Welcome to the Regional Care Collaborative WebinarBuilding a Culture of Service Excellence Lori Hinga, Clinical Nurse Consultant Webinar Conference Line: +1 (631) Access Code: Audio Pin: Shown after joining the webinar. *This session will be recorded. Please mute your telephones. Please type in any questions that you may have in the Question section of the webinar dashboard (right side of screen). The business of health care is changing and service excellence is becoming an increasingly important factor in consumer choice, referrals and reimbursement MEDICAL MALPRACTICE PERSPECTIVE
According to a study by the Harvard School of Public Health, 40% of medical malpractice suits filed in the United States are without merit. The vast majority of dubious cases were dismissed with no payout; however, groundless lawsuits still accounted for 15% of the money paid in settlements. The average expense of defending a physician against a medical liability claim in 2010 was $47,158 an increase of 62.7% since 2001 The average medical liability indemnity payment (money paid to a plaintiff) in 2010 was $331,947 an increase of 11.5% since 2001 WITHOUT MERITBUTRESOURCE INTENSIVE! ITS NOT JUST ABOUT PATIENTS
TEAMMATES PROVIDERS FRIENDS & FAMILY MEMBERS SPECIALTY REFERRAL OFFICE STAFF COMMUNITY RESOURCES HOSPITALS PHARMACIES Everyone we interact with should be considered a customer When youre walking down the health center hallway.EVERY person you pass is a customer Make eye contact, say hello and offer assistance to those who appear to need helpU of M Experience Always represent your organization in a positive way and take every opportunity to make an excellent impression.CHALLENGE YOURSELF! SERVICE EXCELLENCE EVERY Member of the Team EVERY Customer EVERY Day A patients perception IS their reality
CONSIDER THIS Dissatisfaction occurs for many reasons unrelated to direct patient care A patients perception IS their reality This may be a SOBERING THOUGHT but TRUE! REMEMBERNOT ALL CUSTOMERS ARE PATIENTS! #1 PATIENT DISSATISFACTION
CARE TEAM ATTITUDES & COMMUNICATION BE VERY CAREFUL! ITS ALL ABOUTR-E-S-P-E-C-T COMMON SOURCES OF DISSATISFACTION
Prolonged Waiting Time Exam Room Isolation Time with Provider/Care Team Lack of Understanding Diagnosis/Treatment Plan Complaints/Concerns not Addressed Timely Difficulty Obtaining an Appointment Billing Issues Physicians & Staff IMPACT Risk Factors
THE BOTTOM LINE Patient Dissatisfaction = Patient Motivation to File Lawsuits Aggravation Factor Poor Communication Lack of Information Lack of Developed Relationship Anger Physicians & Staff IMPACT Risk Factors EXCEED EXPECTATIONS Satisfied Expectations = Positive Perceptions
Minimum Customer Expectations To be listened to Tobe cared about To receive clear & understandable information Respect (Time, Privacy, Etc.) Compassionate Care Clear Communication RESPECT covers these minimum expectationsremember the CUSTOMER is everyone we come in contact with Treat others as they would like to be treated
THE PLATINUM RULE Going beyond the Golden Rule of treating others as we would like to be treated Instead Treat others as they would like to be treated SATISFIED CUSTOMERS WILL
Patients Follow Treatment Recommendations Follow Referral Recommendations Remain Loyal Refer Friends and Family to the Health Center File Fewer Malpractice Claims Teammates & Providers Respect the Team Effectively Communicate Follow-through Be an improved Team Player Specialty Offices, Pharmacies, Hospitals & Community Resources Refer Patients, Family & Friends Effectively Communicate (Verbally/Electronically) Be Helpful and Accommodating ATTITUDES & COMMUNICATIONS
Employ active listening skills Ask probing questions to ensure patient understanding Encourage patient participation Avoid interrupting Body Language Lean forward Maintain eye contact Be conscience of facial expressions Avoid crossing arms or any other sign of being closed off WE WILL DISCUSS THE TEACH BACK METHOD A LITTLE LATER ATTITUDES & COMMUNICATION
Employ Active Listening Skills (cont) Be attentive to the patient Never appear to be hurried Maintain eye contact Avoid/eliminate external distractions Be empathetic & supportive Address concerns and/or anxieties Be sensitive to what the patient is/is not saying ATTITUDES & COMMUNICATION
Employ Active Listening Skills (cont) Avoid Medical Jargon Use simple/understood terms Typical patient reading level is 8th grade Patients with publicly-funded insurance or those without insurance tend to have lower health literacy skills Encourage patient feedback Use good reflective techniques Summarize and repeat essential information in laymans terms Employ the Teach-back method to confirm understanding 10 ELEMENTS OF COMPETNECE FOR USING THE TEACH-BACK EFFECTIVELY
Use a caring tone of voice and attitude. Display comfortable body language and make eye contact. Use plain language. Ask the patient to explain back, using their own words. Use non-shaming, open-ended questions. Avoid asking questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no. Emphasize that the responsibility to explain clearly is on you. If the patient is not able to teach back correctly, explain again and re-check. Use reader-friendly print materials to support learning. Document use of and patient response to teach-back. Can quickly diffuse a difficult situation!
