TL4EO-1 The patient experience: whose job is it?

From the desk of: Gary Campbell, president and CEO 2011

Centura Health employs nearly 14,500 associates. The breakdown looks approximately like this:

  • 1,250 Leadership and employed physicians
  • 4,200 Allied Health (pharmacy, PT, radiology, etc)
  • 4,670 Nursing
  • 1,000 Direct patient care (CNAs, transport aids, OR techs., etc.)
  • 1,900 Business support (IT, HR, clerical, finance, etc.)
  • 1,300 Facilities (maintenance, housekeeping, etc.)

Which groups are responsible for the patient experience? The answer: every one of them. The team-based, positive atmosphere and collaborative relationships we create before our patients and their families arrive at the hospital is obvious when they walk through our doors. The work we do in our business offices keeps the engine of our ministry running on behalf of the people of our communities. Our efforts to keep our entities physically clean and operating smoothly creates an impression that our patients, residents and their families talk about with others. Their experience in our cafeterias can be one that calms and comforts. The quiet, courteous way we all go about our business demonstrates respect for those we serve. And, of course, the care we provide in our entities, and in patient/resident homes, exemplifies excellence, compassion and spirituality. We all have the privilege of improving the patient experience and Strengthening the Foundation of our ministry.

What makes up the patient experience? Several times each year, we ask our patients and residents to anonymously rank their experience in nine areas.

  1. Nurse communication
  2. Doctor communication
  3. Responsiveness of hospital staff
  4. Cleanliness of room/bathroom
  5. Quietness of area around room at night
  6. Pain management
  7. Communication about meds
  8. Discharge information
  9. Likely to recommend

Our patient satisfaction trend has been in the positive direction during the past three years: In FY09 we were in the 53rd percentile. In FY10, we were in the 60th percentile. So far in FY11, we are in the 65th percentile. While we obviously have more room for improvement, our trend is worth celebrating; and Improvement and celebration were the two primary goals behind February’s Patient Satisfaction Summit.

Centura Health holds Patient Satisfaction Summit
The idea for the summit originated with the Mountains North Denver Operating Group (MNDOG) CNOs last year. Their intention was to share best practices; and with two of our four MNDOG entities, AvistaAdventistHospital and St. Anthony Summit Medical Center, at the 98th and 99th percentiles respectively, there were definitely some best practices to share. Word of the meeting got around and what began as an MNDOG event turned in to a system-wide gathering with 170 participants from every Centura Health entity. The summit was designed for networking, sharing best practices, brainstorming new ideas, discussing key drivers of patient satisfaction, increasing accountability for implementing best practices, and inspiring each other to serve our patients with excellence. With this kind of collaboration, we will move the patient satisfaction needle.

What can I do about patient satisfaction? The participants of the Patient Satisfaction Summit are challenging each of us to do everything we can to faithfully serve our patients and residents. Here are three areas of patient satisfaction focus for every Centura Health associate:

  • Know your entity’s patient satisfaction scores. Talk to your patient satisfaction representative (see list below) for more information on your scores and the areas in which your entity needs to improve.
  • Keep patients, residents and their families at the forefront. Think everyday about how your work relates to them and do it to the very best of your ability on their behalf.
  • If you’re not a direct patient caregiver, ask yourself, “How can I ensure that our caregivers have as much time as possible to spend with our patients and residents.”

Value Based Purchasing is coming!
In an upcoming issue of the Friday Update, we’ll talk about Value Based Purchasing, a part of the health care reform bill that authorizes the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), beginning in 2013, to evaluate hospital performance on a combination of patient satisfaction and clinical quality scores. There will be monetary rewards for scoring higher than our assigned targets and penalties for scoring below. While certainly rewards and penalties are very good reasons to work hard on our patient satisfaction scores, our mission compels us to serve in this way regardless. Thank you for your continuing efforts to pursue excellence as we serve our patients and residents. They notice the difference!