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Patient Experience, Guide
Patient Experience, Guide5 tips to improve your hospital's NPS
More smiles in your hospital, higher patient satisfaction
Have you ever wondered how to improve the experience of your patients and the image of your hospital or healthcare organization? One way to achieve a good reputation is by generating positive word-of-mouth; that is, the recommendations that patients make after visiting your center. Today in the blog we give you 5 tips to improve your NPS and the patient experience of your hospital.
Alba Domínguez, 2020 
9 min 
Have you ever wondered how to improve the experience of your patients and the image of your hospital? One way to build a good reputation is by generating positive word of mouth; that is, the recommendations that patients make after having an experience at your hospital. Those patients who trust your service are more likely to recommend it, which will make your NPS(we teach you how it is calculated here!) improve considerable and keep it above the average within the healthcare industry.
For this reason, the experience your patients have is a very relevant indicator of the value of the service provided in your hospital or clinic. And there are many factors that can make the experience an OUCH or a WOW , such as the treatment of the staff, the clarity in the explanations of the treatment or recovery, the status of the facilities or the speed with which the patient has been cared for.
If you keep reading this post… we tell you 5 tips to improve the NPS and the patient experience of your hospital!
As we found out with the 5-Star Hospital experiment (if you haven't read it yet, you have it here!) everything can change with a smile. And the thing is ... who has never heard the phrase "happiness is contagious and beneficial" ?
A positive environment indirectly affects the mood of the patient. Not only are smiles necessary when meeting a patient, but the kindness and treatment with which they are received from the moment they enter the center. By this we mean all types of staff in the center: administrative and admissions staff, nurses, assistants and doctors.
If patients feel happy, they will change their attitude in the experience they have in your hospital, in the same way that the feeling will be more positive and the possibilities of recommendation will increase in case it is necessary for a family member or friend. For this reason, it is very important to study and analyze the entire patient journey, to detect weak points and make improvements in different areas such as communication processes, explanation of treatment, recovery and the treatment provided by health professionals.
When we talk about the management of quality processes in the patient experience offered both in public and private health, we are talking about a long process that requires dedication and analysis of patients' experiences, a fact that places them at the center of any strategy.
Our facet as consumers means that as patients we generate expectations regarding customer service that must be met in any other service. We have an a over-supply of information and we all know everything thanks to Google: symptoms, cures, treatments ... which makes us advocates of our own health. However, when the moment of truth comes, the opinion, treatment and diagnosis of a specialist is what we really take into account, value and trust.
Caring for and attending to the patient throughout the process (empowerment) is a goal to be met when we talk about offering a demanding and high-quality service in which much more is expected from healthcare professionals than years ago.
Thanks to the digital transformation, organizations have different and varied communication tools with patients. As we mentioned in the previous point, in Google a patient can find all kinds of information. From more truthful and credible to fakenews and uncorroborated information. For this reason, we recommend incorporating information on the corporate website of your hospital about various diseases, infections or viruses as well as symptoms, treatments and medications ... for information purposes and with the rigor necessary to be a more reliable source than Google and to approach to your patients before they arrive for the medical consultation.
In the same way, it would be interesting to provide content related to a healthy lifestyle and tips to self-regulate stress and anxiety, as well as other topics related to health through a corporate blog, so that they feel informed and empowered with information.
On the other hand, modernizing the usual channels through which the patient is contacted, leaving behind an sms to confirm the date and time of the consultation, and having more online presence to communicate with them through chatbots or apps will benefit the bond with the patient and in turn will improve their experience and the perception that they have of the hospital or clinic.
Making consultations or visits through other means than in person is increasingly common: a skype , a phone call ... which saves the patient from traveling to the center or allows them to be with their trusted doctor even though you are not in the same area, which it will increase their confidence and satisfaction. We are talking, in short, about omnichannel or multi-channel communication with the patient , ranging from advice to lead a healthy life to teaching or sharing a test with the doctor, making an appointment or going to the emergency room.
Omnichannel in the health sector is already a reality in the era of digital transformation; and that need to adapt to changes is increasingly important with technological evolution. Any company or organization that does not delve into the omnichannel stage will be lagging behind in its field. As stated in the report published by Minsait: "Omnichannel implies a transformation of health systems that allows professionals, patients, citizens, health systems and companies to be connected on new relationship models based on technology."
The best time to ask for feedback is right after the experience. The so called "momenth of truth". Taking the satisfaction temperature of your patients is the best way to receive suggestions for improvement. You can do that through digital surveys or by placing feedback terminals in the different areas of your hospital or clinic: emergency room, external consultations, admissions...
If you still don't have a built-in tool to get all this information… see how you can do it here!
