Monday, February 11, 2008

Use Patient Surveys to Improve Your Health Care Business

The 7th-February 2007 edition of the Wall Street Journal, described a local hospital with regard to efforts on patient satisfaction. In short, the article notes that the hospital during the year 2004 had done a survey of satisfaction among patients and found that patients thought, the remuneration of the service staff are available, and that the poor patients believed that they were poorly informed about decisions and home care. The hospital in the answer to this investigation creates some very positive results. The hospital has formed a family council and patients. Based on the Board's recommendation, a number of significant changes have been made. Visiting Hours were eliminated. The staff has worked with patients and staff to decide who would be medical decisions made. Waiting times have been reduced. Calls personnel at home dismissal of the patient to ensure that the instructions were clear and respected. These improvements have resulted, with others from a list of classification of patients in the lower third of the 64 National Percentile. Improvements are, admittedly, in cooperation with a score higher.

Why a hospital, the same type of information and patient satisfaction? One is that the health care market is becoming increasingly competitive. Medicare is the posting of the results of investigations required hospital patients on its website. There are three major hospitals in the metro area in which I live (Grand Rapids), and if the media and advertising campaigns are also no signs, the competition is still very intense. Word of mouth is an important component of advertising. That's why patient satisfaction is extremely important. Unfortunately, many hospitals do not have to recognize the importance of patient satisfaction, despite the fact that it is one of the main recommendations of the National Institute of Health, the report Crossing the Quality Chasm.

Another return to draw attention to patient satisfaction, improving the patient's health. Find out who is entitled to medical decisions made, the time is recorded and the importance of medical decisions. By following the instructions at home, costly mistakes in terms of money and health and to warn patients of healing is much faster, thereby reducing the price of readmissions due to complications after liberation.

Many readers to listen to the patients is borrowed from a long tradition of the best manufacturers of daily life and service providers for clients. I ran across an outstanding example not so long ago, with Toyota Corporation, a company that sets standards globally and improving customer satisfaction and turnover. I drove a Toyota Matrix and has been testing the driver's seat at the same height as my new Corolla. I was surprised. The seller said that Toyota had questioned its customers and found that customers prefer the seats next to the driver of a certain height. Those drivers who housed, which constitute an important segment of customers of Toyota. For example, Toyota standardized this altitude, in all its cars, some time ago. This is one reason of its turnover in the world is increasing.

Competition has increased, not only in the hospital but also in many other areas of the health sector. In a 6th February 2007 article in the Wall Street Journal, competition in the laser eye correction of the transaction was discussed. National, competition in this field is becoming increasingly intense, and it is in my region. Prices for the infringement proceedings. The increased use of Health Savings Accounts (HSA), has also led to an increase in comparison with the quality and cost of this procedure. If I have this article has been discussed recently with the head of that institution, he pointed out that it remains difficult to compare the quality of service. He said, word of mouth is very important. Therefore, what patients think is very important. Polls are a great way to find out.

Competition is also an increase in the recruitment of primary care. It is increasingly important to find out what patients think. From January 1999, Family Practice Management, and recalled some excellent advice on how to do so. In this article, refer to the American Academy of Family Physician's website. Two useful tips are available in the article, like make sure you have a sample, for the best results of the survey and the size of the response, which is necessary for good results. He also pointed out, access to a standardized questionnaire for the doctor to basic health care which they have evolved. While these surveys are good, I think a survey designed specifically for a certain parameter of Health is even more valuable results.

Polls are very important in the world cope with competitive pressure in the health sector climate. Simple and standardized surveys can learn a lot of useful information, but I suggest that you, if you want the best information that you get the help of someone, of the investigation, specializes in the design, collection of information and analysis-investigation. I am sure that if this step, see the investment is worthwhile.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Polls are extremely important to get feedbacks but sometimes, people tend to provide wrong feedbacks which of course can be a problem!
electronic medical record