Improving patient satisfaction through multidisciplinary performance improvement teams

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Patient Experience
• Clinical Operations

Background:

• Hospitals face challenges like high patient census, increasing patient acuity, and workforce shortages.
• These factors contribute to a significant decline in overall patient satisfaction scores.
• Addressing declining patient satisfaction is crucial for hospital quality and reputation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a performance improvement strategy implemented in a hospital setting.
• To evaluate the impact of specific interventions on patient satisfaction scores.
• To identify effective methods for improving patient care unit performance.

Main Methods:

• Implemented a performance improvement strategy across five underperforming patient care units.
• Focused on fostering MD-RN partnerships and co-mentoring programs.
• Emphasized unit staff development and active involvement in the problem-solving process.

Main Results:

• Observed a steady and consistent improvement in patient satisfaction scores over a six-month period.
• The interventions positively impacted the targeted "troubled" patient care units.
• Demonstrated the effectiveness of collaborative and staff-involved strategies.

Conclusions:

• MD-RN partnerships, co-mentoring, and staff involvement are effective strategies for improving patient satisfaction.
• Performance improvement initiatives can successfully address declining patient satisfaction in challenging hospital units.
• Sustained improvements in patient satisfaction are achievable through targeted interventions and staff engagement.