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Best practices in discharge planning aid customer service, market share

Hospitalist Leadership Connection, July 11, 2007

Pricing and quality transparency are now buzzwords with long-reaching financial implications for both providers and patients. Now, more than ever, hospital administrators believe strong customer service may be the "X" factor that will retain customers and their business.

Providers must examine every process to ensure that it's not only efficient for the hospital, but also appealing for the patient.

However, one particular process, discharge planning, can be a headache in any setting. Discharge ranks among the most anticipated and stressful moments of a hospital experience for patients and their families.

Delays in discharge have long affected length of stay and patient flow, but numerous studies now show a direct link between a hospital's discharge planning process and overall patient satisfaction. A patient's perception of the discharge process has become a crucial component to overall satisfaction and hospital loyalty.

"A good discharge experience leaves the patient with positive emotions and a strong affinity for returning to the facility," said Paul Clark, senior knowledge manager for Press Ganey Associates in South Bend, IN, during the HCPro audioconference "Optimizing the Discharge Process: Improve patient flow, reduce length of stay, and increase patient satisfaction."

To learn more about this and other HCPro audioconferences, go to: www.hcmarketplace.com.

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