Put a positive spin on what is said in the office

Staff members can sometimes get so bogged down with everyday office operations and tasks that they forget the patients walking through the door are human beings just like them and often have the same feelings and concerns as they do about their health.

When staff members answer patient requests and give advice, they must also be mindful of the words they use and how they use them, says Judy Capko, a medical practice management consultant and founder of Capko & Company, a Thousand Oaks, CA–based market research company that works with healthcare organizations.