In today's healthcare landscape, it's becoming increasing clear that the customer, or in this case the patient, is king. Patients have access to a wide array of online forums to air grievances and bad experiences at a healthcare facility make the rounds much faster than good experiences. However, ambulatory surgery center operations can be unpredictable and lead to patient dissatisfaction.
Imelda Kelly, RN, director of regulatory compliance, ASC at Phoenix-based Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center and Mauro Cecchetti, vice president of operations, Constitution Surgery Centers, Newington, Conn., discuss how ASCs can strike the balance between efficiency and patient satisfaction.
Question: How can eye centers promote patient satisfaction?
Mauro Cecchetti: With the rising utilization of electronic medical records, more and more ASCs are moving toward the electronic patient satisfaction survey with results that are sent in via the internet and tallied to create trending reports. Whether by email or the traditional paper survey, centers need to promote why these surveys are so important for future improvements and overall delivery of quality healthcare.
The one solid answer I can give is to speak to the patient and explain that because of feedback from past patients, the center is able to learn new ways of assuring a pleasant and comfortable experience. Stress the fact that their opinions matter. Lastly, if the survey is on paper, add postage and a return envelope. It goes a long way.
Imelda Kelly: Eye centers can promote patient satisfaction by ensuring that the patient is informed. This process starts with the first encounter with the patient, and in our practice this begins in the clinic with their preoperative visit. Their first exposure to the surgery center is the phone call from the receptionist.
The staff contacting the patient prior to admission to the ASC informs the patient of the anticipated length of time they will be at the surgery center and reiterates the patient's responsibilities in preparation for their procedure. This process of informing the patient is carried throughout the perioperative process — every staff member the patient encounters introduces themselves to the patient and explains what they will be doing for the patient.
Q: How can eye centers improve patient satisfaction while still being efficient?
Mr. Cecchetti: Many ASCs encounter issues that require continuous attention — that if not addressed can reduce efficiency. Quality assurance programs usually get to the root of the problem where corrective actions are then implemented to resolve the error. The surgical schedule is one feature eye centers are constantly looking to improve even before the problem becomes a documented study.
When patients are taken in on time, it usually is reflected positively in the satisfaction survey. Although, waiting time cannot be completely eradicated, keeping a conscious eye on the [amount] of time a patient is waiting can significantly increase your patient satisfaction while still being efficient. If a delay is inevitable, inform the patients who are waiting and perhaps contact the ones who have not arrived. They will appreciate it and comment on it in the satisfaction survey.
Ms. Kelly: There are lots of behind-the-scene duties that are carried out by the ASC staff prior to the patient presenting for surgery. Firstly, ensuring the team members are properly trained and knowledgeable about procedures and can verbalize information to the patient and sufficiently answer their questions.
Secondly, staff should familiarize themselves with the specifics of the individual patient, including history and any special needs of the patient or request by the surgeon and ensuring that the supplies, such as the IOL requested, are on hand prior to the procedure. Thirdly, providing the patient with prescriptions that are to be used following surgery, in advance of the surgery day, so that the patient can purchase them and have them on hand.
Lastly, having pre-printed instructions and pre-made kits that contain supplies that the patient needs following surgery. Effective communication is truly the key to patient satisfaction — patients need to be informed. Encountering every patient with a smile and positive attitude are key for our surgery center patient satisfaction.
Q: What are the most common reasons for eye center patient dissatisfaction?
Mr. Cecchetti: Patient dissatisfaction can result from a variety of reasons. Patients may be nervous on the day of surgery, where small things may seem like a big deal at the time. Most common reasons I have encountered were a delay in the surgical schedule, an inadequate snack offered in the post anesthesia care unit or pain during the procedure.
Whatever the dissatisfaction, I am a firm believer that a call should be placed to that individual and their dissatisfaction should be discussed. Frequently, all a patient wants is a few minutes to listen to a simple suggestion. Most often when they return for the second procedure they will not have any negative comments in their surveys.
