Published November 2, 2015

Banking On Successful Patient Engagement

 

The patient experience is at the forefront of many of the current and proposed future quality reporting programs. Additionally, management of chronic conditions and patient quality scores largely depends upon patient engagement (i.e., a willingness to participate in the achievement of healthcare goals). It is difficult to achieve successful patient engagement without being patient-centered as a practice, as unsatisfied patients tend not to be engaged. With growing penalties tied to value-based care and patient experience, groups should take measured steps toward becoming more patient-centered for long-term success, both financially and with regard to patient outcomes.

Most change begins with an assessment of current processes. Independent practices and health systems must determine practice strengths and weaknesses to identify focus areas for improvement. One way to make this assessment is by conducting an internal survey of shareholders, managers, and front-line employees to obtain feedback on practice ratings in areas of patient appointment wait times, in-office wait times, patient follow-up, and overall quality of provided care. This survey should also be distributed to patients for feedback, as internal views may differ from those outside of the practice. Following review of the internal and external surveys, the practice should begin to plan revisions to operations as appropriate.

Work toward change from the perspective of the patient or consumer. It makes sense that as you plan improvements for a patient-centered environment you would step into your patients’ minds for a moment, or think about what is important to you as a patient. Medical groups should function similarly to other customer service and hospitality entities, considering customer expectations, such as:

  • Timely accommodations— Just as with any other service provider, it is important that patients can be scheduled in a timely fashion, or they may consider other alternatives.
  • Reasonable wait times— Patients who must consistently wait past their scheduled appointment times might not return to that provider. There is no other industry where waiting excessively beyond appointment times would be acceptable.
  • A voice in their healthcare— Consumers require input when they are paying for a service. Accordingly, patients need to feel that they have been heard and their thoughts have been considered as a part of their care.
  • A welcoming environment— Warm personalities and smiling faces are essential for welcoming patients to your practice. This is especially important in healthcare, where a desire to provide meaningful service and be helpful should be required.

Reconsider staff roles. Patient communication and interaction occurs at nearly every level in a medical practice. From scheduling to billing, each member of your staff must demonstrate good customer service. Assess current staff to determine if they possess the necessary skills. If not, provide customer service training. Some staff will not meet requirements for a customer-service-oriented environment. You must be willing to replace those employees for the well-being and success of the practice. Future hiring decisions should be based on experience, skills, and customer service ability.

Designate someone in the practice to investigate and follow-up on patient complaints. Depending on the size of the practice, this role could be assigned to an existing leader or manager, or it may be necessary to create a separate position. For a patient who has expressed a negative experience, timely follow-up and resolution are essential to improving the relationship and keeping the patient engaged.

Be proactive with patient communications. This communication includes appointment reminders, communication of lab results, communication of expected costs, and follow-up. Practices should develop a staff training protocol which includes checklists for follow-up communications. Progress should be monitored and processes should be revised as necessary.

With the reorganization of practice operations and culture as described, groups should begin to see a positive shift in the patient experience, which should then translate into patients who want to be more engaged. Patients will feel valued by their practice and want to partner with staff and providers for long-term success.

With nearly 30 years of experience in practice operations, value-based incentive programs, and the patient-centered medical home, PYA is well-positioned to assist independent practices, as well as health systems with employed or affiliated physician practices, in building patient-centered practice cultures and improving the overall patient experience.

If you would like more information about practice operations assessments and performance improvement, contact one of the experts listed below at PYA at (888) 420-9876.

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