Customer-oriented medical records can promote patient satisfaction

The customer-oriented medical record helps promote patient satisfaction by providing a mechanism to monitor and document quality of care from the patient's perspective. Information that should be contained in the record includes the following: Personal and family information. Reasons for selecting the provider. Reasons for patient visit. Patient requests and responses thereto. Provider and staff observations. Patient feedback. Summaries of previous visits. Record of progress made. In addition to promoting patient satisfaction, the customer-oriented medical record provides a data base for analyzing the current market that can be used in designing marketing communications to attract new patients. It also contributes to provider success by reminding care givers of their commitment to patient satisfaction, motivating them to be sensitive to patients' needs and expectations, and helping them to personalize the care experience.