By Dr Jacqueline Radley, CMO and Menopause Specialist

When we think about building a successful private practice, we often focus on the big things: clinical outcomes, efficiency, patient flow, reputation, and referrals. But over the years I’ve found that it’s often the small details, the things that don’t appear on a balance sheet, that make the greatest impact on the patient experience.

One of those small details is remembering the personal touches.

Why the little things matter

Most of us naturally make conversation with patients, asking about holidays, children, pets, hobbies, or what’s going on in their lives outside of the clinic. It’s part of the rhythm of consultation. But in a busy practice, especially when you’re seeing patients you may only meet once or twice a year, it can be surprisingly difficult to recall those details the next time they walk through the door.

In private practice, these moments matter. Patients want to feel seen and remembered as people, not just as a clinical case. A simple “How was your trip to Greece?”, “Did your son enjoy his first year at university?”, or even “How’s Barney getting on?” if they mentioned their dog, can transform the tone of a consultation. It shows that you care beyond the medical problem and makes the interaction more human.

My experience during the pandemic

I became particularly aware of this during the pandemic. Like many GPs, I was speaking to 30 or more patients a day over the phone. Without the visual cues of a face-to-face consultation, I found it difficult to picture who I was talking to. It all blurred into one.

So I started asking something slightly off-topic, maybe about a holiday they were planning, a child’s milestone, or even their pet’s name, and I would add it my notes. At the next call, I could ask how the holiday went, how their child was settling into school, or how the new puppy was doing.

It sounds like a small thing, but it made those conversations warmer and more personal. It also made my day more interesting. And importantly, patients noticed.

More than memory

We all do this in some way, but for me, keeping a record by writing or typing in your notes, has been essential (especially as my memory isn’t quite what it used to be!). It takes the pressure off and means I can pick up the conversation seamlessly at the next appointment.

In private practice, where patients are making a conscious choice about who they see, these touches are incredibly powerful:

• They build trust quickly: vital when you might only see a patient once or twice a year.
• They strengthen loyalty: patients who feel remembered are far more likely to return.
• They encourage word of mouth: patients often describe private care as feeling “more personal,” and these details reinforce that.
• They set you apart: it’s not always the clinical expertise (which patients rightly assume is a given), but the human connection that makes you memorable.

A simple habit with lasting impact

This doesn’t need to be complicated. It might be a short note in your clinic software or a line in a notebook you keep to one side. The point isn’t to create a database of personal trivia, it’s to remind yourself of the human connection behind each consultation.

I’ve found that patients value it enormously, and so do I. These small reminders bring back the individuality of each person I see, making the work more rewarding and the relationships more genuine.

In the end, that’s what private practice is about: excellent clinical care, delivered with personal attention. And sometimes, it’s the small details, like a holiday, a child’s milestone, or even the name of the family dog, that make the biggest difference.