Who are the external and internal customers in health care?

This can be taken two ways:

1. The external customers are customers who come to the health care facility for help. This would be termed as the patient's and their family members, friends, or representatives. Internal customers would be the facilities co-workers. A doctor calling the operator and asking her to overhead page someone. The operator would be providing a customer service for the physician and therefore he is a customer.

2. Internal customers could also be seen as employees of the facility purchasing goods or services from the facility. For instance, at our hospital employees may buy supplies from our Central Supply. They can also buy drugs from the pharmacy. They can also have their blood drawn without having to go to an independent phlebotomist. If they were to come in as a patient they would be receiving services.