Think Like a Patient: Creating a Culture of Exceptional Customer Service

Laurie K. Baedke, FACHE, CMPEPresidentLIFEworks Healthcare Group, Inc.

Nebraska Optometric Association Fall Convention 2011

September 23, 2011

Learning Objectives

• Understand the anatomy of patient centered experiences

• Recommend strategies for employee selection, recognition and retention that foster a culture of patient focused service

• Learn best practices, ideas, and techniques from successful patient focused organizations

• Unleash the power of employee and patient loyalty

Patient Centered Care

Patient-Centered Care is defined as “health care that establishes a partnership among practitioners, patients and their families (when appropriate) to ensure that patients have the education and support they need to make decisions and participate in their own care.”

National Health Quality Report 2004

Practical Patient Centered Care

• Patients have a good place where they can receive quality care

• Employees have a good place to work

• Doctors have a good place to practice optometry

Consumer Driven Healthcare• Transparency and technology are effecting the

healthcare market Consumerism and availability of data Expectations for service and quality The internet is a force multiplier

• Patient Centered Care is a process of: Targeted clinical process improvement Systematic organizational culture development

o Employee engagemento Doctor buy-ino Ultimately, patient loyalty

What do patients want?

• High quality clinical care• Ease of access• Follow through• Respect and courtesy• Affordability

What do our organizations often look like?• Overworked and overwhelmed• Rude and unfriendly• Silo approach to work• Leadership turnover• Low skill level in staff• Culture of “it’s not my job” and finger-pointing• Reluctance to change• Lack of accountability• No follow through

Organizational Culture

Employee Engagement

Financial Returns CULTURE Doctor

Engagement

Patient Loyalty

Driving Employee Engagement

• Employee selection

• Effective and thorough training and orientation

• Defined performance expectations

• Timely and meaningful feedback

• Organizational investment in ongoing development

Rule # 1 – Put the Right People on the Bus

“First who, then what.”

Jim Collins, “Good to

Great”

The 12 Elements of Great Managing

1. I know what it expected of me at work.2. I have the materials and equipment I need to do my

work right.3. At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best

every day.4. In the last seven days, I have received recognition or

praise for doing good work.5. My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care

about me as a person.6. There is someone at work who encourages my

development.

The 12 Elements of Great Managing (Continued)

7. At work, my opinions seem to count.8. The mission or purpose of my company makes me feel

my job is important.9. My associates or fellow employees are committed to

doing quality work.10. I have a best friend at work.11. In the last six months, someone at work has talked to

me about my progress.12. This last year, I have had opportunities at work to learn

and grow.Source:

“12: The Elements of Great Managing”, 2006, Gallup Press

Cross Industry Best Practices

Hardwiring Excellence – Studer’s Principles 1. Commit to Excellence2. Measure the Important Things3. Build a Culture Around Service4. Create and Develop Leaders5. Focus on Employee Satisfaction6. Build Individual Accountability7. Align Behaviors with Goals and Values8. Communicate at All Levels9. Recognize and Reward Success

Source: “Hardwiring Excellence”, 2003, Fire Starter Press

Patient Centered Care Scripts

• Begin with a greeting• Identify yourself• Listen• Ask a clarifying question• Always make an offer of assistance• Follow through

Roadmap

• Define the vision• Design the structure for the change process• Align culture and vision• Identify processes, policies, operating standards,

and performance metrics• Measure progress• Celebrate wins• Continue to evolve as the organization changes

The 5 Phases of Organizational ChangePhase 1 – The Honeymoon

• What to Expect Sense of excitement Right “to do” list “Things will get better” Hope reigns Easy, quick fixes are

implemented

• Key Action Steps Build the emotional bank

account (rounding, thank-yous)

Start to hardwire key behaviors

Reward and recognize Introduce a new

accountability system Roll out behavior

standards

The 5 Phases of Organizational ChangePhase 2 – Reality Sets In

• What to Expect We | They Inconsistency Bigger than I thought This will impact me Some are getting it.

Some are not.

