Practice Metrics

Do Patients Like to Make Small Talk With You?

Patients prefer some friendly conversation at the start of their exam, according to Jobson Optical Research’s The Waiting Game report. Just under three quarters of respondents (74.5 percent) said that they think it’s nice when a doctor starts to make small talk about general topics such as their job, kids or the weather. Women (77.2 percent) prefer it just slightly over men (72.8 percent) and older respondents preferred it over younger (18 to 34: 70.7 percent, 55+: 78 percent). Apparently a little small talk can go a long way.

The John Maxwell quote that has shown to be true over time is: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Targeted small talk shows that you care. Targeted small talk is different than general small talk. General small talk can be about the weather, a recent sports game, or even “how about those Mets?” Targeted small talk is about the patient and what is important to the patient. Targeted small talk gets the patient’s energy level up. Targeted small talk helps us prepare the patient to be examined.

Be sure to make notes in the patient records about things that are important to patients such as children, pets, jobs and anniversaries. On the patient’s next visit to the office, with targeted small talk you can ask about how the new dog, Napoleon, is making the transition now that the kids are away at college. Don’t rely on your memory, use your patient records to help keep you accurate.

Train your staff to add to the patient notes section as well. When they hear a nugget of news that is important to the patient, add it to the record to help keep the doctor informed. Don’t forget to include news such as the death of the spouse or child. Make it a habit for doctors and staff to have access to a computer when reading the paper so that quick notes can be made in the patient records.

Everything you do should be designed to make sure the patient completes your prescribed treatment plan. Showing that you care by sharing details of life that you know about the patient that are important to the patient goes a long way to achieving this goal.

If you’re not currently doing this, then your assignment this week is to create a system in your patient notes where you can start this process. Read your notes before walking into the exam room. Make sure you deliver your targeted small talk in the first two to three minutes. Watch your patients brighten up as you talk about them and what is important to them.

Just as exciting music being played as you walk into a lecture hall gets the attendees pumped up and ready to learn, we need to prepare our patients so they are ready to be examined. Targeted small talk is a powerful tool to help us do that.

To Top
Subscribe Today for Free...
And join more than 35,000 optometric colleagues who have made Review of Optometric Business their daily business advisor.