The results of our 1st-ever practice survey are in...
We made it through May and are skipping right on through June. We have completed our 1st annual survey of our clients and what we found is astonishing. While most clients agree that we are doing a great job, there are several who are excited about our clean lobby and and even more people were very excited about the coffee that we serve. We have a large open- air lobby in our hospital and we have found that clients feel very comfortable and relaxed when they come into the office. Often because the Hospital doesn’t smell like an animal hospital, animals feel like they are going to visit a friend’s house instead of going to the vet. We try and encourage clients to bring their pets in several times a year just to get a cookie so that every time they come in, it is not just for a physical exam. We had clients excited about the soda machine and a few were tickled that we have “engaging” magazines to read while they wait.
Almost every client that took the survey liked the constant education that we give to our clients. They like hearing about new products and what makes us different from other area hospitals. We have several clients that are “ proud” to bring their furry family members to a hospital that is accredited by AHAA. This organization is the only accrediting agency for veterinary hospitals in North American and, with only 15% of all veterinary hospitals being accredited, we are certainly glad to be one of them. We are the only AHAA accredited hospital on the BIg Island. We had countless clients who came to us as referrals from their regular veterinarians for surgeries or procedures that are not available anywhere else on the Big Island. Dr. Head is happy to help all pets, regular visitors or not, get back on the road to being happy and healthy. It is nice when other doctors refer your hospital for additional care. When your peers send their patients to you,that is a very telling marker in terms of quality of care.
Several of our surveys revealed that we have the nicest staff on the island. According to our clients, they like that our staff smiles at them and is always kind and gentle with their loved ones. That our staff remembers them by name when they come in and always calls them back after a visit. Every client gets a call back the next day by one of our staff to check in on their pets and make sure any questions regarding their visit are answered. We also call all of our clients the day before their pets’ appointments and, for a select few who, by request, need a call the day of, we make sure to remind them of their pet’s appointment in the morning, bright and early.
We’ve had numerous clients express their excitement about the yard around the Hospital and they keep telling us to keep it up that it looks great. All of our clients love PIKE’S Market. We have a small area where we put out fruit and veggies to share with clients. Clients can often pick up a star fruit or oranges and avocados when the season is right. We usually have bananas and we have clients who will take the raw ingredients and bring us back delicious treats. We also have clients who drop off extra fruit and veggies they have and we let our staff choose a few items and then we put out the rest for our clients.
Apparently, having fresh water available for the four-legged set is a big deal and we agree. Numerous clients remarked that they were so glad that the water was available for their pets. We have a set of dog bowls set out and filled several times daily for those pets in need of a drink. We also have water in the lobby for clients instead of coffee or soda if they would like. One of the features our clients really like is the bulletin board filled with all the latest news. From news of what is happening in the Hospital to photos of lost pets and pets in need of a good home, our bulletin board is featured prominently as you come in, and it is a hit. We asked clients how they heard about us and while the newspaper and the radio came in close for 2nd and 3rd, the number one way clients heard about us is from other clients. This put a smile on my face and a spring in my step. Thank you to everyone for the great referrals!
We also had clients tell us ways we could improve. While I am not sure the espresso machine and a barista in the lobby idea is going to happen, we had a lot of very positive ideas on ways to improve. Our favorite and something we have already implemented is doing dentals and small soft tissue surgeries on Saturdays instead of just Monday - Friday. We have a lot of clients who work all week and can’t get in for these things any other time. This has increased compliance and we have clients already singing their praise about this new improvement to our services. We also offer a drop-off appointment for our established clients. Instead of a scheduled office visit where the client stays and waits for the doctor to look at their pet, clients can schedule a drop-off appointment and pick their pet up at the end of the day. For those clients with little time, this allows them to take great care of their pet and still get their annual or other wellness visits done. We also had clients who would like to see us hire an additional veterinarian. At first I was not sure what to make of this so I called a client up who left her name on her survey and asked. She said, “well, you both work so much and with three children to raise, it would be nice if you had a day off.” Well, this gave me a warm-fuzzy and I was delighted to tell her, after a year-long search, I think we are very close.
Overall I think our first survey went very well. We learned how we can improve and we learned that we are doing a lot of things exceptionally well. My favorite client response out of the hundreds of surveys was one that said, “please don’t change a thing. I love coming in and can not imagine ever taking my pet somewhere else.” This client’s only suggestion to us was take day off and enjoy Hawaii. After four years and countless sleepless nights, that is a suggestion I think we will look forward to making happen.
