Research suggests that 2 in 3 patients have a poor experience with healthcare providers. An alarming number like this tells us that most hospitals and clinics are inadequate in some departments. The patient experience reflects the healthcare provider’s service, and it would be unfavorable if your patients went to a different healthcare provider. So, you must do whatever it takes to make your patients comfortable.
There are many things to fix in hospitals and clinics. Streamline each operation, reduce waiting time for patients, increase the staff and capacity of the ER, be kinder to patients, etc. Keep reading to find out what more you can do to improve healthcare management.
Be respectful
Patients don’t usually have the same level of medical education as doctors and nurses, so you need to explain their symptoms, prognosis, and treatment plans gently. There will be moments when the patient is insistent on having a different treatment, or they might bring up a conflicting second opinion. However, you must always remain respectful no matter what the patient says and explain the correct options to them. Such behavior calms the patient and instills some trust in them, improving their experience in your care.
Optimize care management
Patient experience and satisfaction are proportional to how smoothly all operations run in a hospital. You can optimize all the processes to streamline hospital operations. There will be minimal lags, and wait times will be minimized. The most common complaint people have regarding hospital wait times will be eradicated.
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Increase healthcare accessibility
Social determinants of health like income, education, and environment play a significant role in one’s health. Anyone caring for a patient must be aware of their medical history and create a treatment plan to suit their needs. For example, if a patient can’t commute easily, you should consider a care plan that doesn’t require them to visit the hospital.
Use technological platforms to schedule appointments. Users are irked when they want to schedule an appointment, but the website or mobile application keeps bugging out. The services of your hospital or clinic should be created keeping in mind all possible difficulties people face.
If a patient’s diet has to change, you should propose a meal plan that is affordable with ingredients readily available in local markets.
Include the patient’s loved ones
Always involve a patient’s family or friends in the caretaking process. Explain the process and the patient’s problem and treatment options to both parties so none of them feel unsure about your practice. Often, there are cases where a family member or friend disagrees with professional medical advice, sowing the seeds of doubt in the process.
If you deem the family and loved ones capable, then involve them in making decisions regarding healthcare plans. Some patients require lots of care from their families, whether to make them do physical activities, follow a meal plan, or remind them to take medication. You can improve the patient experience by building trust.
Communicate with other patient care faculties
When it comes to special care patients, you need to consider their transportation, food, pain management, accommodation, and mental, emotional, and physical challenges. So, several departments are involved with a patient’s whole-person care. There needs to be a collaboration between therapy centers, clinics, hospitals, NGOs, and all associated institutions that play a part in patient recovery.
To ensure clear communication, all parties must share an online platform where they can access patient information and share notes with each other.
Consider their mental health and offer emotional support
Undergoing treatment takes a toll on mental health, and it would help if you support your patients as much as possible. It doesn’t have to be a separate session. Instead, you can start slow and make small talk. Observe their behavior to figure out which form of support they’d accept. Would it help if you were doing most of the talking, or would they prefer a listening ear? After some time, your patient will feel at ease and open up, relying on you and taking your support.
M HYPERLINK “https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/d/drugs-and-mental-health”edication impacts mental health by influencing mood and behavior. High-stress levels negatively affect your immune system, and many diseases fluctuate the body’s hormone levels, resulting in extreme mood swings and depression symptoms. It would help collaborate with medical professionals to help the patient with their mental health.
Offer telehealth and remote services
Some people find it challenging to commute to a hospital for a check-up. The recent pandemic taught us that people infected by viruses must avoid contact, but a diagnosis is also necessary. For such cases, you should offer telehealth services. Telehealth provides you with contact-free medical advice and diagnosis. A doctor can give you a check-up on the phone, monitor you remotely, and even exchange messages with you.
Virtualizing the patient experience is safer, and it’s the perfect option for patients whose vitals need to be monitored constantly.
Conclusion
There’s so much you can do to improve the patient experience in your hospital. You can go for a degree in healthcare management to learn how to enhance and streamline operations and staff performance. Keep in mind how your patients feel, be on top of their mental and emotional health, and collaborate with other departments for the best whole-person care treatment. Be professional such that you answer all your patient’s questions respectfully and show them that they can trust you and your hospital.