For this reason, the experience your patients have is a very relevant indicator of the value of the service provided in your hospital or clinic. And there are many factors that can make the experience an OUCH or a WOW , such as the treatment of the staff, the clarity in the explanations of the treatment or recovery, the status of the facilities or the speed with which the patient has been cared for.
If you keep reading this post… we tell you 5 tips to improve the NPS and the patient experience of your hospital!
1. Smiling is healthy… and contagious!
As we found out with the 5-Star Hospital experiment (if you haven't read it yet, you have it here!) everything can change with a smile. And the thing is ... who has never heard the phrase "happiness is contagious and beneficial" ?
A positive environment indirectly affects the mood of the patient. Not only are smiles necessary when meeting a patient, but the kindness and treatment with which they are received from the moment they enter the center. By this we mean all types of staff in the center: administrative and admissions staff, nurses, assistants and doctors.
If patients feel happy, they will change their attitude in the experience they have in your hospital, in the same way that the feeling will be more positive and the possibilities of recommendation will increase in case it is necessary for a family member or friend. For this reason, it is very important to study and analyze the entire patient journey, to detect weak points and make improvements in different areas such as communication processes, explanation of treatment, recovery and the treatment provided by health professionals.
"Key-learning 1: If happiness is contagious ... make your hospital staff responsible for spreading smiles, is there anything more rewarding?"
2. Focus your strategy on patient empowerment
When we talk about the management of quality processes in the patient experience offered both in public and private health, we are talking about a long process that requires dedication and analysis of patients' experiences, a fact that places them at the center of any strategy.
Our facet as consumers means that as patients we generate expectations regarding customer service that must be met in any other service. We have an a over-supply of information and we all know everything thanks to Google: symptoms, cures, treatments ... which makes us advocates of our own health. However, when the moment of truth comes, the opinion, treatment and diagnosis of a specialist is what we really take into account, value and trust.
Caring for and attending to the patient throughout the process (empowerment) is a goal to be met when we talk about offering a demanding and high-quality service in which much more is expected from healthcare professionals than years ago.
"Key-learning 2: How we treat our patients will make all the difference to a fantastic quality service and increase the likelihood that the patient will refer a family member or friend (NPS)."
3. Incorporates new communication tools with the patient
Thanks to the digital transformation, organizations have different and varied communication tools with patients. As we mentioned in the previous point, in Google a patient can find all kinds of information. From more truthful and credible to fakenews and uncorroborated information. For this reason, we recommend incorporating information on the corporate website of your hospital about various diseases, infections or viruses as well as symptoms, treatments and medications ... for information purposes and with the rigor necessary to be a more reliable source than Google and to approach to your patients before they arrive for the medical consultation.
In the same way, it would be interesting to provide content related to a healthy lifestyle and tips to self-regulate stress and anxiety, as well as other topics related to health through a corporate blog, so that they feel informed and empowered with information.
"Key-learning 3: More and more patients want access to information quickly and easily, so communicating well, being proactive, and modernizing common communication tools are three very important factors to improve the patient experience."
4. Open new channels of communication with your patients
On the other hand, modernizing the usual channels through which the patient is contacted, leaving behind an sms to confirm the date and time of the consultation, and having more online presence to communicate with them through chatbots or apps will benefit the bond with the patient and in turn will improve their experience and the perception that they have of the hospital or clinic.
Making consultations or visits through other means than in person is increasingly common: a skype , a phone call ... which saves the patient from traveling to the center or allows them to be with their trusted doctor even though you are not in the same area, which it will increase their confidence and satisfaction. We are talking, in short, about omnichannel or multi-channel communication with the patient , ranging from advice to lead a healthy life to teaching or sharing a test with the doctor, making an appointment or going to the emergency room.
Omnichannel in the health sector is already a reality in the era of digital transformation; and that need to adapt to changes is increasingly important with technological evolution. Any company or organization that does not delve into the omnichannel stage will be lagging behind in its field. As stated in the report published by Minsait: "Omnichannel implies a transformation of health systems that allows professionals, patients, citizens, health systems and companies to be connected on new relationship models based on technology."
"Key-learning 4: omnichannel is necessary in any sector. It is the time to carry out initiatives that improve communication and the experience with the patient, in the same way that they streamline the processes of appointment and management of consultations."
5. Listen to your patients and ask them for their experience
The best time to ask for feedback is right after the experience. The so called "momenth of truth". Taking the satisfaction temperature of your patients is the best way to receive suggestions for improvement. You can do that through digital surveys or by placing feedback terminals in the different areas of your hospital or clinic: emergency room, external consultations, admissions...
If you still don't have a built-in tool to get all this information… see how you can do it here!
"Key-learning 5: Increase the levels of satisfaction and recommendation of your patients knowing in real time everything you want to know about their experience. Customize digital satisfaction surveys for your patients, listen to their feedback and improve upon it!"
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