Patient satisfaction has become a widely accepted healthcare quality measure. With the consumerization of healthcare, patients have higher expectations than ever about timely and efficient delivery of medical services. Emergency care in particular presents challenges to patient satisfaction. Surges in volume are unpredictable and wait times are often long.
Complete Care, a network of 14 freestanding emergency centers in Texas and Colorado, has reinvented what it means to deliver emergency care to patients. Becker’s Hospital Review recently spoke with Rob Morris, CEO of Complete Care, about the company’s journey to becoming an industry-recognized leader in patient satisfaction.
Patient satisfaction awards aren't the goal; they’re a byproduct of outstanding care and a great patient experience
Complete Care initially used internal surveys to measure patient satisfaction. The organization quickly realized, however, that this approach wasn’t adequate. In 2016, Complete Care engaged Press Ganey to quantify patient satisfaction and benchmark performance against other providers. Press Ganey is one of the most widely used independent, third-party patient experience surveyors in the country, partnering with more than 41,000 healthcare facilities.
The survey results quickly revealed that Complete Care’s approach to emergency services was unique. Each year Press Ganey recognizes a select group of organizations with awards for outcomes related to patient experience, employee and physician engagement, and clinical quality performance.
“Since 2018, we’ve received a total of 38 Press Ganey awards for patient experience in emergency care —making us one of the most decorated healthcare providers in the country,” Mr. Morris said. “This includes 32 Guardian of Excellence Awards and six Pinnacle of Excellence awards. In 2019, Complete Care facilities won two of the four Pinnacle of Excellence Awards for patient experience in emergency care. This year, we received four Pinnacle of Excellence Awards, as well as nine Guardian of Excellence Awards.”
Press Ganey’s Guardian of Excellence Award for patient experience recognizes top performing healthcare organizations that reach or exceed the 95th percentile for 12 consecutive months. The Pinnacle of Excellence Award is given to a small subset of high performers that rank in the top five percent for three consecutive years.
While this recognition has been extremely gratifying for Complete Care, the awards aren’t what motivate the company.
"It's not about the awards. It’s about delivering an exceptional patient experience and building trust in the community. That’s what’s important to us. The awards are a testament to our team and the freestanding ER operating model," said Mr. Morris.
Organizational culture plus disciplined processes equal outstanding patient satisfaction
Complete Care’s employees and physicians are what drive its reputation for patient satisfaction. When a facility opens in a new location, the organization is careful to partner with physicians who are embedded in the community and have excellent reputations.
“We had a unique opportunity to start shaping our company culture with our first ER,” Mr. Morris said. “We handpicked our team along the way, hiring individuals with impressive experience. I’m lucky to be surround by extremely talented people.”
The team at Complete Care implemented best practices based on past experiences in other healthcare organizations. As the company has grown, it’s stayed nimble — trying new things and discontinuing initiatives that haven’t worked well.
“The only way to earn the accolades we’ve received is by hiring people who are passionate about their work and giving them the tools to succeed. That’s how we are able to hardwire practices that lead to extraordinary results,” Mr. Morris said.
Complete Care understands the importance of delivering great clinical care, as well as the importance of things like keeping patients informed, minimizing delays and treating patients and their loved ones like family. When complaints do arise, service recovery strategies are quickly deployed. The organization has implemented processes to ensure these things happen.
Even routine tasks, like interacting with people on the telephone, have well-defined service excellence protocols. Everyone from the front-line staff to the CEO is held accountable to the same standards. The team audits calls, reinforces good behavior and coaches employees when improvement opportunities exist.
Complete Care attributes much of its success to identifying what promotes patient satisfaction and applying those principles throughout the patient journey. “Our communities appreciate the consistency we provide,” Mr. Morris said. “The freestanding ER model allows us to do one thing really well. Patients know what to expect when they walk in our doors, from our care and service to financial matters. That, in combination with rethinking our operations from the start, has enabled us to be successful beyond what I thought was achievable.”