The first week of February was Patient Recognition Week. While February is usually reserved for showing those who are close to us how much we love them, this first week is a great time to show all of your patients just how much it means that they choose to entrust themselves to you. You can even incorporate much of the themed Valentine’s Day or Mardi Gras decorations, if you want, to make decorating and expressing your appreciation that much easier.
Why?
As a busy healthcare professional, you may wonder why you should go to the trouble of recognizing your patients. After all, every time you see them you are doing your best to help them become healthier and happier, what more do they expect of you? The answer is, you should do it because they do not expect it. It is doubtful that more than a handful of patients even know about Patient Recognition Week, this is your chance to go the extra mile and surprise them by how showing them how much you truly do care. Putting forth a marginal amount of effort will let patients know that they are more than just another file on your desk, diagnostic test, or paycheck.
Decorations
Luckily, Patient Recognition Week comes at the beginning of a month that is full of ways to say how special someone is. Let red and pink and white be your dominant colors if you want to express how much you care about your patients or clients as individuals. Use the heart shaped decorations, lace doilies, or little cupids for the office and write reasons you love your profession or clients with a red or pink Sharpie.
If you would rather have a celebratory environment, utilize the Mardi Gras decorations that abound during this time of year and decorate with purple, green, and gold. Celebrate the relationship you have with your clients by turning your office into a slightly more sedate version of New Orleans. Use beads to decorate and play upbeat jazz in the office. While the date of Mardi Gras varies each year, you can typically begin finding themed decorations for the event towards the end of January.
Thank You
There are a number of inexpensive ways to convey your appreciation to your patients or clients. Heart shaped stickers that say “My Doctor Loves Me,” or something similar, can be a lighthearted approach. Little boxes of heart shaped candies or personalized candies are a sweet choice. A pen, pencil, notepad, or other office supplies with a patient-centric slogan such as “Dr. Mike’s Patients Are the Best!” are useful, thoughtful, and great advertising tools.
If you decide to use a Mardi Gras theme, provide coffee and King Cake for your clients to enjoy. Let the person who finds the baby from each cake get a special thank you gift, like a door prize. It can be something small, like a pen or mug with the name of the facility or something more extravagant like a coupon for a free treatment.
How did you celebrate Patient Recognition Week? Why do you think it is important?