Keep patients singing your practice's praises

Customer service is a principle that groups can’t afford to take for granted—it’s the key to protecting the existing revenue base and generating new market share, says Kevin W. Sullivan, cofounder of Sullivan-Luallin, a San Diego–based healthcare consultancy that specializes in customer service.

Running a company that conducts patient satisfaction surveys for roughly 1,500 physician practices annually, Sullivan has learned a thing or two about what keeps patients happy. Not surprisingly, top-scoring practices throughout the country hold certain traits in common.