Patient Satisfaction Blog Series for CRC 2012
Easier? It can make my job easier?
You are now experts at improving the three physician-specific questions on the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey:
- During this hospital stay, how often did doctors treat you with courtesy and respect?
- During this hospital stay, how often did doctors listen carefully to you?
- During this hospital stay, how often did doctors explain things in a way you could understand?
I mentioned last week that this would make your job easier. How can that be? The following are some of the benefits that come from having satisfied patients:
- Fulfills patient priorities and wants
- Improves professional standing
- Improves compliance with recommended treatments and follow up
- Reduces liability risks and costs
- Improves staff retention and satisfaction
- Improves physician satisfaction
- Reduces unnecessary calls, returns to the ED, and professional aggravation
- Improves clinical outcomes and measures
There are other benefits as well. If you think back, you can probably find an example for each of the above from your own journey in the medical profession (as either a patient or provider). Happiness (satisfaction) is contagious!
Hopefully this series has whetted your appetite to do further reading, research, and reflection on improving patient satisfaction. Although “because the government says so” may be adequate motivation for some, the real motivation should come from our desire to provide the best patient care possible. After all, isn’t that what we are all about?
Editor’s note: William Mills, MD, MD, MMM, CPE, FACPE, CMSL, FAAFP, is a featured speaker at the 15th annual Credentialing Resource Center Symposium, May 10-11. He will be speaking on using patient satisfaction scores to drive improvement as well as how to privilege low- and no-volume practitioners. For more information, click here.
About the Author: William F. Mills, M.D., MMM, CPE, FAAFP, CMSL, is currently the senior vice president of quality and professional affairs for the Upper Allegheny Health System located in western NY. Mills is a graduate of Hahnemann University School of Medicine and completed his family practice residency at the West Jersey Health System. He is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine, and a fellow in the American Academy of Family Physicians. Mills is currently a clinical assistant professor at the School of Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo. He is also certified in addiction medicine through the American Society of Addiction Medicine, and currently serves as a medical review officer. Prior to transitioning to full-time administrative medicine, Mills spent more than 20 years as a practicing family physician, and more than 10 years as the medical director of a residential drug and alcohol treatment facility. He also holds a Master of Medical Management degree from the Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California and is a Certified Physician Executive from the Certifying Commission in Medical Management.
