When PediNP wrote
about "Customer Service" in relationship to her clinic, it was
something that most practitioners, from the techs to doctors, understand. We
are the ones who actually touch the patients and talk to the patients and
families on a daily basis.
Most health care facilities
around the country now provide some sort of “Patient Satisfaction Survey” after
the patient has had their care. Hospitals, clinics and other healthcare
services rely heavily on these surveys. Some information can be beneficial, but
most of it is for the administrative bean counters and managers who never touch
a patient.
Facilities tailor these
questions to their specific needs, but here is a generic form from the Department
of Health and Human Services. See the flaws, sometimes these surveys look
like something you would fill out after staying at the Embassy Suites or Days
Inn. When was the last time someone had
a hip replaced, heart valve surgery or got a cast at a hotel or restaurant. We
who touch the patients provide a different service. OK, sometimes we provide
you a blanket and some mediocre food. (That is another post topic).
These hospital scores
are posted online through a National database (No not Yelp). How does a survey
compare a hospital or clinic that treats the under served and homeless versus
one in the gated upscale suburbs? New hospital additions have private rooms and
flat screen TVs, while the community hospital still has two and three beds to a
room. Do you think the satisfaction score might be lower, if the patient on
the other side of the curtain is on the commode all night doing his GoLytely
bowel prep. Patients will provide positive or negative feedback depending on
the amount narcotics given out or refused at a clinic or ER.
2 comments:
I've been thinking about this a lot since I wrote that post. I'm struggling with this whole customer service thing. It hurts to think that quality matters less to patients than the kind of service they get. Believe me, I've worked with docs who are jerks. But if it is my brain that needs operating on, I'd suck it up and let the Dr Jerk operate on me rather than Dr Nice who has terrible skills. I think there has to be a middle ground here. I don't think that the consumer should dictate how medical care is delivered.
Consumers should has some say when it come to the axillary services that are so common in health care. But, since health care is big business that is the model they will follow. Sadly to get their money administration will always say a customer is right. Even over a well trained doc or other practitioner.
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