Do first impressions really matter in medicine? Some could argue that the only thing that should matter to a patient is whether they are receiving the correct diagnosis and treatment. In reality, patients care about much more.
Their experience from the moment they enter your facility and how they are made to feel both physically and emotionally influences their willingness to be an active participant in their healthcare plan.
That’s why it’s important to have an engaged care team within your medical practice aligned to a shared patient experience goal of consistent, high-quality care from check-in to post-visit and beyond.
A “care team” is the group of people who encounter a patient while they are in a medical practice whether it be for clinical, financial, or other purposes. All employees including medical assistants, advanced practice providers (APPs), physicians, and office managers are contributors to the team. Ensuring all members of the care team feel valued and are engaged in their work is critical to the success of the organization’s goals, especially patient experience.
Studies prove that an engaged workforce will produce higher-quality results, lower turnover, and reduce medical errors. One factor that can lead directly to turnover is physician burnout, and disengaged non-clinical employees can be a major contributor to that burnout. Having to continually onboard new employees adds stress and rework to an already full physician workload. According to a recent Studer Group survey of practicing physicians, additional administrative duties is the third highest contributor to physician burnout. What’s more, higher rates of disengagement among office staff could lead to high turnover rates of both employees and physicians. Studies show clinical quality significantly improves when turnover is less than 12 percent.
What can medical practice leaders do to drive employee engagement and decrease the prevalence of physician burnout?
Below are three actions physician leaders and practice leaders can do now:
Set Objective Measurable Goals
Align performance goals for employees to overarching organizational goals. For example, individual performance metrics around abandoned phone calls would be directly correlated to patient experience and CG CAHPS Access Composites. Additionally, goals for standard clinical visit summaries show an employee their contribution to the patient continuum of care. If possible, align incentives with individual goals but keep them measurable and transparent with monthly progress reports.
Invest in Professional Development
It’s counterproductive to set goals for someone and not give them the tools and resources to achieve those goals. Staff development is essential to reaching and sustaining organizational success. Employees who are given the opportunity to build their skillset are more collaborative and feel valued. Professional development plans can be customized to fit roles and responsibilities or be based on the goals and objectives of the medical practice.
By: Matthew Bates
Source: http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/
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