Chapter 3- Patient Management

Copyright © 2020 by Elsevier Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Patient Management
Chapter 3
1

Learning Objectives
Lesson 3.1: Patient Management
(Slide 1 of 2)
1. Define the key terms in this chapter.
2. Discuss the importance of understanding patient needs,
including a discussion about Maslow’s hierarchy of
needs and Carl Roger’s client-centered therapy.
3. Describe the concept of “locus of control.”
4. Identify barriers to patient communication and the
importance of recognizing nonverbal cues.
5. Explain how improving verbal images in the patient’s
mind can allay fears and identify phrases that promote
successful patient management.
6. Discuss the special needs of patients and their inherent
rights, as well as ways to recognize abuse.
2

7. Describe how to manage difficult or challenging
patients.
8. Discuss reception room techniques, including the role of
the receptionist and reception room appeal.
9. Discuss the contents of an office policy and design an
office policy statement.
10. Explain marketing techniques in dentistry.
11. Describe internal and external marketing.
3
Learning Objectives
Lesson 3.1: Patient Management
(Slide 2 of 2)

Understanding Patient Needs
 The most important person in the dental
practice is the patient
 The dental team members must convey a
helpful attitude as they alleviate patients’
discomfort and provide educational services
 Each staff member who comes in contact with
patients should have an understanding of
basic drives involved in motivating patients
4

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
 Physiological or biological needs
 Safety or security needs
 Social or love needs
 Esteem needs
 Self-actualization
5

Rogers’ Client-Centered Therapy
 His theory assumes that patients know their
feelings, desires, and priorities
 Suggests accepting the patient or the other
person as a genuine person with his or her
own set of values and goals
 Applied to dentistry, this philosophy
encourages listening to the patient
6

Locus of Control
 The degree to which the person feels control
over life events
 External locus of control: The belief that life “just
happens” or is controlled by fate, destiny, or
chance
 Internal locus of control: The belief that personal
actions determine life events
7

Common Obstacles to
Patient Communication
 Often we are unable to communicate with
patients because barriers have been
established
 Several barriers to communication include:
 Prejudging a patient
 Hearing but not listening
 Being preoccupied
8

Recognizing Nonverbal Cues
(Slide 1 of 2)
 Gestures give insight into a patient’s
reactions
 An alert assistant is able to pick up on
nonverbal cues and interpret them while
communicating with the patient
9

Recognizing Nonverbal Cues
(Slide 2 of 2)
 Nervousness: Locked ankles, hands
clenching the armrest
 Defensiveness: Crossed arms, clenched fists
 Touching: Hand on shoulder or arm around
shoulder
 Openness: Equal eye level, no desk or
authoritative posture
 Embarrassment: Hand covering mouth,
avoiding eye contact
10

Improving Verbal Images
 A health professional has an obligation to
allay fears and comfort patients by creating a
good image in the patient’s mind
 Eliminate the use of words or phrases that conjure
negative thoughts
 Be positive in responses to patients
11

Patient Rights
 The most important person in the dental
office is the patient
 Never forget that dentistry is a healthcare
profession
 Members of the dental healthcare team
cannot afford to neglect a patient’s rights
 Take time to recognize the patient as a
person
12

Managing the Patient’s Special Needs
 The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990,
commonly known as the ADA, prohibits the
dentist from discriminating against a person
who requires dental care
 For most disabled individuals, if they can get
into a treatment room, they can receive
treatment
13

Recognizing Abuse
 The dentist has an obligation to examine the
patient thoroughly, ask reasonable questions
about existing conditions, and document the
injuries on the dental record
 Reports of suspected abuse should be made
to the state or county social services office
14

Difficult or Challenging Patients
 Important to communicate with patient and
determine the problem; seek to resolve the issue
 If possible, choose a good time to discuss the
complaint
 Listen attentively and convey empathy
 Do not become defensive
 Acknowledge the patient’s feelings; thank them
for expressing his or her feelings
 Move on with treatment as soon as resolution is
completed
 Document resolution
15

Reception Room Techniques
(Slide 1 of 3)
 The role of the receptionist
 In many dental offices today, the administrative
assistant is the first person to greet patients as
they enter the office
 The receptionist should acknowledge patients
immediately, by name, with a cheerful “hello” and
pleasant smile
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(Slide 2 of 3)
 Reception room appeal
 A bright, cheerful, and pleasantly decorated office
usually makes a favorable impression on the
patient
 Reading material in the reception room should be
current and geared toward a wide variety of
interests
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(Slide 3 of 3)
 Waiting patients
 Unexpected delays or emergencies should be
explained honestly
 Be careful not to make excuses or to say that the
dentist is running late
 Be honest about the length of time the patient will
have to wait to be seen
18

Office Policy
 The office policy brochure is the key to
establishing an understanding between the
patient and the office staff
 A copy of the office policy is given to each
new patient at the first visit; some of the
policies may be included on the office website
if one is available
19

Contents of an Office Policy
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 Philosophy
 Office hours
 Appointment control
 Payment policy
 Hygiene
 Attitude toward children
 Auxiliary use
 Infection-control policies
 Quality assurance
 Staff continuing education
 Office data

Designing an Office Policy Statement
 The office policy has two primary purposes
 To build the practice
 To inform the patient of office procedures and the
dentist’s philosophy
 The administrative assistant can be
invaluable to the dentist for designing the
office policy statement
21

Marketing
 Dental practices must use marketing to
increase their practice loads
 Wise to include an email address on the
website so the user can interact with website
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Creating a Website
 Identify the objectives for use of the website
 Create a logo or trademark
 Design the pages
 Identify a web server to which the pages can
be uploaded
 Upload the pages to the server
 Determine when and by whom the website will
be updated
 Update the website regularly to keep it current
23

Marketing: Attitude, Opportunities,
and Practice Ambassadors
 Employees must have an enthusiastic attitude
 Seize opportunities to get the word out about
the practice
 Each member of the staff is expected to be
an ambassador for the practice
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Internal Marketing
 What one does within the office to retain
patients
 Includes crucial first impression
 Influences how patients are retained after
they have been attracted to the practice
25

External Marketing
 Key to successful external marketing is to
determine prospective patients and the best
method to attract them
 Most important factor is to produce what you
claim
26

Newsletters as Marketing Devices
 May be considered for internal market by
sending them to current patients
 May be used for external market by sending
them out to nearby community addressed to
the resident of a given address
 Several companies create newsletters for
dental practices
27

Questions?
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Chapter 3- Patient Management

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Chapter 3- Patient Management