I recently came across a book about customer service in healthcare, and the author suggested “blowing up your waiting area.” While this may be a bit dramatic (and messy), I’ll merely suggest that we rethink the function of this room, taking into consideration most people’s displeasure with having to wait. The in-office experience begins the moment the patient walks through your door, and first impressions matter.

Here are 3 ways to start:

1. Give it a different name. Nobody likes to wait, so why do we devote an entire section to this? Why not call this room the Welcome Center or Reception Lounge? You can start today! Specifically, inform your team, so they can start using the new name with patients.

2. Offer patients amenities. Some examples are a coffee or tea bar, a gaming center for children, or a product spotlight shelf that highlights new products or offerings.

3. Relocate some chairs to the optical. This can encourage more browsing before the exam. Do this only if you have adequate space. Comfort and flow should take priority.  OM