Hi [firstname|there], During the last year I have spent a lot of time visiting healthcare facilities checking for solutions to the arthritis I had in my left knee. I needed to have something done and was looking for the best doctors and facilities to take care of me. After all, we all know that Healthcare in the U.S. Is BIG business. A lot of money is spent on healthcare as Americans are aging. Here's what I discovered When you call almost ALL healthcare facilities the first question they ask when you call or walk in is, “What is your birth date?†Not good morning or Hi, how can we be of help. I am very critical of the lack of warmth in Russia where I am several times a year yet, healthcare in the U.S .is worse. The doctors are very warm, good social skills. Very caring. But, to get to the doctor expect to interface with robots (Humans who have been trained to ask robotic questions). In 2018 I probably visited TRIA in Bloomington, Minnesota, a leading orthopedic center, at least 10 -15 times. Last week I visited them again. The first thing they asked was for my driver’s license and insurance cards. Not good afternoon or welcome to TRIA. They never looked at the records to see that I visited TRIA many times in 2018. They assume you move each day with a new address and new health care coverage. They could say instead, Mr. Tschohl welcome back. (Most firms use software to track customers. The problem is employees NEVER use it.) They could say have you moved since you were last here in 2018 or are you still living at 4656 Nine Oaks Circle. When I call Health Partners/Park Nicollet which is my primary health care facility I use in the Twin Cities they do the same thing. It might take 15 minutes for them to answer the phone. They always say if this is a life threatening emergency hang up and dial 911 (for an ambulance.) The ambulance will charge from $1,000 -$2000 which includes a $300 surcharge for gas for a 10 minute ride. they should say, If this is a life threatening emergency call 911 for a $1,500 ambulance ride we do not have enough employees to answer the phone in a timely manner. All firms in the US believe they are awesome at customer service. They are full of themselves. Most US firms have a customer satisfaction survey with each transaction. Most surveys do not cover the real issues or defects on customer service. A huge waste of money and a turn off to customers. By the way, after my surgery the Mayo Clinic also sent me an in depth survey but NOT every time I visited them. The opposite is the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota. They have been consistently rated as the best hospital in the U.S. With my knee I checked out several different places. I wanted the best. My insurance covers wherever I go so it all comes down to trust, brand, quality and the customer experience. On February 15 I had a partial knee replacement at the Mayo Clinic. The surgery was done by Dr. Matthew Abdel and it took 58 minutes. One week later I received this nice thank you card from my doctor and staff that handled my surgery and one night stay at the Mayo Clinic. I prefer the Mayo clinic for all major health issues my wife and I have. It is like the Ritz Carlton vs Motel 6 (the rest of health care) If you want to check them out call 1-507-284-2511. They answer 24/7 in one ring with a live person. Everyone is warm and friendly. They have the best customer experience and the best quality in the US. By the middle of May I can start playing tennis again. I will miss the balance of the ski season but I am ready for the next ski season. I limited my snow skiing this season to Almaty, Kazakhstan and two trips to Vail Colorado. In January 1980 I created the first customer service program called Feelings. Millions of people in every corner of the world have gone through Feelings. It has been updated many times and I have a version just for healthcare called Healthcare with Feelings.
There are 6 principles I teach. Practice Habits of Courtesy is the 2nd skill we teach. Healthcare in the U.S. tends to really miss this core skill. When you go through hell to finally get to the doctor you get in a bad mood. One of the options I looked at for my knee replacement was Twin Cities Orthopedics Edina. The robot staff had me totally turned off before I saw the doctor. Nobody asks your name or why you are here. Instead what is your birth date. Can you imagine checking in a hotel or restaurant and the first question they ask is, What is your birth date. Crazy. I have been speaking and writing on customer service longer than anyone else in the world. I still have no idea why so few firms understand the power of the service strategy. Not very many healthcare facilities want to be a Mayo Clinic. This is a nonprofit organization. Seamless outpatient care. Unhurried consultations. Multidisciplinary teams. It is committed to patient-centered care. They have $12 billion in annual revenues and 63,000 employees. They care for more than 1 million people a year from all 50 states and 140 countries. Rated #1 in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. Each year the Mayo Clinic receives hundreds of millions of dollars in philanthropy. “Great customer care and quality pays offâ€. |