The conversation had in the media would have you believe that all public health care customers are very unsatisfied with the service quality. It is true that waiting periods are often long and reserving an appointment isn’t always easy, but surprisingly, public health care customers are a lot more satisfied than is commonly assumed.
According to our experience, many health centers and hospitals are afraid to find out what their customers think about their services. The staff has a firm preconception that the feedback will be terrible without exception and the occasionally received thank-you’s are just an unsignificant anecdote among angry or at least disappointed crowd.
Higher customer satisfaction level than at indoor amusement parks
Fortunately, we don’t have to trust our prejudices because there is factual data. It has been a complete surprise to many health centers and hospitals when the feedback has been good and customers have been grateful. On average, the health care customers are very content: NPS in the whole of Finland based on over 150 municipalities is more than 60, in some units well over 70, which is excellent. In fact, the number is higher than at many indoor amusement parks!
It is worth noting that the data collected by Roidu devices is fresh and based on broad sampling. For example, in Vaasa as much as half of the customers that used the health services left feedback on their way out. The results are specifically based on those people’s answers that have just used the service and not on those that complain on social media about their experience a year ago. Thus, the feedback received is more accurate and recent – and therefore more valuable than feedback received any other way.
Customer satisfaction measures municipality’s success in their work
Also, it’s worth keeping in mind for whom the health services are being produced and why. Customer satisfaction is an indicator of how well the municipality is serving its own citizens, the tax payers. The planning chief of Tampere city, Timo Tuurala summarises the matter well:
“The findings provided by the feedback devices remind us why we come to work every day.”
Patient satisfaction is an essential part of service production and customer feedback is the central part of their development. To find out how well your municipality is doing, you just have to ask.
