Literally all of the healthcare systems we work with have policies to protect the safety and wellbeing of patients and employees. Things like consistent hand washing when entering and leaving a patient room are non-negotiable expectations. By putting them in place, you can expect adherence to them and can audit for compliance. Surprisingly, only about 50% of healthcare organizations have clear, behavior-based standards in place to create a consistent patient and employee experience. Standards to guide the practices and behaviors of staff members include things like:
- Making eye contact and greeting patients by name when entering a room.
- Escorting visitors to their destination.
- Maintaining a clean and clutter-free environment.
- Greeting one another when passing in the halls.
But simply having these standards in place isn’t enough. The real question is: Are these truly expectations of staff to which they are held accountable—or are they merely suggestions that can be ignored without consequence?
When Standards—Explicit or Implied—Aren’t Met
During one of our secret shopping projects, our secret shopper took a picture of an employee who was sleeping at the front desk of a busy healthcare facility. While that organization likely didn’t have an explicit standard saying employees must stay awake, clearly sleeping on the job is not something that any organization would deem acceptable. They did expect eye contact and a verbal greeting though neither of these things could happen when the employee was sound asleep.
And yet, when we brought this to the doctor’s attention, he made excuses for the employee explaining away the behavior due to a health issue and indicating that there was really nothing that could be done about the situation.
Now, of course, we need to be empathetic to employees who have issues that are impacting their work. But in the process of being empathetic we can’t ignore the potential impact on patients. In this case, we recommended moving the employee to a non-patient facing role until the issues could be resolved.
What You Permit, You Promote
Here’s the thing: as leaders, what you permit, you promote. If you turn a blind eye to behaviors that are contrary to standards or that don’t support a positive patient experience you’re sending a message that it’s okay to not follow standards—it’s okay to not provide an exceptional patient experience.
Instead of making excuses, leaders need to take immediate action when standards are not met. Your mission, vision, and values shouldn’t be just words on a plaque. They should be lived out in every interaction, every day. When you allow standards to slip, you’re eroding your brand, your culture, and the patient experience.
Ensuring That Standards are Expectations
So what steps should you take to ensure that your standards are expectations rather than suggestions? Here are some actions you can take immediately:
- Regularly round on departments and observe staff-patient interactions firsthand.
- Give on-the-spot feedback encouraging positive behaviors and correcting negative.
- Implement a robust system for collecting and reviewing patient feedback.
- Encourage staff to address concerns or breaches of standards without fear of retaliation.
- Address issues promptly and consistently, regardless of who is involved.
- Provide ongoing training and reinforcement of standards.
- Recognize and reward staff who consistently meet or exceed standards.
When your actions make it clear that you take your standards seriously and expect everyone to live up to those standards, they’ll become a way of life. They’ll drive the behaviors of all staff members because they’ll know they’re real.
If a staff member can fall asleep on the job with no ramifications, that sends a message that this behavior is okay. It’s not okay.
If your standards are truly expectations, you must be willing to hold people accountable. This doesn’t mean being punitive, but rather having honest conversations, providing support and resources for improvement, and, if necessary, making tough decisions about staffing.
Maintaining high standards isn’t just about following rules—it’s about providing the best possible care and experience for your patients and employees. By consistently upholding your standards, you create a culture of excellence that benefits patients, staff, and the organization as a whole.
About Baird Group
Since 1994, Baird Group has been on a mission to make healthcare better for patients and the people who serve them. A leading healthcare management consulting firm is who we are.
Founded by Kristin Baird, a nurse and pioneer in the patient experience, Baird Group is a leading healthcare management consulting firm uniquely qualified to help healthcare leaders understand their current culture and the resulting experience. We then can drive engagement solutions that achieve greater loyalty with patients, employees and providers.
Have a question or comment for Baird Group? We’d love to hear from you! Please click here to provide your contact information and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can! Or give us a call at (866) 686-7672.
Tags: Customer Service, Customer Service in Healthcare, expectations, Patient Experience, performance expectations, performance standards, Standards
