The document provides guidelines for effectively handling patient complaints at a hospital reception desk. It emphasizes the importance of listening to patients, resolving their issues, following up with them, and treating all patients with respect. Key recommendations include allowing patients to fully explain their complaints without interruption, empathizing with their perspective, apologizing even if the staff is not at fault, and ensuring complaints are properly addressed and resolved to improve the overall patient experience.

1. Shymol Jobin

2. Ask patient To Suggest An Appropriate Solution
Allow Your patients/ Bystanders To Speak
Patients Are The Best Advertisement
Follow Up The Problems With patients and
bystanders
Handle The Complaints Smoothly
Respect patients Whatever They Be
Take Responsibility To Resolve patient ’s Problem
Put Yourself In patient’s Position

3.  There is a certain amount of expertise required when
handling patients complaints in a hospital. Most of the
time, the complaint comes to the hospital receptionist,
who should have the skill and knowledge to handle it
effectively.
 It is not necessary a complaint does always have to be
voiced, It can also be unvoiced. Hence, staff should be able
to address both types of complaints. A part of the front
office’s responsibility is to serve the customer well and this
is evident in the way they handle problem.

4. Allow Your patient To Speak
 It is important that you give a patient ear to the patient/ bystander while he is
complaining
and do not make an effort to interrupt. The patient/ bystander is already angry
and the
interruption will cause his or her temper to flare even further.
 Allow the patient/ bystander to describe, in detail, the reason for their
unhappiness with the staff or its service. The customer may yell and shout, but
the front office staff should
never take it personally. Instead the staff should concentrate on resolving the
issue.
While you can ask questions to understand the reasons better, it is important that
you
let the customer speak out his mind.
 Ask open-ended questions if you are not clear about the issue and this will show
the customer you are genuinely interested in understanding their problem and
resolving it.
It will help the customer calm down and speak more coherently. As a receptionist,
you should be aware of the difference between a genuine problem that requires
solving and
a situation where the customer is venting his frustration. So, listen to the
complaint carefully to find out what is really troubling the patient/ bystander .

5. Patients Are The Best Advertisement
 Hospitals should never forget that the best way to advertise their service is
through a satisfied patient/ bystander . If a patient is dissatisfied, he will give
negative feedback and bad reviews about the hospital and its services.
 On the other hand, if a patient leaves the hospital satisfied, not only will he
give positive feedback, he will return with friends and family the next time
.

6. Respect patients/ bystanders
Whatever They Be
 Regardless of patient/ bystander ’s race, language,
appearance or culture, he or she should be treated with
respect and made to feel valued and special. This should be
throughout all departments of the hospital.
 When you respect your patient/ bystander , you will make
an effort to meet their needs, leading them to be satisfied.

7. Handle The Complaints Smoothly
 When dealing with an irate customer face-to-face or over the phone,
it is important to be professional and courteous. Using a polite tone and demeanor
will let you show the customer that you are making an effort to understand the
situation and can help in defusing it.
 You should not show your nervousness, as this creates an impression of
uncertainty and adds fuel to the fire. By being calm and confident, you will
have a more positive effect. The fact that a customer approaches you should
be an indication that he believes you will be able to help and resolve his problem.
Also, handle the complaint positively. See it as an opportunity to improve
customer service rather than taking it personally.
 Give your patient/ bystander alternatives and suggestions if a particular service is
not available. Try to convince the customer that you have made a note of
their suggestions and show your appreciation by telling them that you will
ask management to implement them as soon as possible.

8. Put Yourself In patient’s Position
 If you look at the situation or problem from the customer’s
perspective, you will be able to better understand their frustration
and/or anger. Even if you are not wrong or not
part of the problem, it is important you issue an apology to
the customer.
 The apology should be issued even if the customer is angry
and yelling at the top of his lungs. Empathizing with the customer
is a good way to handle customer complaints as it shows them that
you understand what they are going through.
It will help defuse the situation.

9. Take Responsibility To Resolve
patient’s Problem
 As much as possible, you should try to resolve the patient’s problem. Remember,
the patient has come to you with the hope that you can help them out. This is the
time to show them that you are willing to aid them.
Unless the situation is something you cannot resolve or address.
 Avoid transferring the problem to another person but, If you do have to
take the complaint to someone else then, stay on the call until the other
person answers, first introduce the caller and transition the situation then after
make sure that person understands the problem very clearly and is
now full of aware the customer’s name and problem.
 Never blindly transfer an angry caller, if the call is forwarded to a voicemail
box or gets disconnected, the customer will be more angry when they
call back.

10. Ask the patient
To Suggest An Appropriate Solution
 Many times asking the patients / bystanders to suggest an appropriate solution
can go a long way in diffusing the situation. Also, if the solution is reasonable
and you have the authority, you can immediately act upon it. If you do not have
the authority, explain this to the customer and give him a time frame within
which his problem will be resolved.
 If the patient gives an unreasonable solution, be calm and explain why the
hospital cannot use it. Then give the customer an alternative to calm him down.
 It is important that you first apologize and then take action to resolve the
customer’s problem. This transition should be seamless. Immediately after
apologizing for the inconvenience caused, you should inform the customer of
steps you will take to address his complaint and how long it will take. This is
only possible if you listen to the customer’s complaint and understand it
completely.

11. Follow Up The Problems
With Patients
 Once a patient’s problem has been resolved, it is important that
you follow up with him or her to find out whether he is happy
with the solution. This will allow you to confirm that
the problem has really been resolved and that the patient
is now happy with the services.
 A follow up also makes the Patients/ Bystander feel special and
this can make a huge difference in the overall impression that
the customer has about the hospital. A follow up can build
customer loyalty and pave the way to repeat business.

12. The Key Of Success
 The key to running a successful hospital is quality service.
A big part of this is addressing patient/ bystander complaints
and ensuring that these complaints are resolved to the
customer’s satisfaction.
 Successful resolution will have a positive effect on
the customer, who will be more conducive to returning
to the hospital in the future, as the way the complaint was
handled and resolved makes the customer feel special and
shows him that the hotel is genuinely interested in keeping
its customers happy and satisfied.