Calming an angry patient in person is challenging, but over the phone, it requires even more skill. Assuming your team already knows how to handle such calls is a common mistake. When an upset patient calls, your staff has only moments to deescalate the situation, or you risk losing them.
The Challenge of Angry Patient Calls
Poorly managed angry calls can hurt patient retention and increase costly staff turnover. Every team member answering the phone must be skilled in calming upset patients.
That's where healthcare management consultant Merikay Hunt, MS, comes in. Join her on Tuesday, November 12th at 1:00 pm ET for her proven phone de-escalation program. This training will equip your team with the skills to handle even the angriest callers effectively.
Merikay will share strategies such as:
- Recognizing early signs of anger
- Using scripts to manage difficult calls
- Avoiding triggers that escalate anger
- Knowing when to talk and when to listen
- Using phrases that calm immediately
- Escalating calls to a manager when necessary
- Mastering empathy through active vs. reflective listening
- Understanding the root of patient frustration
- Distinguishing between anxiety and anger
Patient interaction is crucial. Over a third of patients would leave a practice after a poor phone experience. This training can prevent that.
To resolve angry calls, your team needs a balance of listening, empathy, kindness, and firmness. The skills learned in Merikay’s training will lead to happier patients and a more effective team. Register for this 60-minute online session and prepare your practice for these crucial interactions.
The post Proven Phone Skills to Defuse the Angriest Patient Fast appeared first on Healthcare Training Leader.