• Key Action Steps Evaluate and focus

training Increase substance

of communication to staff

Continue to implement hardwiring

The 5 Phases of Organizational ChangePhase 3 – The Uncomfortable Gap

• What to Expect The Wall Appears (more

employees are really getting it – some obviously are not and it becomes intolerable)

Tougher decisions must be made

Process improvement increases

Need for standardization becomes evident

Inconsistencies become more obvious

• Key Action Steps Evaluate and focus

training Continue to re-rerecruit

high performers Increase substance of

communication to staff Finalize hardwiring Promote | recognize your

winners Ensure that the “right

people” are in the “right places”

The 5 Phases of Organizational ChangePhase 4 - Consistency

• What to Expect Organization-wide high

performing results Right leaders are in

place Everyone understands

the keys to success Disciplined people and

disciplined processes Proactive leadership

• Key Action Steps Push for innovation Standardize and repeat

key behaviors

The 5 Phases of Organizational ChangePhase 5 – Leading the Way - Results

• What to Expect Employees have purpose Patients choose your

practice over others Doctors and employees

want to work at your clinic

We are changing eye care for the better

What seemed to have been impossible is being achieved

• Key Action Steps Keep it up!

Assessing Your Staff

• Inspiring the High Performers Tell them where the organization is going Thank them for their good work Outline why they are so important Ask is there anything you can do for them

Assessing Your Staff

• Developing the Middle Performers Reassure – Let them know they are valued Support – Describe good qualities Coach – Cover development opportunities Support – Reaffirm good qualities

Assessing Your Staff

• Isolating Low Performers Describe what has been observed Evaluate how you feel Show what needs to be done Define consequences of continued same

performance

Lessons Learned

• True transformation takes time. You cannot skip steps to get there!

• Behavior change requires training, reinforcement, and reward | recognition.

• Training must be uniform and consistent. Turnover and drifting off course will occur if you train once and expect people to get it.

Lessons Learned• Key leadership, including doctors, must be on

board for the transformation process to occur in good time. It can occur without them, but it takes a lot longer and is more at risk.

• Your message must be multi-generational. What has meaning to the middle aged employee may have no meaning whatsoever to the millenium employee.

Lessons Learned• Compare all new “initiatives” to your core

mission and values. If they don’t further your mission or connect to your values, don’t do them!

• Connect the dots for doctors and employees by coming back to the heart of who you are and what you stand for with new programs. Patient centered care should be at the core of all you do.

Lessons Learned• Devote resources to communication, rewards,

and recognition. If these things happen as an afterthought, you will slow or even endanger the change process.

• Continuity is paramount. If you have the right people on the bus, work hard to keep them there. When new employees join your organization, have a planned approach to their orientation to patient centered care.

Lessons Learned• Patient centered care connects to the deepest

aspirations people have for working in healthcare. Capitalize on this and don’t lose sight of it. It can be your best source of energy and creativity, and motivation becomes easier.

• Explain “what’s in it for me” to doctors. Identify how patient centered care benefits them and their patients. Find a doctor leader to champion the process, who is credible and influential, and reward them for their time and effort.

Questions | Comments

Bibliography

• “Hardwiring Excellence”, Quint Studer, 2003, Fire Starter Publishing

• “12: The Elements of Great Managing”, Rodd Wagner & James Harter, 2006, Gallup Press

• “If Disney Ran Your Hospital”, Fred Lee, 2004, Second River Healthcare Press

• “Strengths Based Leadership”, Tom Rath & Barry Conchie, 2008, Gallup Press

• “Good to Great”, Jim Collins, 2001, HarperCollins• “Nuts! Southwest Airlines’ Crazy Recipe for Business and

Personal Success”, Kevin Freiberg and Jackie Freiberg, 1997, Broadway Books

Laurie K. Baedke, FACHE, CMPEPresidentLIFEworks Healthcare Group, Inc.1150 Westridge DriveBlair, NE 68008402.680.3311baedke@elifeworks.com www.lauriebaedke.com/blog