PATIENT SATISFACTION

AND WHY IT MATTERS

Why It Matters CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid

Services), hospitals and insurance providers are using patient satisfaction to help define and measure quality of health care.

Patient satisfaction is linked to better patient outcomes.

It is an important component of pay-for -performance metrics for hospitals.

Employed physicians may have it included in their reimbursement metrics.

Patients and physicians can view the same episodes of care quite differently so, by asking patients about their care and treatment, physicians can get a complete picture.

Why It Matters

Definition It is the patient being satisfied or perceiving

satisfaction with their health care. Very multifaceted and very challenging outcome to

define. Patient expectations of care and their attitudes

greatly contribute to satisfaction. Patient satisfaction is personal. It is the core of patient-centered care.

Communication is the key to patient satisfaction.

Physicians and staff must acknowledge patient’s feelings and concerns and let them know they are being listened to.

Patient evaluate the quality of the service they receive easier than evaluating the quality of care they receive.

The Key

Physicians and staff must pay attention to both verbal and nonverbal language of their patients.

It is not only what is said, but how it is said

Communication

Patients need to feel that the physician and staff care and have their best interest at hand.

If the patient perceives poor patient service, it can result in poor patient satisfaction, the patient leaving without being seen, loss of revenue for the practice and reputation loss.

Communication

An average dissatisfied patient tells 25 others about the negative experience.

For every patient that complains, 20 other dissatisfied patients don’t complain.

90% of those that don’t complain won’t return.

It costs 10 times more to attract new patients that it does to retain current ones.

Interaction

A patient interacts with multiple individuals during a visit: Receptionist, medical assistant, lab, Nurse, APN, physician, billing, etc.

These interactions can occur before, during and after a visit.

Just one poor exchange could turn a patient away and/or cause poor patient satisfaction.

Even a phone call before the first visit can set the tone. Every contact with a patient or patient representative

is important and should be treated as such.

Interaction

Patients expect to have a comfortable and warm interaction with a physician who appears to be technically competent and gives adequate information about the patient’s illness.

When expectations are not met, patients are less satisfied and less likely to comply with their medical regime.

Patient Attitude

The experience with the physicians staff is critical to a patient’s satisfaction with the overall experience.

Several studies demonstrate that patients have attitudes about three qualities of their encounter: Personal qualities of the physician Professional competence Cost and convenience of services

Patient Attitudes

Your practice should have procedures on how to handle the disruptive patient. Take them out of the public environment. Correct any misunderstandings. Communicate with the patient what

expectations will and will not be met.

Disruptive Patients

If you will not treat a certain type of patient or perform a procedure, tell the patient in a firm but friendly tone.

Let your patient know what to expect with non-compliance on any agreed upon treatment plan.

Keep yourself calm. If necessary, terminate the patient.

Disruptive Patients

Have someone in the room with you. Always follow up a verbal termination with a

letter. In the letter, allow 30 days of urgent care and

necessary medication refills. You may exclude narcotics.

Call AMIC Risk Management. 501-716-9190

Disruptive Patients

Knock before entering room Introduce yourself to patient and family Sit down (if possible) to be at eye level Maintain eye contact Lean forward Keep attention on patient

Remember the Basics

Keep the patient up-to-date Tell them the plan and why Let them know what to expect Tell them how long their tests and imaging

studies will take and how long before you have the results.

Treat the patient with courtesy and respect. Listen

During the Visit

Identify customer service as one of the priorities.

Identify patient service issues and address them.

Keep promises Protect patient confidentiality Assess your culture of safety and risk

Patient Experience Strategy

Collect information from your patients about your customer service.

Improve service issues.

Strategy