Scenario
You have recently been hired as a lead consultant for the University Medical Center. You have been working with the quality team and the Chief Quality Officer (CQO) on a long-term plan to improve patient satisfaction. The most recent survey results showed a 5% decline in overall patient satisfaction. Based on a review of the survey data, slow response time to call buttons ranked highest in terms of the source of dissatisfaction among patients. The team has decided to prioritize the management of call button response time to improve the patient satisfaction rates. In addition to improving patient satisfaction, decreasing the call button response time can support operational efficiency goals and can ultimately have a positive impact on the bottom line of the medical center. The long-term plan will be reflected in best practices, which will be implemented. Your project has almost come to completion and now it is time to summarize your improvement plan to the CEO.
Instructions
Write an executive summary to the CQO regarding best practices to improve patient satisfaction survey results. Your summary should include:
One model of quality improvement as it relates to decreasing call button response time.
An explanation of how the model will lead to an increase in patient survey response rates.
Several strategies to engage both patients and healthcare staff in the quality improvement initiative as this new model is implemented. The strategies should include ways to increase patient satisfaction.
The continuous, cyclical nature of the PDSA model will allow us to make incremental improvements, ensuring that each change is both effective and sustainable. This iterative process will lead to a demonstrable increase in patient satisfaction survey response rates over time.
Strategies for Engaging Patients and Healthcare Staff
For this initiative to succeed, it is crucial to engage both patients and healthcare staff as active participants, not just passive recipients of a new protocol.
Engaging Healthcare Staff:
Educate and Empower: Provide staff with in-depth training on the new digital tracking system and its benefits. Clearly communicate how improved response times directly relate to better patient outcomes and higher job satisfaction. Empower them to provide feedback on the process and to make suggestions for further improvements.
Sample Answer
Executive Summary: Improving Patient Satisfaction and Call Button Response Time
To: Chief Quality Officer (CQO) From: [Your Name], Lead Consultant Date: October 26, 2023 Subject: A Strategic Plan to Improve Patient Satisfaction Through Enhanced Call Button Response Time
This summary outlines a comprehensive strategy to address the recent 5% decline in overall patient satisfaction at the University Medical Center, with a specific focus on improving call button response times. Our analysis of the most recent patient survey data identified slow response times as the primary source of patient dissatisfaction. The proposed plan leverages a well-established quality improvement model and includes a series of engagement strategies to ensure successful implementation and sustained improvement in patient satisfaction scores.