This is the third entry as I follow along with a patient undergoing a 6-week cancer treatment.
Managing expectations is crucial to creating a positive patient experience. Patients are often feeling scared and vulnerable and need to know what to expect in order to prepare physically and psychologically for what will be taking place. In this case, Elizabeth is a veteran of the medical system and typically asks questions to understand what to expect. In the following scenario, there were at least two missed opportunities for effectively managing the patient experience.
Elizabeth: Read more...
This is my second blog chronicling one patient’s experience during her 6-week journey with a health care organization. In my last blog post, I talked about words that wound, words that work, and words that WOW. Even the most well-intentioned caregivers can say things that leave a patient feeling uneasy if not frightened. Elizabeth’s next encounter reinforces just how important it is for health care workers at all levels of the organization to filter their statements through the ears of their patients.
Elizabeth: Read more...
I’m a big fan of ABC’s TV series, What Would You Do? The hidden camera, ethical dilemma series captures people’s reactions to various situations ranging from obnoxious disrespect to egregious behavior. I’m fascinated by what motivates people to intervene on behalf of complete strangers. Random acts of kindness and compassion reveal so much about a person’s character. The beauty of this series is that, because the camera is hidden, the champions step forward to protect, defend, and counsel the underdogs and frequently rebuke an offender without any knowledge that their actions are being recorded. After the encounters, the interveners are interviewed to learn why they stepped in. Their reasons are always the same: They just did what’s right. Read more...
I’ve always known that if you want to be creative and energetic, you’ll do best by surrounding yourself with like-minded people. That philosophy was reaffirmed within minutes of arriving at the Beryl Institute’s Patient Experience Conference this week. It was so energizing to be surrounded by amazing patient experience champions who, like me, are passionate about creating a better healthcare world for our patients, families, and all those who serve them. Read more...
