Improving Responsiveness to Patient Phone Calls: A Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Patient Communication
• Clinical Operations

Background:

• Effective patient-physician communication is vital in outpatient settings.
• Managing multiple patient telephone messages without a system poses risks.
• Gaps in communication can compromise patient care and satisfaction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and implement a standardized system for handling patient telephone calls in outpatient surgical clinics.
• To enhance the patient experience by setting realistic expectations for call return times.
• To improve the tracking, documentation, and prioritization of patient messages.

Main Methods:

• A multidisciplinary team at Hershey Medical Center developed a standardized protocol.
• The system focused on improving response times and message management.
• Implementation occurred within outpatient surgical clinics.

Main Results:

• The program aimed to close communication gaps between clinicians and patients.
• It facilitated appropriate tracking and documentation of phone calls.
• The system allowed for prioritization of urgent and emergent patient messages.

Conclusions:

• A standardized approach to patient telephone calls can significantly improve communication.
• This system enhances patient experience and satisfaction.
• Implementing such a system contributes to safer and more effective patient care in outpatient surgical settings.