BEYOND SATISFACTION DISSATISFACTION + ADVERSE EVENT = CLAIMS Can quickly diffuse a difficult situation! Sorry were behind What else can we do for you? Would you like to reschedule? CORE VALUES OF SERVICE EXCELLENCE
CARING COMMITMENT INTEGRITY TEAMWORK CONSITENCY, CONSITENCY, CONSISTENCY CARING Demonstrate patience, caring and concern for my customers needs Be polite, respectful and courteous to others Demonstrate a spirit of helpfulness Care and concern cannot be masked...be genuine! Respect and courtesy go a very long way If you see someone who has a confused lookoffer assistance COMMITMENT Provide excellent care and service
Support the organizational decisions Project a professional image through all actions and appearance Maintain facilities with a sense of ownership RememberYOU are the face of the organization Agreement with organizational decisions is not required BUT Support of EVERY decision is required Remember:Its not what you say its what you do!BE PROFESSIONAL AT ALL TIMES! When something requires attention.IT IS NOT SOMEBODY ELSES RESPONSIBILITYITS YOURSOWN IT! Employees are the face of the organizationwithin the health center and out! INTEGRITY Respect the privacy of all customers
Be accountable for all actions Value all customers time by providing prompt service Respect the diversity of all Conduct personal discussions in private Maintain confidentiality and adhere to all privacy guidelines Keep people informed of time changesif a provider is running latenotify the patientpeople are more likely to roll with it if they are informed! NEVER share personal discussion in publicthe lunchroom provides time and space for those discussionspersonal information can impact/upset patients and having personal discussions within ear shot of patients is NOT professional Privacy and confidentiality are extremely important in the health care industrynot following privacy and confidentiality policies can become a legal issuepay attention at all times TEAMWORK Understand my role and consistently fulfill responsibilities
Work cooperatively with others Avoid making excuses or placing blame Consider the needs of others SUPPORTING STANDARDS OF SERVICE EXCELLENCE
COMMUNICATION SERVICE RECOVERY SAFETY COMMUNICATION Communicate in an open, clear and concise manner
Speak in a positive, professional and courteous manner Communicate the right information to the right people, at the right time Address all customers by name Introduce oneself, communicate qualifications and commitment to excellent service With ALL Customers! SERVICE RECOVERY Apologize for not meeting the customers expectation
Listen, remain calm and never become defensive Apologize for not meeting the customers expectation Correct the problem or locate the person who can Take action to make amends for the service interruption Communicate to the customer, in a timely manner, how the problem was addressed/corrected Thank the individual for bringing the dissatisfaction/concern/complaint to the organizations attention ACT Apologize, Correct, Take Action If unable to correct the problem/complaint immediately assure the customer the problem will be addressed or inform the customer you will be passing the concern on to.provide a specific name for accountability. SAFETY Be committed to customer/patient safety
Maintain a safe work environment Report all potential safety concerns to the appropriate person(s) Respond appropriately to all safety codes Participate in all safety trainings/drills KEY WORDS AT KEY TIMES BENEFITS OF KEY WORDS EXAMPLES OF KEY WORDS
Provide a consistent customer experience Builds relationships and a solid Care Team Assists the patient to better understand his/her healthcare EXAMPLES OF KEY WORDS I am closing the door for your privacy I want to ensure you are always satisfied with the cleanliness of the exam rooms Have I missed anything? Do you have any questions before I leave? For your privacy, we will release your medical records only to someone you designate For your safety, please let me help you down from the exam table Our goal is provide you with excellent service A-I-D-E-T A Powerful Communication Tool for ALL Customer Encounters
Will Ensure a Clear Exchange of Information in Every Customer Situation Effective way for customers to feel comfortable with all members of the care team ACKNOWLEDGE Acknowledge the customer by name or with a friendly smile
