What Keeps Patients Punctual: A Psychological Perspective

Wouldn’t you speed less often if the police pulled you over and handed you cash for going the speed limit every once in a while??

Psychological research shows that giving rewards for good behavior is a much stronger way to mold the way people act than just punishing wrongdoings… yet almost every aspect of society is built around trying to make people avoid certain actions (ie, crimes) rather than to try to encourage good ones (like philanthropy, charity, or being a good person).

Take a look at how you handle patients with this fact in mind. For example, many dental practices chastise patients who show up late for their appointments, but few praise the ones promptly stick to their time slots. A simple “thank you for being on time, we really appreciate it!” will really make your visitors feel noticed and valued while also encouraging their punctuality.

But you don’t have to stop there, you could make your encouragement even more gratifying and memorable for your patients. Say a patient has been on time every time since she first started seeing you a few years ago. What if she was thanked and congratulated on her next reminder postcard in a warm, handwritten message? The cost is zero, she feel extra-valued, and the chance she’ll be late or cancel unexpectedly in the future drops from slim to nil.

Are you giving your patients rewards and praise when they do things right, or are you dumping on them with negativity and threats when they owe money or miss appointments?

As the old adage goes, you really do catch more flies with honey than vinegar.