In our opinion, the patient experience has always been at the highest level of importance when it comes to our company’s mission. We are involved in the health care field because we are dedicated to providing quality care. With an improved focus on the interactions between providers and patients due to the reform of our nations health care and the changes in terms of how medical services are paid for, many facilities and hospitals have been searching for a way to improve the patient experience. Hospitals are automatically placed at a disadvantage when it comes to the patients’ experiences in comparison to independent facilities due in large part to their more expansive, often times impersonal, staff, stiff culture and focus on HCAHPS scores. There are many ways for hospitals to combat these disadvantages but it takes a lot of work to implement change in large institutions. However, for independent physicians and their centers, the steps to improving the patient experience are simple and easily attainable.
There are 5 basic steps that can be taken to ensure the highest quality of care and service possible at your facility. Patients and their families want to feel special and truly taken care of so the attention and integration of these steps by the full staff is imperative.
- Adopting a Provider-Patient Communication Framework
- Create a Culture of Care Reflective of Your Center’s Mission
- Lead Quality Meetings to Improve Inter-Office Communication
- Include Leaders in Communication Plan
- Utilize Transparency to Learn From Patients