Much is being written these days on patient experience as a critical part of the value equation (value defined as patient safety, quality outcomes and patient experience divided by cost/price point).
The Beryl Institute’s current definition of patient experience – “the sum of all interactions, shaped by an organization’s culture, that influence patient perceptions, across the continuum of care” – seems a reasonable definition.
I never really thought much about the patient experience portion of the equation until recently. I view patient experience through the lens of my wife, who has been treated for an acute, then chronic condition over the last eight years. She has experienced active and ongoing treatment with three health systems: a national/regional specialty/research hospital, a widely-regarded academic medical center and a regional healthcare system. (Why three different providers? It all comes down to employer insurance coverage and the economic choices the employee is forced to make! Don’t get me started on this issue – it’s a blog for another time.)
The patient experience in each of these three settings has been radically different. But why should one’s experience vary so much? Granted, these are three different organizations with varying ways of organizing, managing and providing care, but why should they be so different?
My wife can report on so many examples of suboptimal hospital/physician/patient relations out there it sometimes boggles the mind. Here are a few examples:
You will notice that these examples are not clinical in nature, per se – there are plenty of examples of those as well. The point is that, if patient experience is the sum total of all interactions, then the smallest and seemingly most insignificant example can negatively impact one’s overall perception. If a billing practice or an appointment screw-up is indicative of how a provider runs its business, then doesn’t this also reflect negatively on its clinical care? It shouldn’t, but unfortunately, the perception is that it often does.
As cardiovascular services professionals, how many of these examples do our customers (patients or physicians) experience each day? We must be vigilant, lest small issues negatively reflect the overall experience. Take time regularly to look at interactions from the perspective of your customers – you may find small tweaks that can have major impact on their perceptions.
My wife is the ultimate “mystery shopper.” You know, the person that is paid to go into an organization as a customer and report on how she was treated? She is a healthcare manager with many years of experience and can spot a flaw in the system or poor communication a mile away. She is a sophisticated consumer. Can you imagine what the perception of most healthcare consumers would be in the same situation?
Perception is reality for most people.
As always, CFA welcomes your comments, suggestions and questions.