Most caregivers are passionate about healing, saving lives and providing comfort, but exceptional consumer experience also means care that stretches beyond high-quality clinical expertise.
Patient experience was the focus of an hourlong, four-part experiential training event for thousands of employees at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas from March 30 through April 14. The overall theme of the Patient Experience Awareness Fair was “Go for the GOLD.’
“The Olympics serve as a testament to what talented and motivated people can accomplish, both as individuals and as teams,” hospital President Jim Parobek said in a videotaped welcome shown at the beginning of each small group session. “As we watch these athletes, we are reminded of the inherent quality in the human spirit – the belief that anything is possible.”
All direct and indirect patient-facing employees attended, walking to four themed rooms and listening for 15 minutes per topic to presentations by employee volunteer instructors. The subjects were: Experience: Why It Matters; Empathy: Care vs. Caring; Measuring Progress; and Your Role in the Consumer Experience.
Tiffany Northern, FACHE, chief operating officer, said the project began when Parobek asked his leadership team to look at ways to improve the hospital’s performance on net promoter score and key performance indicators. Net promoter score is a measure of the willingness of consumers to recommend a company’s products or services to others.
“I suggested a housewide education training for every single employee, so they walk away knowing consumer experience matters,” said Northern, below. “How do we put the caring back into the healthcare we provide?”
Two multidisciplinary employee work groups spent six weeks putting the program together.
By April 12, the seventh day of the training, Northern had collected many positive comments, such as: “I recalled again why I chose nursing, so that I can redirect myself toward better patient care whenever I feel discouraged or exhausted,” and “It is very well-presented. I was able to place myself in the patient’s and family’s situation and become more aware on how they are feeling. It’s a good insight to be in their shoes.”
“One great aspect of the fair was that everyone left with actionable tools to take back to their department and implement into their practice — the team really appreciated the call to action,” she said.
Kirk King, Hospital Channel chief operating officer, said, “Consumer experience, from compassionate care to clean rooms, is key to achieving our Vision of partnering with the communities we serve for a lifetime of health and well-being. These quick but absorbing sessions are a great way to energize our caregivers after more than two years fighting the pandemic.”
(Pictured top right: J. Russell McTizic, radiology technologist, and Stanford Dixson, Environmental Services, assist as Nabeel Bhatti, physical therapist, leads a training session at Texas Health Dallas.)
