Resource Center

Improving Patient Satisfaction: Seniors and Baby Boomers

by Sheryl J. Bronkesh, MBA

When it comes to information and service, do your 75-year-old patients have the same expectations of you and your audiology practice as patients in their early 50s? Probably not, since patients in different generations and life-stages often have different needs and demands on their health care providers.

You may have noticed that many of your patients are not passive, unquestioning recipients of medical care. This is especially true of baby boomers. More educated and more demanding, these patients have a liberated, interactive view of their role. They see themselves as participants with a voice in the health care encounter. Patients today are often characterized by the media as health care consumers. This description affirms their new assertive role and has further colored their attitudes toward the medical service they receive. Also, certainly many of your patients are over the age of 65, and sensitivity to specific issues that concern the elderly is necessary to keep your older patients satisfied and loyal.

Special Needs of Seniors
When asking elderly patients what they want most from their visit, one of the most common answers will be "enough time with you." The patient may not use those exact words, but careful listening at the outset of the visit will help you discern the patient’s major issues or concerns. The elderly person deserves special attention and a more probing medical as well as social history, since certain physical and/or psychosocial characteristics may be affecting his or her hearing condition. Talking with the patient’s spouse or other family members can often yield valuable insights that can help you better understand and work with an elderly patient.

You and your office staff should be aware of the physical impairments of advanced age and how they can affect an elderly patient’s visit to your practice. Here are some questions you may want to consider: Are there handrails on all staircases? Is the building easily accessible for cane, walker, and wheelchair users? Is the practice signage visible and easily legible? Is the door to your office easy to open? Are patient information forms easy to read? Is the bathroom well-marked and easy to get to? Elicit feedback from older patients to learn their perceptions, and consider changes that would enhance the experience and service that elderly patients receive.

Take advantage of the many informational materials that various organizations, including hearing device manufacturers, have developed for your older audiology patients. There are printed materials and videos on dealing with specific kinds of hearing conditions that you can make available to your patients.

In general, older generations tend to be less comfortable with technology and high-tech appliances. While they may appreciate advances in hearing technology, they may perceive complexity in adapting to new products. You should address this concern by explaining that newer, more sophisticated products are actually much easier to use. Be sensitive to a patient’s possible apprehension concerning new hearing treatments or devices, and he or she will feel more comfortable with that course of treatment.

Because our culture is so concerned with maintaining youthful appearances, the elderly are frequently portrayed in a negative light in advertising and the media. Many older people are sensitive to these ageist stereotypes and may view hearing loss as a threat to their independence or a sign of aging itself. They may be hesitant to admit that they need to be treated by an audiologist, or reluctant to comply with treatment. You can help by reassuring patients that treatment will let them fully enjoy their later years and continue as active, independent seniors.

Aging Baby Boomers
As a generation, baby boomers tend to be more demanding, well-educated, and sophisticated consumers. They also like to see themselves as independent and active, and will seek to be more involved and assertive in obtaining satisfactory health care. Baby boomers see themselves as vocal health care consumers, and will demand to have their customer service expectations met or even exceeded.

As a well-educated generation, baby boomers are also keen consumers of information. You should expect boomers to ask more questions about treatment options and costs, explore alternatives, and be wary of accepting advice at face value. Baby boomers are also more likely to demand evidence of expertise and quality, and once well-informed, take charge of the decision-making process.

People in their late 40s and early 50s often are experiencing hearing loss for the first time, or as their first chronic illness associated with aging. Yet baby boomers still want to seem younger as they grow older. For a generation obsessed with staying youthful by defying their age or redefining the stereotypes associated with growing older, accepting changes in their bodies due to age may be difficult. As a baby boomer’s audiologist, you should be sensitive to these issues as well.

By being aware of generational differences in your patients, you can better understand differences in their expectations for information and services. Once you understand your patients’ specific needs and demands, you can find ways to exceed their expectations and improve patient satisfaction.