We're going to spend just a few minutes here talking about how we shape that first impression that's presented by your frontline. And as we heard Dr. Eisenberg and Dr. Shulman speak before about the team, that frontline, that first impression, they truly do say that we never get a second chance to make a first impression. And that's so true with every member of our team. Every person who has that interaction with our patients sets the tone for every subsequent interaction. Right? So truly, we only have that one chance. I have no financial relationships to disclose. And so we are going to jump right in here. So you know, where we begin with our patients and what we have to remember is our every day is not theirs, right? We are all engaged in this GI and endoscopy world. And these are our norms. But for the patients coming in, this is not their norm. This is a very vulnerable situation for them, a very vulnerable time. And while we may, you know, and our teams may think very offhandedly, it's a colonoscopy, it's an AGD. For the patient, this is very much not a simple undertaking for them. And so we have to remember that we're meeting them somewhere that's very, very concerning for them. And so taking that time and thinking about it, but making sure that all of our team members are on that same page, right? So who is your frontline and why does it matter? Your frontline is any person that touches that patient. Your schedulers who might be the first person on the phone with the patient to schedule that appointment, the person that's checking them in, your front desk, your receiving staff. It could be the provider that's a referral inpatient that they're going to see subsequently outpatient. It could be nursing. Anybody on that care team can actually be your first impression. So how do we make sure as we go back to that team norms and those team ideas presented by Dr. Eisenberg and Dr. Shulman, how do we make sure that everybody knows that that first impression is so critical for our patients? So there's three elements of a first impression, right? Because it does set the standard for it. So it's critical to the patient experience that we make a good first impression with every person's first touch. That first impression drives trustworthiness in their future relationships. It sets that tone for comfort, long-term relationships with the patient, and trust. So much of it is trust. But these relationships, these first impressions also allow us to establish dominance is on here but not dominance in the overarching hierarchy, but dominance in that I have you. My team and I have concern for you and we are here to support you as a patient and presentation. How we all present ourselves. Someone who is disengaged when the patient walks in to check into your receiving area, and I say receiving area instead of waiting room because your receiving area is a much gentler and friendlier concept to a patient's and family's psyche than a waiting room. So someone walks into your receiving area and the person checking them in, their eyes are down, they're scowling, maybe they have an AirPod in, which is the thing that bothers me most right now. Instead of walking in and out, it's a friendly, engaging environment, right? That smile, that welcome, the first impression is going to set the tone for everything that goes forward. The first impression set by anyone is then going to impact those subsequent relationships. So trust building I talked about briefly, right? So that initial interaction, that positive first impression. If the patient feels like they have trust in you and trust in your teams, you're going to move forward through care more efficiently. You're going to have buy-in for treatment plans, and you're going to establish a relationship with them where they have already internally and intrinsically said, this is someone whose opinion and whose treatment options I will respect. And so making sure that we set that tone for them moving forward, right? Comfort and confidence. Those patients that come in and they're anxious, they're vulnerable, like I said, this is our everyday but not theirs. So a warm and a welcoming first impression, but also confidence in what we're doing. If someone comes and they check in and someone can't find their name, or oftentimes as we do checks for patient readiness, can you tell me your name and what you're here for? You don't know what I'm here for today? So we have to think about the words that we use because words matter, particularly when we're dealing with our patient populations and that generational awareness that words really truly do matter depending on the generation also. And that goes into that effective communication and that awareness of the populations that we're dealing with. So that good first impression encourages open communication. If someone is welcomed, regardless of who the practitioner or front desk clerk or scheduler is, starting with the comment of how are you today? Is there something that you want me to know? Is there anything we haven't talked about yet? Getting that tone for them to feel like they can engage with you in that conversation is so key. Further impacts, right? Patient satisfaction is a huge driver. And I know all of us are keenly aware of that as a quality item for us. But that patient satisfaction, feeling like they're heard, feeling friendly, if you're ever wondering truly what your patient satisfaction, your patient touches, look at those satisfaction surveys and look at the comments because that will help you identify where you have opportunities in that frontline and first impact, first touch. You'll often see that in those commentary, the perceptions of competence. If there's a professional and empathetic demeanor, if the patients are engaged