Transforming patient experience through shorter wait times and empathy – insights from Dr. Sarah Gard Lazarus

Dr. Lazarus’s journey from waitressing during medical school to managing fast-paced emergency rooms emphasizes a powerful principle: human connection is at the heart of excellent service, whether you’re serving food at a restaurant or delivering care in a hospital. 

She highlights a key learning from her early days, which continues to shape her medical practice today—acknowledging and validating people’s experiences. 

“Patients and their families are often stressed and vulnerable. Recognizing frustrations like long wait times, rather than dismissing them, can make a huge difference,” Dr. Lazarus explains. 

Simple actions, like apologizing for delays or proactively communicating about the next steps, cultivate trust and strengthen the patient-provider relationship. 

Patients are more than their medical records—they are individuals with unique anxieties, goals, and expectations about their care.

One of the critical aspects of patient experience in healthcare is wait times. 

Few things erode patient satisfaction faster than being made to wait. 

Whether sitting in a waiting room for 40 minutes or experiencing delayed test results, long wait times create feelings of frustration and anxiety. 

Here’s why reducing wait times is critical for patient care: 

• First impressions count: For many patients, their first interaction with a healthcare provider begins in the waiting room. Prolonged delays can set the tone for the entire visit, creating negative perceptions before care even begins. 
• Impact on trust: Long waits may lead patients to question the provider’s time management skills or operational efficiency, which can result in a loss of trust. 
• Patient retention: A hospital in Virginia improved patient satisfaction by 9.9% by moving 85% of patients out of ED within one hour, highlighting the importance of timely service in keeping patients loyal. 

Operational delays don’t just harm patient experience—they also impact financial performance. 

Delays create scheduling backlogs, reducing the number of patients a practice can see in a day. 

This inefficiency can result in lost revenue, missed opportunities, and lower reimbursement rates for value-based care models focused on patient satisfaction metrics.

Empathy is often touted as a fundamental aspect of healthcare, but Dr. Gard Lazarus offers a refreshing perspective. 

Wait times are a universal challenge for healthcare providers, particularly in emergency departments (EDs). 

Dr. Lazarus notes that 75% of patients overestimate how long they’ve been waiting, which compounds frustration. 

Yet, research shows that managing perceptions of wait times can significantly influence patient satisfaction.

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Our study uncovered that 33% of patients would choose a new healthcare provider if they had to wait too long for one appointment. 

63% would choose a new provider if they had to wait consistently. 

Dr. Lazarus emphasizes two key components for addressing wait time challenges: 

1. Transparency

Clear communication about expected wait times relieves uncertainty and reassures patients. 

“When you tell someone how long the wait might be, it buys you a little flexibility. People value honesty and feel respected,” she shares.

2. Acknowledgment

Dr. Lazarus stresses the importance of immediately addressing frustration. Apologies and empathetic statements can help de-escalate tensions. 

For instance, saying, “I understand it’s been a long wait, and I’m so sorry. We’re here to make sure your child receives the best care,” turns frustration into appreciation.

She also highlights the challenge of balancing medical priorities with patient perceptions. 

“It’s difficult because you can’t explain that you were handling a critical cardiac arrest or drowning case. But showing compassion and assuring families that their concerns are being taken seriously can bridge that gap.” 

To truly enhance the patient experience and empathy, Dr. Lazarus advocates for healthcare professionals to engage with patient feedback. 

Empathy is not merely an innate trait but a skill that can be cultivated and taught through training and practice. 

While many shy away from reading comments in patient satisfaction surveys, she encourages her colleagues to view them as opportunities for growth. 

“If even 10% of the feedback relates directly to your care, that’s a chance to improve,” she explains. 

For example, early in her career, Dr. Lazarus received a comment from a patient indicating frustration about not receiving a full examination of their heart or ears. 

This feedback shaped her approach. 

“Even when I know the diagnosis is straightforward, I now ensure I complete thorough checks and explain each step to patients and their families,” she says.

As a result of that comment, Dr. Gard now verbalizes all of the activities she’s performing as part of the patient exam. 

Verbalizing your steps helps educate the patient and shows that, as a physician, she acknowledges all potential areas of concern. 

By filtering constructive critiques from noise, healthcare professionals can refine their practice.

Burnout is an ongoing challenge for many healthcare providers. 

Yet, Dr. Lazarus views her role as a privilege that brings purpose and fulfillment. 

“I think what we do as pediatric emergency physicians is truly special. Reminding myself and my team of that helps us engage with families even during challenging shifts,” she reflects. 

This positive mindset doesn’t dismiss the very real emotional toll healthcare can take. 

Instead, it serves as a foundation to counter feelings of frustration and alienation.

“When we focus solely on safety and clinical quality without considering the patient’s emotional experience, we miss a huge part of what makes healthcare meaningful,” Dr. Lazarus adds. 

Dr. Lazarus shares actionable strategies for healthcare professionals to improve patient experience and optimize wait time perceptions:

1. Set clear expectations

Offer patients realistic timelines to mitigate uncertainty.

Provide patients with the ability to check in digitally before arriving. This reduces bottlenecks at the front desk and helps staff prepare for upcoming consultations. 

Dr. Lazarus implemented digital kiosks in his clinic that allow patients to fill out pre-visit questionnaires. This reduces paperwork time and lets doctors focus on building rapport rather than administrative tasks during the consultation.  

2. Acknowledge and apologize

Open with a sincere acknowledgment of delays to humanize interactions.

Dr. Lazarus emphasizes the importance of updating patients on any delays with clear, honest explanations. A simple “Thank you for your patience, your doctor is currently running 15 minutes behind” can go a long way to preserving patient trust.  

Train staff to listen without interrupting and acknowledge what the patient is saying.  

Small actions, like maintaining eye contact and nodding, can help build rapport and show genuine interest.  

3. Personalize the appointment

Demonstrate that the patient’s time and concerns are being prioritized, even if they can’t see the full picture behind the scenes.

Address the patient by name and refer to their specific concerns rather than generic instructions.  

4. Engage with feedback

Regularly review patient comments to identify areas for improvement while applying a filter to focus on actionable insights.

5. Foster a positive team mindset

Remind teams of the privilege of their roles and reinforce patient-centered care values.

Educate on empathy

Share training or stories that exemplify empathy. 

For example, Dr. Lazarus’s comparison of the ER to a restaurant kitchen—handling countless, unexpected “orders”—helps providers see patient care through a relatable lens. 

Dr. Sarah Gard Lazarus’s insights illustrate the power of empathy in transforming the patient experience, regardless of systemic constraints like wait times.

Healthcare is personal—at its core, every patient wants to feel heard, understood, and cared for. 

Her last piece of advice is, “Never lose your passion.” 

By listening to feedback, validating emotions, and applying thoughtful communication strategies, healthcare professionals can shift the narrative toward patient satisfaction and trust. 

While challenges remain, integrating these practices into daily workflows offers a promising path forward. 

As Dr. Gard Lazarus reminds us, every interaction with a patient is an opportunity to make a positive impact.

Want to take steps to enhance your team’s patient care approach? Start by instilling empathy—an innovation as timeless as it is powerful. 

Wait times impact patient loyalty. Healthcare providers can mitigate patient frustrations by analyzing patient comments in seconds with nQuire. Let us show you how. Contact NRC Health to learn how we can improve patient experience together.