"Service Serves" - Patient's Perspectives Feeds The Bottom Line

A patient’s perspective in the quality of healthcare is a vital part of an organization’s success. Enhancing a patient’s perspective on the quality of care they have received is an investment. It brings “greater profitability; improved customer loyalty and increased referrals; it teams staff towards a common goal, brings positive staff morale, retention, and recruitment benefits; and brings strong community support” (Michelli, 2011, p. 225).

In fact, empirical evidence gathered by UCLA’s health system says: 1) “Even in difficult times, 50 percent of consumers will pay more for a better service experience”; 2) “A full 68 percent will sever a customer relationship because they were treated poorly”, 3) “companies that are successful in creating both functional and emotional bonding with customers have a higher retention rate (84 percent vs. 30 percent)”, and 5) “The cost to attract a new customer is 6 times the cost to save one” (Michelli, 2011, p. 227). An even stronger finding was that out of all the patients that leave a provider for poor quality, only 15% reported it was due to “product” reasons; in other words, 85% left because of poor service (Michelli, 2011, p. 226).

So then we ask ourselves, if patients play such an undeniable role in a physician’s success, what keeps them from centering they mission towards “patients”?  In the book Prescription for Excellence, it states that “the healthcare industry has lagged in accepting this concept for several reasons:

“Customers are not loyal in the traditional sense because they usually wish to avoid using the healthcare system except when necessary”

“Most customers are insulated from price due to health insurance, and often fail to care about cost, only wanting the best, newest procedures”

“Clinical care is often viewed by physicians as completely separate from traditional customer or administrative services’

Clinicians believe great medicine will gain forgiveness for poor service” (Michelli, 2011, p. 228).

However, what these healthcare organizations and physicians do not grasp is that ‘word of mouth” is a powerful tool that can either make you or break you. A patient’s perspective not only influences his/her behavior, it can tarnish another’s. One example, was when I was getting ready to have my first daughter Amelia, I really wanted to deliver at Hospital X vs. Hospital Y, because of its new facility, great food, and the best in technology. But, one day when discussing my options to a person I met, she advised me to not deliver at Hospital X, to instead go to Hospital Y because of poor customer service. I had changed my plans to deliver at Hospital X, until the last minute I had a change of heart. I wanted to give Hospital X a chance of my own, and I did not regret it. But, my perception was altered (at least temporary) by word of mouth, and it could of cost Hospital X, two (2) deliveries of my own, and many referrals from me.

When leaders put focus on delivering quality service with the patient’s perspective in mind it brings staff together. Employees become engaged when they feel that their contribution is substantial “The mission/purpose of my company makes me feel my job is important” (Michelli, 2011, p. 236).

             In conclusion, a patient’s perspective is a key role in any organization. In healthcare, it was will make success sustainable without limits.

References:

Michelli, Ph.D, Joseph A. (2011). Prescription for Excellence. McGrawHill. Co-published with Second River Healthcare Press