Provides an immediate connection with the customer Provides affirmation the patient is known by the care team Use positive non-verbal communication Eye contact A pat on the patients shoulder Head nodding Smiling INTRODUCE Each Care Team introduces themselves by name, their role and experience This help to put the patient at ease Example:Good Morning Mr. JonesMy name is Mary and I am going to take your weight, vital signs and review your medications.Im part of the care team and am here to ensure your needs are met today. DURATION Provide an estimate of time it will take to complete each visit process If the estimate of time is extended provide a new time estimate Avoid using the term Wait Time or Waiting Room Consider using Reception Area EXPLANATION Provide a clear explanation of what you are going to do for the patient Ask the patient if they have any questions or concerns Provide only the information necessary for the task at hand I am going to review your medications, take your blood pressure and temperature before the doctor sees you THANK YOU! ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS Thank the patient for choosing ABC Health Center! ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS Ask the patient if there is anything else the Care Team can do or if the patient has any questions! MEASURING PATIENT SATISFACTION
Patient Satisfaction Surveys Identify ways of improving your health center Quality specific issues Access issues Interpersonal issues Demonstrate your health center is interested and committed to quality and improvement Identify dissatisfied patients for follow-up Monitoring Patient Complaints/Concerns/Dissatisfaction Track and Trend What do we do with the PSS information? Who monitors, tracks and trends customer complaints? Who is responsible?Who needs to know this information?What are we going to do this informationif anything? PATIENT SATISFACTION Survey Distribution? Annually All patients
Randomly selected Provided during patient check-in / check-out? How, when and where do patients return the completed survey? Mail? When are they sent? To whom are they sent? SASE provided for return? Telephone survey? Who, when and how often? Why is itwe think patients only have feedback once a year? Ensure patients have privacy when completing a survey and are offered a self-addressed stamped envelope to return it PATIENT SATISFACTION SURVEYS
Consider a distribution method which is: Ongoing VS Annual Available at all times Provides return anonymity Encourages honest/truthful answers Encourages patients to contact a specific person at a specific telephone number in the future if/when they have a compliment OR concern Asks useful questions which the health center intends to monitor, track, trend and improve FROM SURVEY TO IMPOVEMENT
Assign responsibility for collecting / trending data Assign responsibility for patient follow-up Determine who will: Develop/manage the reporting tool Dashboard Log Review the data Identify opportunities for improvement Develop, initiate and monitor a performance improvement plan Board/Leadership Team Performance Improvement/Quality Committee Clinic Management MAKING IT HAPPEN Define Service Excellence for your organization
Six to twelve Standards of Service Excellence Develop goals for success Develop an implementation plan Inform all current staff (all staff meeting) Definition Goals Thresholds or Benchmarks Expectations / Accountability Train ALL current staff New employee orientation Annual training Ongoing training to improve performance Update / Develop policy Incorporate service excellence into roles/responsibilities/job descriptions Consider a Service Excellence Campaign TRAINING REQUIRED! Never assume employees understand Service Excellence Incorporate the following basic Service Excellence categories into initial trainings- Safety Confidentiality & Privacy Customer Relations Respecting others Telephone etiquette Information about delays Self Management Appearance Attitude Ownership / Accountability Commitment to Coworkers Communication Teamwork PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
The business of healthcare is changing and we must provide service excellence to stay competitive Service Excellence is required of the entire health center team Patient Perception IS their reality The #1 patient dissatisfaction is a Care Teams negative attitude & communication Service Excellence training for ALL health center employees is required to positively influence patient/customer satisfaction A-I-D-E-T A-C-T Measuring patient/customer satisfaction is imperative Use patient/customer satisfaction to improve performance QUESTIONS?Please type in any questions that you may have in the Question section of the webinar dashboard (right side of screen) Please note the webinar will be uploaded to the PCCP wiki for future viewing: