Methods to Improve Health Care Customer Service

Monday, April 9, 2012
In any industry, customer service is very important. Businesses that offer good customer service can become more successful. Health care workers have to be particular with how they deal with their clients. These workers have to be trained regularly on what they should be doing in order to deliver proper service.

The first thing that any employee needs to learn about customer service is compassion. Patients and family members are experiencing a great deal of stress once they are in a health care facility. As a health care worker, it is your responsibility to treat them with as much compassion as you can. Your coworkers should also be treated the right way. You and your colleagues will be put under a lot of pressure and will experience a lot of stress.

If you are not careful enough, you can make your patients or their significant others feel more upset. Remember that they are going through a tough time. It is up to you to make them feel that you understand their situation.

Whenever your client has questions, make sure that you have ready answers. You have to be responsive to their queries as well as to their needs. This can be very tiring for you but you have to do anything that is possible. When you are able to respond immediately, you can help reduce the anxiety that they might be feeling.

If you are a doctor or a nurse, you have to display professionalism in your every action. You have to act according to your position in the health care system. Pay attention to how other people will look at you. Your job will be stressful but you have to control yourself. Avoid being argumentative with your clients or coworkers. Your actions need to be constructive.

Pay attention to the needs of your clients. You can identify treatments and solutions once you are aware of their needs. Learn how to assess your patients or their significant others. Some clients will not demand things from you. But, you have to know what their needs are even before they ask for your help. Early identification of needs will allow you to avoid complications from happening. For example, if you were able to correctly assess the condition of your patient, you will be able to give the necessary medical measures. You will help avoid the use of extreme measures to revive your patient.

If you neglect to see crucial details, you will be considered a failure in customer service. Make sure that you look at signs and listen to the complaints of your clients.

If you are part of the management, you should plan how your workers will be able to respond to different situations. Trainings and workshops need to be done at a regular basis. Your employees need to know what they are going to do to properly handle complaints and other difficult situations. Experience can be a good factor. With the right training methods and enough experience, you can create workers who will be great at customer service.

Autism Healthcare

Sunday, April 1, 2012
The United States has a fragmented healthcare system made of many private health care facilities that are largely owned by the private sector. Primary care doctors are usually the first point of entry when there are any health concerns before referrals to any other appropriate health establishment if necessary. There are thousands of insurance companies that cover private health insurance and up until fairly recently it has been very hard to get health insurance to cover autism because it is risky and treatment is very expensive. This has recently changed due to new legislation but availability can depend on whether a particular State has enacted autism insurance legislation or coverage for government funded health programs such as Medicaid.

The causes of autism are not readily known or available. The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that autism and related disorders are more common than previously thought. There is an increase in those being diagnosed and 3-4 times as many boys than girls are affected. On average one in 110 children born in the U.S. have autism. One in 70 boys and one in 315 girls are affected. It is thought by professionals that the increase is due to a wider definition of the spectrum.

It is essential to get an expert diagnosis in order to access the different services and treatments that may be available as it is beneficial to begin an early intervention program. An evaluation and assessment of the child may be done by a multidisciplinary team of professionals. Doctors who specializes in autism will observe the child, ask parents questions about the child's development and behavior and do a variety of tests such as intelligence tests to evaluate the child's strengths and weaknesses.

The following are some examples of the types of people and places listed by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) of whom to go to that will make a referral to, or provide diagnostic and treatment services (NIMH):

Family doctors
Mental health specialists such as psychiatrists, psychologists and counselors
Community mental health centers
Health maintenance organizations
Hospital psychiatry departments and outpatients clinics
State hospital outpatient clinics
Local medical and/or psychiatric societies

Once diagnosed, the quest to find affordable health insurance coverage to cover autism can begin. Around half of states currently have enacted autism insurance legislation which makes healthcare insurance coverage for more available, though it can be expensive. Recent laws have increased coverage for government funded health programs such as Medicaid for those on low incomes and disability is covered if it comes within the disability guidelines, so more families now qualify for assistance.

There are all kinds of treatments and interventions available and a treatment plan can be devised and tailored towards the individual child. Different teams of specialists can evaluate such things as speech, communication and motor skills. The main ways of treating the child can be through:

Behaviour Therapies and other types of therapies

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) can be used to shape and modify behavior. Occupational Therapy is available to work on fine and gross motor skills, for example, and there are other therapies such as Speech Therapy.

Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for school age children

Parents are encouraged to be involved with teachers in setting targets or goals to be reached within the particular school year and describes any special support required in meeting them.

Medication

Currently, there are no medications available to treat autism, but there are supplements that can treat and manage some of the symptoms. Ritalin, for example, can be used to treat impulsivity and overactivity and there are other drugs that can be used to treat behaviors such as aggressive behaviors or repetitive behaviors.