Today's patient is our consumer who unlike any other service industry now expect the same type of customer delight from a hospital in addition to the treatment.
He wants the full value for his money, in terms of having a good doctor, friendly hospital staff, hospital ambiance, his comforts etc.
They judge the hospital on various parameters other than doctor and there view about the hospital can make or break the hospital image.
But why all of a sudden the whole industry is more worried about patient satisfaction ???
The reason is simple : One happy customer will get 2 more customer, but one unhappy customer will cost 10 other customers.
But what exactly do patients want, besides having their conditions treated???
According to a survey, patients valued the interpersonal skills of their doctors as much as if not more than their technical skills.
So how exactly can we ensure that the patients are satisfied ???
This can be a tricky question, the reason being that no two person think alike, I might feel annoyed if a Patient Relation executive keep asking me the details to fill form and try to understand my socio-economic status n all , but on other hand you might think that as a patient care from his side to understand what exactly is the requirement of the patient.
So aiming a 100% patient satisfaction is not a practical target to achieve , but all the organisation should try to achieve the maximum which they are capable of.
A very easy method of ensuring patient satisfaction is SATISFIED & MOTIVATED STAFF, when your staff is happy with the management and are motivated towards work then be assured that 70% of your work is done. Programs need to be in place to help physicians and nurses improve their bedside manners. Secondly, staff and providers need to be fully engaged, and communication is the key here. Patients would like to be acknowledged; simply greeting them as you enter their room sets the right tone for rest of your interaction with them. Next, introduce yourself. Give them your name and your specialty. This is then followed by explaining to them, step by step, in accessible language, what is going to happen and how the procedure is going to last. Finally, spend sometime answering their questions, and thank the patient before leaving their room.
It would seem like patient satisfaction is intricately linked to patient outcomes. Patients who are more satisfied are more likely to adhere to treatment plans and maintain their relationships with their healthcare providers. This essentially translates to lower readmission rates, reduced lengths of stay, and increased savings for the hospitals.
What exactly is patient satisfaction:
Many hospitals think patient satisfaction is all about keeping patients happy; they are missing the point, because patient satisfaction should also be about a hospital’s philosophy about delivery of care, and that involve the complete team of hospital from front office , doctors, nurses, billing, diagnostics, housekeeping etc.
Unfortunately, doctors spend more time improving their medical knowledge than improving their approach to patient care.
What does a hospital achieve from Patient Satisfaction :
- Greater profitability.
- Improved patient retention and patient loyalty.
- Increased patient referrals.
- Improved compliance.
- Improved productivity.
- Better staff morale.
- Reduced staff turnover.
- Improved collections.
- Greater efficiency.
- Reduced risk of malpractice suit.
- Personal and professional fulfillment.
- Name and fame to the organisation
So to sum up all the above things we can just say that A Happy Patient is Key for Success for the Hospital.
There are simple solutions to improve patient satisfaction scores. All a practice needs to do is to listen and take heed of what their patients have to say.
