Taking the time to listen carefully to patients can help organizations better understand their needs and provide the best care possible, according to the Harvard Business Review.
Here are five steps organizational leaders can take to make sure they are creating a patient-centered experience.
1. Share patient stories at every meeting, including those of success and failure. This will work to ensure leaders are not forgetting patients when they make institutional decisions.
2. Offer patient-communication training to all hospital staff. This curriculum should emphasize why paying close attention to the patient is not only good for the patient but also for helping achieve organizational goals.
3. Encourage clinical curiosity where physicians not only answer questions but also ask them.
4. Create patient advisory board and meet regularly to find out how the patient experience could be improved.
5. Create a balanced scorecard for measuring physician performance. This scorecard should make sure team-building skills and professional development are valued just as much as productivity.