No matter whether a hospital is large or small, urban or rural, academic medical center or community hospital, it is likely that it faces many of the same challenges as other hospitals and health systems. With this in mind, The Beryl Institute, the global community of practice for improving the patient experience, gathered leaders from a variety of healthcare organizations for its November 2011 Regional Roundtable, hosted by UCLA Health System in Los Angeles, Calif.
Healthcare leaders, many competitors by market standards, convened to discuss healthcare's most important focus for 2012, the patient experience. A May 2011 benchmarking study from The Beryl Institute revealed that the patient experience is one of the top three priorities facing hospital executives over the next three years, yet it is still largely undefined.
Why has patient experience become a priority for hospitals? Among many things, one key driving force has been the emergence of value-based purchasing. As Medicare reimbursement is affected by a hospital's Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems scores, hospitals have greater incentive to focus on the patient experience.
Despite the emphasis on HCAHPS and experience, Roundtable participants indicated that they still grapple with HCAHPS scores and their implications. What they do understand is that there are core components to great patient experience. Staff education, a system of accountability and results measurement are required to improve patient experience.
With a variety of touch points, where do hospitals start to improve HCAHPS scores and overall patient experience? The Roundtable participants plan to focus on strengthening service. Key elements in creating a culture of service include establishing a steering team, framing a service vision, developing education and communication plans and monitoring progress for success. In addition, staff must be engaged and have a sense of ownership of the type of culture they want to create.
When it comes to accountability for patient experience, healthcare leaders say adherence at all levels of the organization is key — and it’s a work in progress for most hospitals. Hospitals are building accountability by creating clear expectations that are shared by all, establishing consequences for action and inaction, providing opportunities for recognition and empowering staff to act.
As our Roundtable participants discussed their challenges, they shared continued difficulty in engaging physicians in their role for supporting patient experience outcomes. There is an opportunity to involve physicians in institutional strategy by coaching and mentoring them around patient experience, how it is measured and the implications it had for a healthcare organization overall. Hospitals realize that ongoing education and individual feedback, based on patient surveys or scores, are needed.
Overall, healthcare leaders agreed that the patient experience is not a passing trend. It's an enduring challenge for hospitals. If healthcare organizations embrace the patient experience as a strategic priority, they will be rewarded with better outcomes and enhanced patient loyalty, not to mention a better bottom line.
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Healthcare leaders, many competitors by market standards, convened to discuss healthcare's most important focus for 2012, the patient experience. A May 2011 benchmarking study from The Beryl Institute revealed that the patient experience is one of the top three priorities facing hospital executives over the next three years, yet it is still largely undefined.
Why has patient experience become a priority for hospitals? Among many things, one key driving force has been the emergence of value-based purchasing. As Medicare reimbursement is affected by a hospital's Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems scores, hospitals have greater incentive to focus on the patient experience.
Despite the emphasis on HCAHPS and experience, Roundtable participants indicated that they still grapple with HCAHPS scores and their implications. What they do understand is that there are core components to great patient experience. Staff education, a system of accountability and results measurement are required to improve patient experience.
With a variety of touch points, where do hospitals start to improve HCAHPS scores and overall patient experience? The Roundtable participants plan to focus on strengthening service. Key elements in creating a culture of service include establishing a steering team, framing a service vision, developing education and communication plans and monitoring progress for success. In addition, staff must be engaged and have a sense of ownership of the type of culture they want to create.
When it comes to accountability for patient experience, healthcare leaders say adherence at all levels of the organization is key — and it’s a work in progress for most hospitals. Hospitals are building accountability by creating clear expectations that are shared by all, establishing consequences for action and inaction, providing opportunities for recognition and empowering staff to act.
As our Roundtable participants discussed their challenges, they shared continued difficulty in engaging physicians in their role for supporting patient experience outcomes. There is an opportunity to involve physicians in institutional strategy by coaching and mentoring them around patient experience, how it is measured and the implications it had for a healthcare organization overall. Hospitals realize that ongoing education and individual feedback, based on patient surveys or scores, are needed.
Overall, healthcare leaders agreed that the patient experience is not a passing trend. It's an enduring challenge for hospitals. If healthcare organizations embrace the patient experience as a strategic priority, they will be rewarded with better outcomes and enhanced patient loyalty, not to mention a better bottom line.
More Articles From The Beryl Institute:
Report: Investment in Patient Experience Impacts Finances, Marketing and Clinical Measures3 Ways to Create PEAK Patient Experience
The Role of Cultural Competence in Delivering Positive Patient Experiences: 4 Focal Points