Hospital communication between perception and cost savings: an Italian case study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Health Communication
• Service Design

Background:

• The Italian National Health Service (NHS) has under-researched communication strategies compared to private companies.
• Patient, relative, and customer communication experiences within hospitals remain a significant area for improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the current state of communication within the Regional Health-Care System (RHS) in the Lazio region of Italy.
• To evaluate local visual communication (VC), telematic services, internal perception, communication propensity, and hospital brand perception.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 7 hospitals, including websites, on-site visual communication, interviews with patient relations office (Urp) managers, focus groups with staff, and a hospital brand valuation tool (AVoHB).

Main Results:

• Website analysis revealed low scores (14% positive), with significant gaps in essential information like Urp contact details (57% missing) and accessibility features (0% W3C compliant).
• Visual communication was inconsistent; while help-desks and signposts were present, crucial elements like assistance and toilet signage were absent (0%).
• Staff focus groups highlighted a strong desire for better interpersonal communication and a lack of internal visual communication, leading to patient disorientation and increased staff burden.

Conclusions:

• The study indicates that while Italian hospitals have some communication elements in place, they fall short of excelling in critical areas for effective patient engagement and service delivery.
• There is a clear need for strategic improvements in both digital and physical communication channels to enhance patient experience and hospital branding.