Customer Service/Patient Experience Model

How well does the Customer Service Model Work?

Over the years, patient’s experience within the health care setting has been a rising concern as value-based purchasing and Hospital Consumer Assessment of health care Providers and Systems become a priority for health care organizations (HCAHPS). Healthcare organizations like Grady have been committed to improving patient experience and HCAHPS scores have taken center stage (Perna, 2013). At Los Angeles Community Hospital, the organization uses a communication – AIDET, which stands for Acknowledge, Introduce, Duration, Explanation, and Thank You. Ideally, as Tosha, Tyne, and Stacie (2016) elaborates, AIDET is a communication tool that helps health care providers to engage patients during care delivery, reduce fear and anxiety among patients, and build a relationship with patients and their families. The tool helps reduce miscommunication and if implemented correctly and accurately it increases patient satisfaction levels.

At Los Angeles Community Hospital, the use of AIDET as a customer service model is quite simple and patients are treated as we would want our loved ones to be treated. In particular, immediately a patient is admitted, the nurse assigned introduces him/herself and lets the patient know the plan. The nurse listens to what the patient wants to say. Later the Patient Experience Advocate comes in, introduces herself and asks them if they have any complaints regarding the care they have received. Majority are usually fine but the Patient Experience Advocate provides patients with her business card for communication in the future. In case the patients have any concerns, complaints, or questions, the Patient Experience Advocate tries as much to satisfy them. 

Customer service model/patient experience in my unit/department

One way customer service/ patient experience is enhanced in my unit/department is by working as a team to get amazing outcomes. As a nurse, I make rounds in every unit, making sure that all my patients are well taken care of. Usually, the nurse manage is involved if we encounter a difficult patient who may be rude, aggressive, or refusing to comply.

Measuring Customer Satisfaction

The customer satisfaction is measured based on the number of AMA’s (patient that go Against Medical advice), elopement, and bad reviews received every month. If customer satisfaction is high, we encourage our nurses, if low we hold a meeting with the nurse manager to rectify the situation.

Customer Satisfaction and Reimbursement

According to Berkowitz (2016), patient experience and patient satisfaction is related to the patient’s direct or indirect experience with a healthcare system. customer satisfaction is tied to reimbursement in that, patients are like other consumers and increased patient satisfaction and better patient experience patients is likely to make patients visit a specific healthcare organization.

References

Berkowitz, B. (2016). The Patient Experience and Patient Satisfaction: Measurement of a Complex Dynamic. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 21(1). DOI: 10.3912/OJIN.Vol21No01Man01

Perna, G. (2013). Hospital leaders create ‘the culture of always.’ Healthcare Informatics, 30(1), 42, 44, 56.

Tosha, A., Tyne, R., & Stacie, S. (2016). Patient perceptions of an AIDET and hourly rounding program in a community hospital: Results of a qualitative study. Patient Experience Journal, 3(1), 42-49.