Ms. Kelly: Patients will express dissatisfaction if the anesthesia department does not adequately explain the effects of the anesthesia or if they feel that the anesthesia they received was not what they anticipated. Patients also do not expect to spend a long time waiting for the admission to the ASC. Once they arrive, they expect the process to begin. It is important to inform them of the arrival time and to keep them informed if [you] are not able to admit them because of an internal delay.
Q: What are the common mistakes ASCs make when trying to improve efficiency that lead to patient dissatisfaction?
Mr. Cecchetti: A negative comment in a satisfaction survey is a person's perception on what they experienced on their surgical day. More often than not, a negative comment will go unaddressed and a simple request can reduce efficiency if continuously repeated. Since the staff works in the environment on a daily basis, it is sometimes difficult to see what usually may be an easy fix.
Ms. Kelly: Patients are counting on the information given to them by the ASC staff and planning their day around their surgical procedure. Often times they are depending on relatives and friends for transportation. Once the patient is told of the arrival time, the ASC should honor this arrival time, as making changes to the time is often a problem for the patient's ride. If the ASC is not being realistic about the length of time the process will take and providing patients with incorrect information, families are inconvenienced and this stresses the patient.
Q: Why is it important for ASCs to ensure both efficiency and patient satisfaction?
Mr. Cecchetti: Whether an ASC performs ophthalmic, orthopedic or any other type of surgical procedures; efficiency is why surgery centers are successful. Patients are able to have major procedures performed and ambulate home the same day without the need of a hospital stay. Efficiency along with ensuring our patients are pleased is how we remain competitive. In striving to stay efficient, at times we forget that we are service-related and taking that extra step to keep patients happy will allow you to stand above all others.
Ms. Kelly: Time is money in the ASC. An inefficient staff affects the flow of cases on the schedule and results in greater staffing cost, which affects the profitability of the ASC. An inefficient staff may also affect the patient perception of the ASC. Patients select their providers based on their satisfaction with the provider. If providers are not happy with an ASC, they will take their cases to ASCs that meet their needs.
In this day of "information" and social media, etc., patients are quick to post their satisfaction or dissatisfaction for all to see. The best advertising a practice can have is word-of-mouth by a happy patient.
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Imelda Kelly, RN, director of regulatory compliance, ASC at Phoenix-based Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center and Mauro Cecchetti, vice president of operations, Constitution Surgery Centers, Newington, Conn., discuss how ASCs can strike the balance between efficiency and patient satisfaction.
Question: How can eye centers promote patient satisfaction?
Mauro Cecchetti: With the rising utilization of electronic medical records, more and more ASCs are moving toward the electronic patient satisfaction survey with results that are sent in via the internet and tallied to create trending reports. Whether by email or the traditional paper survey, centers need to promote why these surveys are so important for future improvements and overall delivery of quality healthcare.
The one solid answer I can give is to speak to the patient and explain that because of feedback from past patients, the center is able to learn new ways of assuring a pleasant and comfortable experience. Stress the fact that their opinions matter. Lastly, if the survey is on paper, add postage and a return envelope. It goes a long way.
Imelda Kelly: Eye centers can promote patient satisfaction by ensuring that the patient is informed. This process starts with the first encounter with the patient, and in our practice this begins in the clinic with their preoperative visit. Their first exposure to the surgery center is the phone call from the receptionist. The staff contacting the patient prior to admission to the ASC informs the patient of the anticipated length of time they will be at the surgery center and reiterates the patient's responsibilities in preparation for their procedure. This process of informing the patient is carried throughout the perioperative process — every staff member the patient encounters introduces themselves to the patient and explains what they will be doing for the patient.
Q: How can eye centers improve patient satisfaction while still being efficient?
Mr. Cecchetti: Many ASCs encounter issues that require continuous attention — that if not addressed can reduce efficiency. Quality assurance programs usually get to the root of the problem where corrective actions are then implemented to resolve the error. The surgical schedule is one feature eye centers are constantly looking to improve even before the problem becomes a documented study.
