Improved the satisfaction of patients has become a more important objective for healthcare professionals in recent times. Alongside making sure your patients are happy and healthy, boosting the scores of your patients’ satisfaction will also help you earn more incentive money in the Value-based Purchasing (VBP) program. It is a Hospital VBP Program that rewards hospitals with a score that reflects their standard of care – 25% of that score is determined by the patient’s satisfaction with care.
Does Patient Satisfaction Equal Better Health?
There is a lot of debate about the relationship between the experience of patients and their outcomes in clinical practice. While some studies show the existence of a link, however, some question the validity of feedback from patients and the impact they can affect a doctor’s actions.
In a piece published in the Journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons in the year 2000, a group of physicians expressed concerns that, in an attempt to draw the attention of patients and improve satisfaction scores, healthcare providers might not ask difficult questions that deal with the patient’s weight, drugs and alcohol consumption, as well as other lifestyle choices.
These are the most important aspects to be aware of as healthcare managers look over HCAHPS scores to measure patient satisfaction. The main factor in improving the satisfaction of patients scores is to have an open, honest and compassionate way of care.
The Top Five Recommendations for Improving the Patient Experience
Enhancing patient satisfaction scores and the overall experience of patient care is the top goal for health care systems. It’s a crucial quality domain within the CMS Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program (25 percent) and is an integral component of the IHI Triple Goal.
Yet although health systems recognize the importance of improving patient experience in the care they tend to use the satisfaction of patients as a determinant for outcomes. You can improve your healthcare services through medical professional feedback. Moreover, here are five important suggestions to improve the experience of patients:
1. Make your practice look engaging:
Patients form an opinion about your practice before even meeting with you. First impressions will begin by having a well-designed and user-friendly website that allows visitors to learn about your practice and the variety of services that you provide.
2. Respect your patients:
Your staff should be committed to providing patients with the care they require during their entire visit. From the moment a patient arrives for an appointment to the moment that the patient leaves the office, your staff should provide outstanding service.
3. Enhance the communication between patients and doctors:
Communication with patients starts by responding to calls with enthusiasm and willingness to respond to all their queries. Your staff members should never refuse to answer a call from the patient even when they don’t know the answer.
4. Enhance the appointment process
Try to create an organized appointment scheduler that is based on professional templates. The office must be kept open telephone lines open even during lunch hours.
5. Always be prompt when returning and answering the phone:
Do not place customers waiting for more than 30 seconds. Also do not transfer calls from one person to another. It is imperative to return messages and emails within a time frame.
Wrapping up
Behind every great doctor are staff members who keep the clinic running efficiently. Staff members are often the first point of contact with patients and thus require many professional abilities. Your staff members must be knowledgeable about the services you offer and must be taught to handle each patient with compassion and kindness. The majority of these abilities aren’t just about good hiring practices but also require training specific to practice. To know what is actually happening in the market, contact our support team.