Most satisfaction issues within an ambulatory surgery center come down to time, says Kris Sabo, executive director of Pend Oreille Center in Ponderay, Idaho, where the patient satisfaction rates are routinely at or above 97 percent. But patients aren't the only moving pieces in a successful ASC. Mrs. Sabo shares best practices to improve a center's patient, physician and employee satisfaction rates.
Physicians
"From a provider standpoint it's all about their time," Mrs. Sabo says. "As long as you recognize that your providers are your customers and that their most valuable resource is time, you've got them."
Part of valuing a physician's time is keeping one step ahead of their needs. Mrs. Sabo remembers one physician who was thinking out loud about needing a pen. Before he knew it, someone had put a pen in his hand. That physician later told Mrs. Sabo that he liked that he never had to ask for anything at the center.
"On the provider side, they're focused on that patient, and they don’t want to have to worry about what's next," Mrs. Sabo says.
Patients
Wait times are one of the few complaints Mrs. Sabo says her ASC receives on the center's patient satisfaction survey.
"When we have any dissatisfied patients, it's usually due to a wait," Mrs. Sabo says. "Or as I like to say, a perceived wait time. All patients have their own perception of what is an appropriate time to wait."
While ASC staff members typically cannot control extended wait times due to a delay or a procedure that ran over time, the staff can control how they handle a patient whose procedure has been delayed. The most important thing, Mrs. Sabo says, is to keep the patient updated on the wait. This shows the patient that you are aware of the situation and appreciate that their time is important, she says.
At Pend Oreille, the staff came up with a creative solution when dealing with patients facing a longer than normal wait time. The ASC keeps a stash of $5 gift cards to a local deli to hand out to these patients. Even though it's a small amount, the patients really appreciate it, Mrs. Sabo says.
Employees
Patient satisfaction is often linked to the performance of an ASC's staff. A happy staff often means better service for the patient. So, how do you keep your employees happy?
"Employee satisfaction with their work environment hinges a lot of times on their compensation package," Mrs. Sabo says. "I think ASCs right now are being very challenged as far as how to put together an attractive compensation package that doesn’t dip too deeply into profit."
One thing that Pend Oreille has done is move away from a traditional health insurance plan. The ASC has a high-deductible insurance plan without vision or dental, but the center contributes 100 percent to a health reimbursement account. This allows the employees to take charge of their own health care and helps the center keep its costs down, Mrs. Sabo says.
Mrs. Sabo also works to keep her employees happy by providing extra perks, such as ordering lunch for the center, giving the staff free T-shirts with the center's logo on it or holding a staff barbeque.
"These are really inexpensive things to do that show you appreciate them," she says.
Your employees, physicians and patients are your number one marketing tool, Mrs. Sabo says, and when they're dissatisfied, it's a wasted opportunity.
"The members of these three groups live, work and play in this community," she says. "If any of those three entities were dissatisfied, it could mean a very counterproductive marketing effort in our book."
Related Articles on Patient Satisfaction:
10 Key Steps to Boost Patient Satisfaction in ASCs
Best Use of Patient Satisfaction Surveys in ASCs: Q&A With Dennis Martin at Health Inventures
Choosing a Focus for a Quality Improvement Activity
Physicians
"From a provider standpoint it's all about their time," Mrs. Sabo says. "As long as you recognize that your providers are your customers and that their most valuable resource is time, you've got them."
Part of valuing a physician's time is keeping one step ahead of their needs. Mrs. Sabo remembers one physician who was thinking out loud about needing a pen. Before he knew it, someone had put a pen in his hand. That physician later told Mrs. Sabo that he liked that he never had to ask for anything at the center.
"On the provider side, they're focused on that patient, and they don’t want to have to worry about what's next," Mrs. Sabo says.
Patients
Wait times are one of the few complaints Mrs. Sabo says her ASC receives on the center's patient satisfaction survey.
"When we have any dissatisfied patients, it's usually due to a wait," Mrs. Sabo says. "Or as I like to say, a perceived wait time. All patients have their own perception of what is an appropriate time to wait."
While ASC staff members typically cannot control extended wait times due to a delay or a procedure that ran over time, the staff can control how they handle a patient whose procedure has been delayed. The most important thing, Mrs. Sabo says, is to keep the patient updated on the wait. This shows the patient that you are aware of the situation and appreciate that their time is important, she says.
At Pend Oreille, the staff came up with a creative solution when dealing with patients facing a longer than normal wait time. The ASC keeps a stash of $5 gift cards to a local deli to hand out to these patients. Even though it's a small amount, the patients really appreciate it, Mrs. Sabo says.
Employees
Patient satisfaction is often linked to the performance of an ASC's staff. A happy staff often means better service for the patient. So, how do you keep your employees happy?
"Employee satisfaction with their work environment hinges a lot of times on their compensation package," Mrs. Sabo says. "I think ASCs right now are being very challenged as far as how to put together an attractive compensation package that doesn’t dip too deeply into profit."
One thing that Pend Oreille has done is move away from a traditional health insurance plan. The ASC has a high-deductible insurance plan without vision or dental, but the center contributes 100 percent to a health reimbursement account. This allows the employees to take charge of their own health care and helps the center keep its costs down, Mrs. Sabo says.
Mrs. Sabo also works to keep her employees happy by providing extra perks, such as ordering lunch for the center, giving the staff free T-shirts with the center's logo on it or holding a staff barbeque.
"These are really inexpensive things to do that show you appreciate them," she says.
Your employees, physicians and patients are your number one marketing tool, Mrs. Sabo says, and when they're dissatisfied, it's a wasted opportunity.
"The members of these three groups live, work and play in this community," she says. "If any of those three entities were dissatisfied, it could mean a very counterproductive marketing effort in our book."
Related Articles on Patient Satisfaction:
10 Key Steps to Boost Patient Satisfaction in ASCs
Best Use of Patient Satisfaction Surveys in ASCs: Q&A With Dennis Martin at Health Inventures
Choosing a Focus for a Quality Improvement Activity