In this 5 minute TEDx Talk Mahek Shah, a value-based healthcare expert and medical designer, poses a provocative question.
“Why can’t the doctor’s office be more like the Apple store?”
Going to the Apple store is awesome. It’s like going to an art gallery or museum. It’s design is entirely human-centered. It’s exciting to see the latest and greatest innovations.
When we make an appointment at the Genius Bar to take care of our sick devices, we are seen promptly. The geniuses patiently answer all our questions. We know exactly how much the services will cost. We take the time to protect and update our devices between trips to the Apple store. We’re fiercely brand loyal.
At the risk of sounding absurd, is it too much to expect this for our bodies?
Obviously, we are light years away from an Apple-esque experience in the doctor’s office. However, are there small steps we can take now to begin improving the overall patient experience?
What would make your office more pleasant for your patients? An intentional curation of literature to help patients live more healthy lifestyles? Local artwork? Tablets so patients can tell us more about their lives and health outcomes? Can we do more to track and reduce our average wait times? At the very least, can we improve the lighting?
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Please tell us what you’ve done in your office or how you’d like to change your office below. We’d love to help.