Person-centered Care Equals Customer Satisfaction
According to Advancing Excellence, a national campaign aimed to improve quality in nursing centers across the country, “person-centered care [is care] that promotes choice, purpose and meaning in daily life. In person-centered care, a premium is placed on welcoming and honoring each resident’s needs and wants”. In actuality, this personalized approach is the key to excellent customer service in any business that wishes to excel—both at attracting new customers and retaining happy employees.
Great Customer Service is Unmistakable
When you walk through the door of a nursing center immersed in customer satisfaction, you know it – the energy is unmistakable. Empowered staff clearly demonstrate positive attitudes and eagerly listen to what their customers are really saying. This in turn creates a great environment where people want to work and residents, patients and families would recommend to a friend. Asking for feedback about customer experience is an important way for providers to ensure satisfaction and promote excellent outcomes. For nine years, Rhode Island nursing homes have surveyed their families and residents with a tool overseen by the Department of Health. The survey grades overall satisfaction and asks respondents to score several specific areas including staff, physical environment, personal care, activities and personal rights. With the results, nursing center leaders can understand what needs to change and develop action plans to make change happen.
Annual Survey Helps Centers Satisfy Customers
Last year, nursing residents and their families received a new satisfaction survey tool to complete. One purpose behind the change was to align nursing homes to the standards used across the continuum of care, in particular the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) which is currently used by hospitals and home health care agencies. This more robust survey provides comparable information on how patients view their quality of care experience, not simply their satisfaction.
The Cedars is pleased to report that our residents give us high marks in the most recent state-wide satisfaction survey. In fact, we outperformed our peers with 79% of our residents giving us the highest rating (excellent or always) for overall satisfaction versus 51% of our colleagues. Results of these annual satisfaction surveys are available on the RI Department of Health website.
Sources:
https://www.nhqualitycampaign.org/files/AE_Factsheet_for_ Leadership_PersonCenteredCare.pdf