in the conversation, you're going to have an impression that I am attuned to the detail, that as a provider, I can reassure you that there's quality. But if I don't come off as reassuring, if I don't come off as having competence, it's going to sit with the patients and their family members. Reputations to treatment is another huge driver impacted by that first impression. If I, as the patient, have faith in my provider, if I've established that trust, if I believe in what they're saying, then I, as the patient, am going to be more inclined to follow the treatment regime. And definitely, the final thing on here is that reputations and referrals. If I or my office, my front desk staff, my nursing staff are not engaged in that positive patient experience, our reputation is going to be hurt, our referral pattern is going to be hurt. It is not lost on any of us that reputation, particularly in the medical world, whether with patients or other providers, it's a tight circle. People know and people hear. And so it's important that we are focused on that first impression and that continued impression also. Word of mouth can definitely lead to either more referrals and a better practice or people deviating away from our practice cases. So those first touch impressions, that medical check-in first impression, right? What happens when the patient walks into that healthcare facility, whether it's directly in the doors of a freestanding center or into a hospital system for a check-in, it's crucial to set the tone for it. Is it welcoming? Is it inviting? Are people paying attention? What is everyone's demeanor? And this does go back to that team intention that we talked about earlier. Is everybody on the same page? Are we all working towards the same thing? Do we want the same things for our patients? It's really key. So overall, that good first impression sets the foundation for those patients. If it's a patient has to call a call center or a scheduling line, making sure that those greetings are personable, making sure that we're hearing the patient, that we're providing the information, that we're double-checking before the end of that conversation to see if they have any more questions or if there's anything else that we can do for them. Because that does establish that effective relationship and ultimately leads to a better therapeutic relationship. So who's your first touch, right? And remember, the last worst interaction is the one that everyone will remember. They will not remember the 10 good interactions, but they will remember the last worst. So if a patient brings something to you and says, I had a poor interaction with your team member, it's important to address those, apologize to the patient for that interaction, and provide the feedback. Not accusatory, but provide that feedback to the person because they may not have intended that. Or you may find that you have a need for realignment, a need for reminding everyone of your team norms and your team goals so that we're all working towards the same things. And sharing and creating that shared expectation of the first impression too. So what you accept is what you're going to get. So you have to make sure with your team that you set that expectation for everyone. Very basic. And it doesn't matter if it's the patient's first interaction with your department or your first interaction with each team member. Everyone should acknowledge the patient. Everyone should introduce themselves. Give some reasonable expectation of duration. We're going to go back to the procedure room in five minutes. Or you've just checked in and Dr. Smith is running five minutes behind. That communication and very intentional communication about timeline and expectation is going to do so much for our patients and their family members. Make sure your explanations are clear and you're speaking in a language that the patient can understand. Don't talk over them from a standpoint. Make sure they understand you. And thank them. Right? They are our business. So is there anything else I can do for you? What other questions do you have for me? And thank you for trusting us with your care today. Every single person that touches them can thank a patient for giving them the trust for today. And that is going to up your notch with that patient. So practice, evaluate, and review with your teams, right? Review your patient feedback, share it with everyone. One of our areas that did a really great and very creative thing, they got a laminated tree on the wall. They ordered it off Amazon. And the patient feedback comments are positive or negative leaves on the tree. The ones that are hanging on the tree are positive and everybody feels great about being a leaf. The ones that are falling or on the ground really need our attention. It gives everybody an opportunity to see them, think about them, and generate ideas about how they improve them in a very non-punitive manner. So prepare for opportunities to improve. Set that intention with your team that we can always PDSA our processes and come to something better that we're working from evidence and data, right? Grace and growth. So some people might slip up, but give them the opportunity to continue to develop themselves and make sure you close that loop with the family members and really encourage excellence. If you set excellence as the intonation for your team, and we always come back to that, then you are setting the tone and the intention for everyone for that expectation for your patients. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Remember that with your teams, remind them of that, and don't be afraid to have the conversations. Thank you.

first impressions

healthcare

patient satisfaction

empathetic communication

feedback evaluation