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PJ's Healthcare 101

Published Tuesday, October 06, 2009 1:02 PM

By PJ Johnson
Summerville Journal Scene ®

Although your customers {patients} won’t love you if you give bad service, your competitors will.

Kate Zabriskie

Welcome back to PJ's Healthcare 101. This column will focus on the concept of customer satisfaction. While my physician friends will grimace at the use of "customer" for patients, it is a truth that healthcare is a business and a very competitive one at that! One article stated that "the hospital market has today changed from a seller's market to a buyer's market." All hospitals vie through marketing efforts for more ER visits, more surgeries, more admissions, more procedures, etc. These are the "widgets" of the healthcare business that drive the business economic outcomes for every hospital regardless of structure or affiliation...everyone has a bottom line.

Who is the "customer"? In truth it is anyone or any business that comes to or interacts with the hospital for services. Add to that the reality that often the interaction is not one that was planned or even desired. ...not many of us choose to go to the hospital, take off our clothes and put on that drafty gown.

In healthcare, satisfaction is often defined as "processes of care that in total create an experience that meets or exceeds the patient's expectations.” Satisfaction drives loyalty and loyalty drives repeat business and that is the manna for any business. Loyalty creates a bond between the hospital and the patient. A loyal patient is one who rates the hospital as 5-out-of-5 while a satisfied patient may only give a rating of 3. Furthermore, satisfied patients are more likely to adhere to medical advice.

So if that is satisfaction, what is dissatisfaction? Simply put...a lost customer. Consider these stats from Adam's Six Sigma:

• For every one that complains there are at least 25 who do not.

• Dissatisfied customers tell LOTS of people (8-16 by direct conversation and who knows how many more through Twitter and other social media!).

• 91% will not return.

• 68% attribute their dissatisfaction to employee attitude.

Numerous companies provide tools to help hospitals measure patient (and employee and physician) satisfaction. Among the most common are Gallup and Press Ganey. Both tout the importance of measuring and improving both satisfaction and loyalty of physicians, staff and patients. Many nationally recognized speakers now tour the country providing customer service training to hospital staffs. Notable among those are Gallup, Press Ganey, and Studer. There are also a multitude of books available such as If Disney Ran Your Hospital by Frank Lee or Hardwiring Excellence by Quint Studer...the list is limitless.

In 2005, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare (CMS) developed the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Health Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey process which is a national "standardized survey instrument and data collection methodology for collecting patients' perspectives of hospital care." The goal was to produce a survey that would allow patients to compare hospitals on an "apples to apples" basis on topics that are important to consumers. With mandated public reporting, it "will serve to enhance public accountability...by increasing the transparency...". The HCAHPS survey has 27 items and is a joint approved effort by CMS, AHRQ, NQF and HQA. Results were first posted in March, 2008 and are available for your hospital on www.hospital.compare.hhs.gov

So, for you as the patient or prospective patient or family member, know that hospitals want you to choose them. They are focused on meeting and exceeding your needs and want to know when they haven't and when they have. All hospitals have a mechanism for patients to share their feelings about their experience and many have patient representatives who can help you with your hospital stay. In other words, speak up. Additionally, The Joint Commission (JCO), SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) have mechanisms for patients to comment on their experiences:

JCO: complaint@jointcommission.org

Fax: Office of Quality Monitoring (630) 792-5636

Mail: Office of Quality Monitoring

The Joint Commission

One Renaissance Boulevard

Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181

DHEC:http://www.scdhec.gov/health/licen/complaint.htm

Mail: DHEC Health Licensing

2600 Bull Street

Columbia, SC 29201

(803) 545-4370

(803) 545-4212 (Fax)

All customer service programs and survey results point to a few simple truths. Patients want a timely response to their needs, to know what is going on, to be treated with respect and to be treated with compassion. As stated by Dr. Peter D. McCann, patients want "service in a caring environment.”

As always, your feedback and topic matter requests are quite welcome. I have enjoyed hearing from many of you. Till next time;

To Your Health!

Next week: Understanding insurance plans and how hospitals and providers bill insurance companies and you.

PJ Johnson, RN, MSN, FACHE

Legal Nurse Consultant

PJJ Management Consultants, LLC

Optional Sites:

www.gallup.com/

www.pressganey.com/

www.studergroup.com/

http://www.patientloyalty.com/

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