Put yourself in your consumer’s shoes.

Have you ever approached your hospital as a consumer or potential patient? What you learn from this user experience test could help you positively impact the patient experience. Users of hospital services are not experts in the field, so when and how we communicate with them needs to take that into consideration. It doesn’t hurt to remember that when a consumer is out of her element or a little overwhelmed by a health concern or test, it’s nice to have a care team available for guidance.

Recently, I needed to schedule my annual mammogram. I chose a local hospital, since it’s convenient and offers 3D screening. Here’s how my experience went, and where I saw room for improvement.