keeping pace with increasing governmental regulations and patient expectations. Despite its size and independently operated structure, it has managed to make a significant impact in the field of urology. What truly sets AUI apart is their unwavering commitment to delivering an excellent patient experience, ensuring that patients not only receive top-notch medical care but also feel valued and cared for.
Independent medical practices are becoming increasingly popular as patients seek quality care that is cost effective. This means focusing all their resources and efforts on delivering patient care which encompasses a wide range of activities and responsibilities, including scheduling appointments, ensuring smooth patient flow, dealing with aspects such as insurance claims and backend operations. This takes away time for a physician to get to know their patient and suggest an effective treatment plan which will provide better patient outcomes. The article Challenges of Owning a Small Healthcare Practice, goes into the details on common challenges faced by physicians in managing small healthcare practices such as marketing demands, work-life balance, and patient retention to name a few. It’s not only the physicians who are responsible, but everyone in the clinic must prioritize patient-centered care to ensure the best possible experience for the patient.
We will dive into some of the considerations that AUI looked into and implemented to improve the overall patient experience.
Consideration 1: Creating a Welcoming and Professional Check-in process
In the healthcare industry, creating a warm and professional atmosphere can be a daunting task, especially when the focus is primarily on providing clinical care. Medical practices have a reputation for looking cold and clinical due to the harsh fluorescent light and walls painted in white or dull colors which can feel cold and uninviting. This often makes the environment feel more clinical and less welcoming, which can be uncomfortable for patients.
However an organized front office, knowledgeable staff who are professionally dressed, a thoughtfully designed seating area, can all make a big difference to how patients feel when they visit your clinic. Warm greetings, efficient and speedy registration process, ability to guide patients and answer their questions all play a pivotal role in making the patients feel valued and respected. Well designed and distinct employee uniforms that represent a brand's identity,
not only sets a professional tone but also reinforces the brand and quality of service they can expect. When you tee up all these elements around welcoming patients, it cultivates a sense of trust and comfort for patients, setting the tone for a great customer experience.
Consideration 2: Motivating your team to deliver outstanding customer service
Creating a sense of belonging and shared responsibility among employee members is crucial to providing excellent patient care. This sense of teaming becomes more critical in small healthcare practices where the workload can be particularly demanding and balancing various responsibilities while ensuring optimal patient outcomes can be difficult. As highlighted in an article from Practice Fusion, small teams must navigate a multitude of day-to-day responsibilities. The efficiency of the front office has a direct impact on physician workload. Lack of efficiency can cause physicians to experience an increased workload leading to burnout along with pressure to perform well. When employee members perceive themselves as integral parts of a unified team working towards a common goal, they are more motivated and empowered to tackle these challenges, to ensure the best possible outcome for patients.
Employee uniforms can change the way teams feel. while this small step can make teams feel more unified. By providing your team with custom branded uniforms that feature your practice's brand story, you can create a feeling of a unified team that is focused on a common goal of delivering excellent patient care. It can also foster a team culture where every team member feels valued, boosting employee morale. When employee members feel connected and unified, they are more likely to collaborate efficiently, communicate openly, and support one another in managing various responsibilities. Well designed custom branded employee uniforms serve as a visual representation of the team's identity, reinforcing a shared sense of purpose and motivation to achieve the best outcomes for patients.
AUI’s Front Office Team
Consideration 3: Elevating Your Brand Experience
Elevating your brand experience gives you an opportunity for growth and transformation as it can drive customer loyalty, word-of-mouth marketing, and business growth. This connection is crucial for increasing revenue because a strong brand experience can stand out in a crowd, attracting more patients. According to the article from, Bain & Company, “Companies that are dedicated to improving their customers’ experience can increase their revenue to 4-8% above their market”. This supports the claim on how brand experience is the feeling patients get when they visit a clinic, and interact with the front office or the physician. When patients have a quality brand experience, they are more likely to return for other services and recommend it to friends and family, helping small practices to improve revenue and business outcomes.
The use of a custom branded uniform serves as a tangible representation of your commitment to delivering excellent patient care, reinforcing your brand's identity. Seeing employee members dressed in custom uniforms creates a cohesive and professional image that is reassuring for patients. Then as you create positive visit experiences for patients, the unique identity of your custom branded uniform, helps with word-of-mouth marketing. As they share their experiences you become the go-to choice for individuals seeking high-quality care.
AUI Changing the Patient’s Brand Experience with Sparkpolo
AUI took a proactive approach to enhance the patient experience at their clinic. By introducing custom branded polos as part of their office attire, AUI was able to change their patient’s perception of their clinic. It reinforced professionalism and their commitment to deliver a positive patient experience. Their patients often express curiosity and admiration for the intriguing designs on the polo worn by the team, creating a relaxed welcoming environment..
The custom polos have also fostered a sense of unity among AUI’s team, as they now share a distinct identity centered around patient care.They also feel valued by the business, and often go above and beyond in providing the best urological care, with strong teamwork and collaboration. Better collaboration meant better productivity leading to increased employee morale. Patients are now greeted by professional employees who are visibly aligned and united in their dedication to providing the best possible patient care experience.
AUI's custom branded polos have had a transformative effect on the overall brand experience and the team loves wearing them both inside and outside of the clinic. The custom polo shirts were not just seen as uniforms to be worn during work hours, but as fashionable polos that they are proud to wear even outside of work. The high-quality fabric of the polo shirts allows them to be worn to outdoor activities, such as golfing, or even in social outings with friends and family due to their moisture-wicking properties and 4-way stretch, ensuring breathability and comfort.
The impact of AUI's custom polos in patient engagement is highlighted by a memorable moment when a patient who loved their custom branded polos so much, asked if he could have one.
One of AUI’s Clients, Gene Wearing the Polo
This special request from their patient represents an opportunity for further engagement and brand loyalty. AUI can extend the reach of their brand beyond the clinic, sparking conversations in the community.
What makes this custom branded polo truly unique is its design where from afar, the polo shirt may look like a regular polo, but upon closer look, it reveals a design that represents the field of urology. The polo's design was created to reflect the field of work, with medical elements serving as a fundamental building block. For instance, the circle with the blue plus symbolizes medical care, whereas the one on the right is the gene representation which adds depth to the design.
As you look at the branded polo, it gives a retail look and feel, but the intricate and intriguing designs will easily spark conversation. These thoughtful design elements serve as a constant reminder of AUI's expertise and dedication to providing top-quality urology care. This design not only helps break the ice but also allows the employee to communicate their dedication to the field of urology in a subtle yet powerful way. By adopting these innovative custom polos as employee uniforms, focusing on flawless customer care, and maintaining a clean, comfortable environment, AUI delivered on its commitment to enhancing the patient experience. They aim to set themselves apart as a leader in patient care by going above and beyond when it comes to patient care.
Stand Out with Sparkpolo
At Sparkpolo, our mission is to create custom polos that showcase your brand's unique identity. We take time to understand the purpose of your brand and incorporate key elements that define its missions and values. Our team strategically incorporates these elements, including vibrant colors and icons, into your designs, ensuring that each custom branded polo serves as a powerful extension of your brand story. Our custom polos become impactful storytelling tools that spark interest and ignite conversations, making them perfect for any occasion.