When it comes to the healthcare industry, the general public tends to put quite a lot of trust in their local hospitals, doctors, surgeons and medical staff. And why shouldn’t they? After all, it takes many years of schooling and dedicated practice for one to acquire any degree or licensure pertaining to medical care.
With today’s advanced technologies, hospitals and health systems worldwide have saved more lives than ever thought possible. Miracles are happening every day. This can partly be attributed to the state-of-the-art equipment and clinical furnishings currently available, but for the most part is the result of the outstanding teams of medical professionals and practitioners who properly operate these tools making improved health a reality.
Of course the outcome is the primary focus of any healthcare encounter, but the manner in which the care is being delivered should be an equally important component. The value of great customer service transcends industries from retail to food service to healthcare. Most organizations rely heavily on reputation to drive revenue. Effective public interactions, media exposure, marketing strategies, and word-of-mouth communication are barometers from which customer satisfaction can be measured for any business. In healthcare, having a patient become a loyal consumer, returning time and time again for care, or being willing to recommend services to friends and family members is the ultimate goal. By continuously working on improving care delivery, healthcare organizations can not only gain operating efficiencies, but build strong customer relationships and solidify a positive reputation.
Here are a few pointers that you should consider when looking into improving hospital efficiency and functionality for your facility.
Strategic Management Planning
Even though medical services are directly provided by a clinician and their support staff, management plays a pivotal role in the healthcare experience. Hospital leaders receive and evaluate all patient feedback and break it down into structural data. They not only have the responsibility of maintaining and balancing the environment of the facility, but they have to translate the impact of operations into critical financial decisions. It is their duty to get the hospital staff involved whenever necessary, keep them motivated to achieve the goals outlined by the organization, and ensure that great service is being provided in a cost effective manner.
Given the dynamic environment of healthcare, this is not always an easy task. Strong leaders are required to develop realistic and achievable strategies for both improved fiscal and quality performance.
Routine Physician Practice Reviews
One of the very best ways to improve hospital efficiency in the workplace is by completing performance reviews for physicians and their team members. Whether they are done annually, bi-annually, or quarterly, they are an excellent way to encourage providers to meet goals and continually enhance the patient experience.
Often, people tend to foresee performance reviews as being a negative or biased experience. However, if they are constructed in such a way that they serve to reward one’s efforts and contributions then they can have a greater positive effect.
Conducting Resourceful Benchmarking Meetings
Hospital leadership will generally take on this particular task as it usually deals with financial references and comparison reports pertaining to revenue, productivity, and expenditures. During a benchmark meeting, those present will compare key metrics, prioritize improvement opportunities, and create a successful action plan for implementing change.
Other points that are reviewed during a hospital benchmark meeting would be the hospital’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis). This helps the organization to further explore, identify and analyze all of the important factors of operations and realize what potential exists.
Reach your hospital’s peak potential with help from ALTIUS. Our healthcare strategists pride themselves on challenging complacency with innovative practices, encouraging revitalization and continued sustainability for your organization. Get in touch with ALTIUS today for a free analysis of your organization, and discover all the ways we can elevate performance!