Topic: customer service

The best way we’ve found to teach clarity in documentation (and that’s really the goal) is to use real-life examples and ask the group for feedback on the quality of each student’s progress note.

You’re probably not thinking about the stuff you wrote about today’s middling-good group session as something that could be important when an insurance company reviews the case.

We’re often in the position of spending more time documenting what we do than in actually doing it.

The secret to improved verbal communication is awareness, so try using video or audio feedback.

The telephone represents a sort of middle ground. You may not be able to see one another, but both parties will pick up on verbal nuances– often subconsciously.

Most programs already review open and closed records, so it’s not that difficult to add indicators about the quality of written information.

If the program leadership values good communication, then the program staff will follow along.

The traits we should be looking for may be missing from (or underemphasized in) the job description.

This is not about results. It’s about attention. Our clients want to feel as if somebody’s actually listening to them.

Inpatient customers are at your facility 24 hours a day, seven days a week. During that time they may be interacting with counselors, group leaders, techs, medical staff and other clinical folks for several hours a day. But the hospitality staff are there all the time.