Why “Logical” Solutions Might Be Holding Your Clinic Back (And What To Do Instead)

In the daily grind of running a clinic, we often search for the most logical solutions to our most pressing problems. But what if those obvious solutions are actually the hardest ones to implement—and not the most effective?

Let’s dig into this idea with a real-world example from a conversation I had recently with a clinic owner.

The Problem: Patients Waiting Too Long

This clinic was experiencing a common issue: clients were frustrated because their practitioner was consistently running late. Now, we’re not talking catastrophic delays here—typically, clients were waiting about 4–6 minutes past their scheduled appointment time. Better than most GPs, right? But still enough to cause dissatisfaction.

So we started brainstorming.

Logical Solutions We Considered:

• Shrink the appointment content – Be more efficient, cut down on care delivery time. But this creates a training burden—time-intensive and costly.

• Extend the appointment time – Buffer in extra time. But this either costs the clinic more or forces a price increase.

• Hire additional practitioners – Sounds nice in theory, but comes with long-term overhead and recruitment headaches.

None of these are wrong. But they’re heavy lifts.

The Illogical (but Brilliant) Solution

Instead of obsessing over how to eliminate the wait altogether, we asked:

“What if we simply made the experience of waiting better?”

Think about being stuck at the airport. If you’re in a cramped, noisy gate area with nowhere to sit, a 30-minute delay feels like torture. But if you’re relaxing in the lounge with a good coffee, free Wi-Fi, and comfortable chairs, that same delay feels… manageable. Maybe even pleasant.

So we applied the same logic to the clinic.

Step 1: Improve the Waiting Experience

We asked: How can we make waiting more enjoyable?

• Comfortable seating

• Calming music

• Good coffee or tea

• Digital check-in updates

• Staff updates if a practitioner is running behind

By simply enhancing the environment, we didn’t need to change the actual wait time—just the perception of it.

Step 2: Add a Little Surprise and Delight

Then we layered on something unexpected.

After reviewing the data, we discovered that practitioners almost never ran more than 10 minutes late—less than once a week, in fact. So we proposed a bold move:

If your practitioner is more than 10 minutes late, your session is free.

This changes everything.

Let’s say your session is 5 minutes delayed:

• Under the old system, you’d be annoyed.

• Under the new system, you’re actually hoping they hit the 10-minute mark. You’re relaxed, maybe even smiling. You know the business has put its money where its mouth is.

Same wait. Better experience.

It’s Not About Time. It’s About Perception.

We didn’t change the practitioner’s habits. We didn’t adjust the appointment system.
We changed what the patient focused on—and how they felt during the process.

It’s a reminder: sometimes, the simplest tweaks to perception and experience can yield the biggest wins in customer satisfaction, retention, and loyalty.

Lessons from Uber: People Crave Certainty

This idea isn’t just for clinics. In Rory Sutherland’s book Alchemy, he shares how Uber revolutionised the experience of waiting for a ride.

Why do people love Uber?

• You know exactly when your driver will arrive.

• You know how much the trip will cost.

• You see a little car icon moving toward you on a map.

It’s not just convenience. It’s certainty. And certainty is powerfully reassuring.

Compare that to calling a taxi—where the wait time is unknown and pricing is vague. One feels like chaos. The other feels calm.

How Can You Create Certainty in Your Clinic?

Start by asking:

• What does the client journey currently feel like?

• Where are the moments of friction or ambiguity?

• How can we make people feel more certain and in control?

Ideas might include:

• Clear “what to expect” guides before their first visit

• Progress tracking tools to show how they’re improving

• Appointment reminders with built-in directions and parking info

• Staff trained to give updates if delays occur

It’s all about perceived likelihood of success. If patients feel confident they’re in the right place and on the right path, they’re more likely to stay engaged and compliant—and they’ll become raving fans of your clinic.

The Bottom Line: Illogical Solutions Can Be the Most Powerful

Next time you’re facing a problem in your clinic—whether it’s wait times, cancellations, poor compliance, or anything else—ask yourself:

• What’s the obvious solution?

• Why might that be too hard or expensive to execute?

• And what’s a different way to approach it?
  One that might be low-cost, high-impact, and psychologically powerful?

Sometimes it’s not about doing more. It’s about thinking differently.