Patient Expectations in Hospitals Matter

The healthcare industry is becoming more consumer-driven and the growing population of health-conscious consumers is shifting the way hospitals work. Patient expectations are changing and this movement is pressuring healthcare organizations to re-evaluate their operations to better suit the needs of today's modern patient. Ever since the 2008 introduction of the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey, consumers have the ability to review and report patient satisfaction data that will provide valid comparisons of hospitals around the country.

Since HCAHPS' emergence, a 32-item survey is filled out and those scores and answers are available for display, giving consumers a first-hand look at how well patients are treated. From things like communication to how fast their experience was, the survey gives a detailed perspective of what others could expect. A patient's perception of care depends on their own observations of how well hospital employees work with each other, their performance and their commitment to quality care. Those hospitals who had highly engaged, team-oriented employees received high scores so it's not a surprise that the more motivated and enthusiastic hospitals rank better than others.

However, there are many reasons why other hospitals scored lower and one of them may be the lack of patient attention. This may not be due to negligence, but it could be due to outdated hospital workflows and processes that take precious time away for things like paperwork. To increase patient attention which will in turn, increase HCAHPS scores, hospitals need to invest in workflow automation software, print management systems and paperless, electronic documents.

Essentially, those above systems and updates will bring hospitals up to speed to meet the demands of the 21^st century. Too much time is spent on administrative activities like paperwork and document filing that those hospital employees could devote the time to the patient. Not only will it increase time spent with a patient, but it will also reduce costs because a significant amount of paper will no longer be needed. The data found in HCAHPS surveys can negatively impact patient expectations if the scores are bad and in order for hospitals to remain competitive, changes need to be made.

4 Ways To Improve Hospital Competitiveness and Patient Satisfaction

You may not think of it often, but hospitals and healthcare organizations are businesses too. Their main focus may be the treatment and care of a patient, but they also have some money to make. With the recent emergence of minute clinics and urgent care centers, there has been a rise in competition in terms of business. At the end of the day, patients are consumers of healthcare and their choice for where they seek treatment is a big deal. Minute clinics and urgent care centers are commonly known for their ‘faster’ treatment capabilities which can be the reason why some patients chose the latter instead of a hospital.

With this being said, hospitals need to become more competitive and improve satisfaction in order to hold their market share. Check out these four ways hospitals can speed up their admittance rates and increase patient satisfaction.

1. Patient-Friendly Technologies             

Generally speaking, any time a patient goes for a visit, there is a large amount of paperwork to be completed before admittance. By integrating smart technologies, like electronic forms, patients can quickly submit information via tablet or some other computing device while waiting to be seen.

2. Print Management

On the other end, healthcare workers must print out wristbands, documents and other paper forms that can consume precious time. In order to speed up the delivery time of paper forms, print management solutions can streamline printing duties. This has a domino effect because it will translate into quicker patient admittance and hasten other workflows.

3. Modern Feel

No one likes waiting around in a dry, dusty and bland waiting room. By designing and renovating a welcoming waiting room, patients will get a better sense of treatment if they are in an area planned to be comfortable. By providing conveniences like WiFi, comfortable seating and a lounge type area, waiting would not be perceived as bad as it is.

4. More Time With Doctors

By increasing the overall speed and efficiency of patient wait times, doctors should be able to increase time spent with the patient. By allowing for more time to talk about an ailment, patients will be more satisfied with their visit and likely to return in the future if another medical issue arises.

While staying competitive is a big deal, hospitals do have advance technologies at their disposal to improve overall workflows, the challenge is integrating them!