Have a Purpose-driven Day
How many times do you hear the phrase, “Have a nice day”? Probably hundreds of times each year. And how many times do you say it? Again, probably hundreds of times. In many if not most cases, the...
View ArticleVictim Thinking Erodes the Patient Experience
Everyone has things that push their buttons. I’m no saint; I admit I have my list of those triggers, but the one that rises to the top of my list is victim thinking. I have little tolerance for people...
View ArticleWho Speaks for the Little Guy?
I love healthcare, and for the past 35 years of my life, I’ve done whatever I could to make healthcare better for patients and the people who care for them. Even though I know that healthcare is filled...
View ArticleStill whining about patient satisfaction surveys? Let it go!
I recently got involved in an online commentary in response to an article in Forbes (“Why Rating Your Doctor is Bad for Your Health”). The gist of the article was that the physicians interviewed in the...
View ArticleImprove the Patient Experience with Bedside Reporting
There are so many best practices that produce great results yet take way too long for hospitals to embrace. One such practice is bedside reporting. It’s been hailed for helping improve communication...
View ArticleEngaged, Empowered & Energized! Bring Your Triple Threat to the Patient...
Who delivers the best, most consistently positive patient experience? People who are engaged, empowered and energized. And the good news is that all three of those traits are within your grasp. If you...
View ArticleAre You Focused on Scores or the Experience?
I could write a book on the excuses I hear from healthcare leaders about why their scores are lousy. No one argues with patient satisfaction survey data when the scores are high. But when HCAHPS or...
View ArticleWatch for Olympic Moments
It’s no secret that positive reinforcement helps build the best behaviors. And it’s also no secret that having clear goals and metrics are necessary for keeping everyone aligned and moving in the right...
View ArticleHere’s Your Sign
Over the years I’ve collected dozens of photographs of signs posted in hospitals and clinics. They range from absurd to disturbing and downright hilarious. It’s amazing to me that organizations will...
View ArticleAre Your Standards just a Suggestion?
I’m a huge proponent of setting clear, behavior-based service standards for many reasons. First of all, they set the bar for everyone in the organization. They establish the baseline expectation...
View ArticleOne Bad Apple Can Make a Rotten Patient Experience
A recent series of family medical emergencies and a scheduled cancer procedure with my sister had me bouncing from emergency rooms and doctor’s offices to labs and hospital rooms over a two week...
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