Medical Staff

Take patient satisfaction initiatives to the next level

Medical Staff Briefing, June 1, 2010

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Pressure continues to mount on hospitals to improve their patient satisfaction scores, particularly through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey, or face reduced reimbursement. Hospitalist leaders are at the forefront of initiatives that have the potential to improve not only quality of care, but also patient satisfaction scores. 

Hospitalist leaders may be familiar with several frontline initiatives to improve patient satisfaction scores, such as hanging dry erase boards in patient rooms to help patients and families keep track of providers. Although such initiatives never hurt, they are only the tip of the iceberg.

In addition to general best practices that hospitalists should abide by, such as taking the time to answer patients’ questions, asking “Is there anything else I can do for you?” and making personal connections with patients, hospitalist leaders who want to see a significant improvement in their patient satisfaction scores should focus their efforts on two primary areas: staffing and teamwork.

This is an excerpt from a member only article. To read the article in its entirety, please login or subscribe to Medical Staff Briefing.

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