When patients are taken in on time, it usually is reflected positively in the satisfaction survey. Although, waiting time cannot be completely eradicated, keeping a conscious eye on the [amount] of time a patient is waiting can significantly increase your patient satisfaction while still being efficient. If a delay is inevitable, inform the patients who are waiting and perhaps contact the ones who have not arrived. They will appreciate it and comment on it in the satisfaction survey.
Ms. Kelly: There are lots of behind-the-scene duties that are carried out by the ASC staff prior to the patient presenting for surgery. Firstly, ensuring the team members are properly trained and knowledgeable about procedures and can verbalize information to the patient and sufficiently answer their questions.
Secondly, staff should familiarize themselves with the specifics of the individual patient, including history and any special needs of the patient or request by the surgeon and ensuring that the supplies, such as the IOL requested, are on hand prior to the procedure. Thirdly, providing the patient with prescriptions that are to be used following surgery, in advance of the surgery day, so that the patient can purchase them and have them on hand.
Lastly, having pre-printed instructions and pre-made kits that contain supplies that the patient needs following surgery. Effective communication is truly the key to patient satisfaction — patients need to be informed. Encountering every patient with a smile and positive attitude are key for our surgery center patient satisfaction.
Q: What are the most common reasons for eye center patient dissatisfaction?
Mr. Cecchetti: Patient dissatisfaction can result from a variety of reasons. Patients may be nervous on the day of surgery, where small things may seem like a big deal at the time. Most common reasons I have encountered were a delay in the surgical schedule, an inadequate snack offered in the post anesthesia care unit or pain during the procedure.
Whatever the dissatisfaction, I am a firm believer that a call should be placed to that individual and their dissatisfaction should be discussed. Frequently, all a patient wants is a few minutes to listen to a simple suggestion. Most often when they return for the second procedure they will not have any negative comments in their surveys.
Ms. Kelly: Patients will express dissatisfaction if the anesthesia department does not adequately explain the effects of the anesthesia or if they feel that the anesthesia they received was not what they anticipated. Patients also do not expect to spend a long time waiting for the admission to the ASC. Once they arrive, they expect the process to begin. It is important to inform them of the arrival time and to keep them informed if [you] are not able to admit them because of an internal delay.
Q: What are the common mistakes ASCs make when trying to improve efficiency that lead to patient dissatisfaction?
Mr. Cecchetti: A negative comment in a satisfaction survey is a person's perception on what they experienced on their surgical day. More often than not, a negative comment will go unaddressed and a simple request can reduce efficiency if continuously repeated. Since the staff works in the environment on a daily basis, it is sometimes difficult to see what usually may be an easy fix.
Ms. Kelly: Patients are counting on the information given to them by the ASC staff and planning their day around their surgical procedure. Often times they are depending on relatives and friends for transportation. Once the patient is told of the arrival time, the ASC should honor this arrival time, as making changes to the time is often a problem for the patient's ride. If the ASC is not being realistic about the length of time the process will take and providing patients with incorrect information, families are inconvenienced and this stresses the patient.
Q: Why is it important for ASCs to ensure both efficiency and patient satisfaction?
Mr. Cecchetti: Whether an ASC performs ophthalmic, orthopedic or any other type of surgical procedures; efficiency is why surgery centers are successful. Patients are able to have major procedures performed and ambulate home the same day without the need of a hospital stay. Efficiency along with ensuring our patients are pleased is how we remain competitive. In striving to stay efficient, at times we forget that we are service-related and taking that extra step to keep patients happy will allow you to stand above all others.
Ms. Kelly: Time is money in the ASC. An inefficient staff affects the flow of cases on the schedule and results in greater staffing cost, which affects the profitability of the ASC. An inefficient staff may also affect the patient perception of the ASC. Patients select their providers based on their satisfaction with the provider. If providers are not happy with an ASC, they will take their cases to ASCs that meet their needs.
In this day of "information" and social media, etc., patients are quick to post their satisfaction or dissatisfaction for all to see. The best advertising a practice can have is word-of-mouth by a happy patient.
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