Last week, I co-presented a workshop at the Healthcare Marketing Strategies Summit in Orlando where I had the honor of hearing and meeting Morten Hansen, co-author (with Jim Collins) of Great by Choice. As he spoke about what it takes to excel in business, I found myself automatically applying the core principles to the patient experience.
Hansen talked about companies that beat the odds, even during times of uncertainty and chaos, to achieve exceptional growth and profits. In their research, they had identified key characteristics of those companies, one of which is fanatical discipline. They illustrate that fanatical discipline with the term, “20 mile march.” They say, “The 20 Mile March is more than a philosophy. It’s about having concrete, clear, intelligent and rigorously pursued performance mechanisms that keep you on track.” Read more...
Last week, we announced a partnership with BerylHealth in Texas. Since that announcement, I’ve had many questions about the partnership. Each of us is retaining our individual identities but will be collaborating to serve healthcare organizations better.
As I have grown my consulting business over the past decade, I have sought out other like-minded organizations that I can trust, both as individuals and as service providers. The Baird Group’s quest to make healthcare better for patients and the people who serve them is closely aligned with BerylHealth. Over the years, I have come to respect BerylHealth for not only their marketing, call center services, and post-discharge calls, but as a company that strives for the highest level of employee engagement. I’m excited about our relationship because, as individual companies, we compliment each other’s services. When combined, we touch the patient experience across the entire continuum of care. Read more...
I was recently doing a full-day patient experience workshop with staff nurses from several organizations and was stunned to learn that very few had ever seen the HCAHPS survey questions. Once exposed to the eight dimensions of the survey, they unanimously agreed that nurses could impact scores in all eight dimensions and were eager to explore solutions in greater depth.
What surprises me most is that when reimbursement is on the line, I would expect healthcare leaders to do more to engage nurses in making improvements. Improving patient satisfaction takes more than just telling staff to be nice. They have to first understand the patient perspective and then become involved in finding what works. Read more...
For years, we’ve talked about the importance of hiring for fit. Many leaders believe they can teach technical skills but want to attract talent that is closely aligned with organizational values and with a strong sense of purpose. I’m a firm believer in this school of thought and am delighted to learn that the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) has embraced this thinking as well in its recent re-design of the MCAT exam.
According to an article in The New York Times on April 13, medical school candidates will not only need to demonstrate proficiency in the hard sciences and math but also in behavioral sciences and critical analysis. Read more...
I am a strong advocate for patient- and family-centered care, but for most healthcare organizations it’s a work in progress. If I sound cynical it’s only because I am so passionate about the patient and family experience and stick my neck out and challenge the status quo when I see processes, systems or attitudes that are misaligned with that quest. If you are going to promise patient and family-centered care, then please filter the entire experience through their eyes. Read more...
Essential Qualities for Improving Patient ExperienceThis past week, I had the pleasure of being the keynote speaker at a nursing conference. It is always so energizing to be among nurses who take pride in their profession. Surrounded by hundreds of nurses, I was struck by the sheer magnitude of their influence on human life. It’s the nurses’ hands that are often the first to hold and soothe a newborn, and it is also their hands that comfort the ill, injured, and dying. When nurses are inspired and engaged, wonderful things happen that shape not only clinical outcomes but the reputation of the organization. Their influence is felt far beyond the individual encounters extending to patient families and the community. Read more...
I was recently dining with friends at a restaurant after having just completed a workshop on service recovery. During my workshop, I had talked about the typical restaurant experience where the wait staff asks how everything is, and, regardless of what you really think about the food, you say, “fine.” I find that about 98 percent of my workshop participants report that they say “fine” in many less-than-satisfactory situations just to avoid confrontation. Read more...
I’ve said this a thousand times: trust is a fragile thing when it comes to the patient experience. I recently had some minor surgery that I’d been planning for some time. Because of my rigorous travel schedule, taking the time out for surgery is no small feat. So I had gone through all the pre-operative steps, including teaching, history, and physical, and was all set except for knowing the time of surgery. I was told that I would be contacted the day before my surgery and given the schedule. Of course, I had to have someone drive me to and from the hospital, so that meant that neither of us knew how much of our day would be required. Read more...
Today has been an exercise in patience. I know that I’ve said this hundreds of times, but it really is the little things that matter in customer service. Let me give you a few examples:
Today my scheduled was booked with back-to-back appointments leaving the remainder of the week reserved for cross country travel. Stuck in a snowstorm in bumper to bumper traffic was the first domino that fell for me today. That delay caused me to miss my 9:00 Doctors appointment which was 30 miles from my office. Rescheduling was not an option or it would cause me to have to cancel surgery for next week which had required that I eliminate travel completely for the following 3 weeks. So you can see how it goes. Read more...
I really love this time of year. The lull that we have around the holidays gives me the chance to reflect on the previous year and set my sights on the great opportunities that lie in the year ahead. Plus, there’s something so refreshing about having a whole year spread out before me with nothing but possibilities! January is a time for setting goals for myself and for my business. It gives me direction and helps me stay aligned with my mission and vision (I have a personal mission and vision as well as for my business.). Read more...
