(Whether You Realize It Or Not)
It’s no secret that a strong connection to purpose contributes to greater personal fulfillment. But let’s talk about how it translates into the patient experience. Because here’s what I see all the time: Healthcare leaders talk about helping employees connect to purpose. They talk about mission. They talk about why we’re here.
But more often than not, they direct that conversation to clinical staff.
As if billing doesn’t matter. As if environmental services doesn’t matter. As if registration doesn’t matter.
And that’s a massive mistake.
Because every single person in your organization either helps to build patient trust or erodes it. Not just the people who touch patients clinically. Everybody.
The $6000 Billing Story
Let me give you an example.
A colleague of mine tore her retina. She had to go in for emergency care. It was an unexpected situation—something that needed to be addressed immediately.
Her insurance company didn’t cover it. And she got a bill for $6,000.
She wasn’t happy. She thought it was going to be covered. So she called billing to get to the bottom of it.
And here’s what happened: The people in billing were incredibly patient and listened to her concerns. They did everything they could to get the insurance company to cover the fees.
Even though, in the end, she still owed the $6,000, they made her feel good about the process and the way that she was treated. She felt that they sincerely cared about her and her experience and that they did everything they could to help. She felt they were truly on her side.
That billing interaction built trust. Despite a $6,000 bill that she wasn’t expecting, she left that experience thinking, “This is a good organization. They care. They tried to help.”
Now imagine if it had been the opposite.
Imagine if the billing department had said, “Lady, you owe this. You signed an authorization saying you were responsible for these costs. It’s your responsibility. We need payment.”
She would have left that experience furious despite having an excellent clinical outcome. She would have told everyone she knew that this organization was heartless. Even if the clinical care had been excellent.
Because billing is part of the patient experience.
And the people who work in billing need to understand that. They need to feel connected to the purpose of what healthcare is trying to accomplish.
The last impression
Here’s another example.
A colleague, “Jane” was leaving a clinic appointment and saw a sign saying “Check Out Here,” so stopped at the desk beneath the sign. The person behind the desk kept on typing while Jane waited. Eventually the desk attendant looked up and said, impatiently, “Yes?”
Jane said, “I wasn’t sure if I needed to stop here to check out.” The desk attendant rolled her eyes and said, “No you don’t need to stop. I wish they would take that sign down. I get interrupted constantly.” The message? Jane was a bother.
If the desk attendant was truly connected to purpose, she would have seen the opportunity to leave a positive last impression. But that interaction eroded trust. Even after a positive clinical experience.
Everyone Is Part of The Patient Experience!
This is what I want healthcare leaders to understand:
- Your billing department is part of the patient experience.
- Your environmental services staff are part of the patient experience.
- Your registration staff are part of the patient experience.
- Your IT department—the people who design your phone system and your patient portal—they’re part of the patient experience.
Everyone who works for your organization plays a role in building patient trust. Or eroding it.
And if you’re only talking about purpose and mission and patient experience with your clinical staff, you’re missing the majority of your workforce.
Your healthcare organization exists to serve others. Does every person understand what an impact they have?
Tags: employeeengagement, HealthcareLeadership, OrganizationalCulture, PatientExperience, purpose
