Nine Pillars Patient Experience Audit
Patient Experience Audit for Medical Practices
Find out exactly where your practice builds patient trust and where it quietly loses it. HMCG's Nine Pillars audit evaluates every stage of the patient journey, from the first Google search to the final bill, and gives you a prioritized plan to fix what matters most.
At a glance
Why great clinical care still gets bad reviews
Practices invest heavily in clinical excellence, staffing and technology, yet patients still leave dissatisfied. The issue is rarely the quality of care itself. It is the quality of the experience surrounding that care.
Every touchpoint a patient encounters, from discovering your practice online to receiving a bill, shapes how they perceive you. Most practices manage those moments in isolation, so a slow phone line, a confusing check-in or a surprise statement can undo an excellent visit.
A patient experience audit connects those moments into one picture, so you can see the breakdowns your patients see and fix them in the order that matters.
Signs your practice needs an audit
- Online reviews mention phones, wait times or billing more than care
- New patient volume has flattened despite marketing
- Patients aren't returning or following through on referrals
- Front office turnover keeps resetting the experience
- Complaints are handled one at a time, never as patterns
The framework
The Nine Pillars we evaluate
Eight touchpoints across the patient journey, and the long-term outcome they add up to.
Initial Exposure
First impressions happen before the visit.
Inquiry & Scheduling
Access is experience.
Pre-Visit Communication
Clarity reduces anxiety.
Arrival & Check-In
The waiting room is a trust checkpoint.
Clinical Encounter
Connection matters as much as care.
Checkout & Exit
Clarity drives follow-through.
Post-Visit Communication
The experience doesn't end when they leave.
Billing
Transparency protects trust.
Long-Term Relationship
Retention. Trust. Referrals.
What you receive
Nine TouchPoints Patient Survey
A customized survey aligned to the Nine Pillars, in branded digital and printable formats.
Patient Experience Dashboard
Visual scoring by touchpoint that shows your strengths and priority areas at a glance.
Google Reviews Analysis
Your public reviews sorted by touchpoint, so you can see which moments patients talk about and why.
Detailed Audit Report
Touchpoint-specific findings and a patient experience map of your practice.
Executive Summary
A concise view of your overall patient experience health with prioritized next steps.
Strategy Session (optional)
A working session with your leadership team to review results and plan targeted improvements.
How the audit works
- 1Week 1
Kickoff
We learn your practice, goals and the problems you already suspect, then customize and launch your patient survey.
- 2Weeks 2–4
Data collection
Patient survey, Google reviews analysis, operations review and patient journey mapping.
- 3Weeks 5–6
Scoring and analysis
Every touchpoint is scored and connected, so root causes surface instead of symptoms.
- 4Weeks 7–8
Findings and action plan
You receive the report, dashboard and a prioritized plan your team can act on.
Why HMCG
Led by an operator, grounded in research
Melissa Gilkes-Smith, DHA(c), founded HMCG after more than 15 years of hands-on healthcare operations leadership across diverse care settings. Her doctoral research on what patients actually say in online reviews informs how every audit reads your Google reviews.
Every engagement is guided by HMCG's Culture of Care values: accountability, compassion, empathy and collaboration. Based in Springfield, Virginia, HMCG works with practices across Northern Virginia, Washington, DC and Maryland, and virtually nationwide.
Meet Melissa →Patient experience audit FAQs
What is a patient experience audit?
It is a structured review of every interaction a patient has with your practice, from finding you online to paying their bill. It identifies where the experience breaks down and what to fix first.
How is this different from a patient satisfaction survey?
A survey tells you how patients feel. The audit tells you why, by connecting survey results to your Google reviews, your workflows and each stage of the patient journey, then turning that into an action plan.
What specialties do you work with?
HMCG works with outpatient practices including primary care, internal medicine, cardiology, vascular, orthopedics, gastroenterology, dermatology, behavioral health and multi-specialty groups.
How long does an audit take?
Most audits are completed in 6–8 weeks from kickoff to findings. Timing depends on practice size, number of locations and how quickly patient survey responses come in.
Do you work with practices outside Virginia?
Yes. HMCG works on-site across Northern Virginia, Washington, DC and Maryland, and virtually with practices anywhere in the United States.
See your practice through your patients' eyes
A 30-minute conversation is enough to know whether an audit is the right next step.
Schedule a Free Consultation