5 tips to improve your hcahps scores
TRANSCRIPT
5 TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR HCAHPS SCORES
• Hospitals have been tracking it for years– Avatar, Press Ganey, HealthStream,
etc.• Hospital Consumer Assessment of
Health Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) – Implemented 2006, reporting started
2008–Now HCAHPS scores used in Hospital
Value-Based Purchasing program–10 questions specifically target
communications
HCAHPS SCORES
PATIENT SATISFACTION: KEY QUESTIONS
Beyond clinical excellence, how do you provide a positive patient experience?
TIP #1: HEED THE CALL BUTTON
HCAHPS SURVEY QUESTION #4Glass of water
Pain medication
Go for a walk
IV Is beeping
Short of breath
CASE STUDY
Lake Norman Regional Medical Center
• Two-way communication between nurse and patient, with escalation rules and an audit trail
"We wanted to improve nurse responsiveness. It was one category on patient surveys that repeatedly showed an opportunity for increased satisfaction - but we didn’t want to add complexity to a nurse’s day.”
Brian BissonnetteDirector of Information Systems at Lake Norman
Mooresville, N.C.
Silence squeaky wheels
Promote inside voices
Reduce overhead pages
Less hallway conversation
TIP #2: NIX THE NOISE
HCAHPS SURVEY QUESTION #9SHHH: Silent Hospitals Help Healing
COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN
TRADITIONAL PAIN REQUEST WORKFLOW
When able, the nurse goes to patient’s room
Staff begins to trackdown the nurse
Patient presses nurse call button
Request goes to nursing station
Nurse follows up with appropriate action
TIP #3: ALLEVIATE COMMUNICATIONS PAINS
HCAHPS SURVEY QUESTION #13
COMMUNICATION
BREAKDOWN
Nurse messages attending physician for instructions
Nurse calls patient to determine need (pain)
Patient presses nurse call button.
Notification is automatically sent to
nurse’s smartphone with patient’s room number.
Patient receives medication quickly
WITH
PATIENT PAIN REQUEST
Nurse Call Request:7523
Thx!
Ms Avery 523 requesting more pain control
I’ll enter an order
TIP #4: IMPRESS THE PATIENT
HCAHPS SURVEY QUESTION #21
BEHIND THE SCENES• Robust directory with contact
details and preferences• On-call information for all
staff• Automated workflows
PATIENT’S PERCEPTION• Quick response to requests• Quiet hallways and a restful
environment• Less waiting for transfers,
test results, etc.
TRADITIONAL WORKFLOW
After some phone tag, Radiologist speaks with the ordering physician
about the patient
Results are critical
Radiology tech attempts to contact ordering
physician
Physician recommends patient has chest x-ray
Treatment begins
COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN
CRITICAL TEST RESULTS
WITH
Results are sent immediately to the
physician’s device and includes audit trail
Results are critical
The patient’s physician must be notified
Physician recommends patient has chest x-ray
Attending physician takes immediate action
Results are entered into Spok
CRITICAL TEST RESULTS
SPEEDING CRITICAL TEST RESULTS
Tuomey Regional Medical Center
• Improved patient care and sped treatment and discharge with faster communication of test results and incidental findings
• Reduced time physicians wasted calling around for test results or clarifications
• Developed a communications audit trail ready for Joint Commission visits
“During the three months immediately following implementation, we saw an 11% improvement in patient discharge times.”
José Bennett PACS Administrator, Tuomey Healthcare System
Sumter, S.C.
Nursing
Transport
Housekeeping
Infection Control
Pharmacy
TIP #5: END ON A HIGH NOTE
HCAHPS SURVEY QUESTION #22
COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN
TRADITIONAL WORKFLOW
Nurse has to track down the specialist indicated by the attending for approval
Attending physician writes note stating “OK to discharge pending approval from…”
Patient is ready to be discharged
Patient waits until approval is received, and is eventually discharged
SPEEDING PATIENT DISCHARGE
Nurse messages attending physician for instructions
Attending looks up and messages specialist to get
discharge approvalPatient is ready to be
discharged
WITH
SPEEDING PATIENT DISCHARGE
Thx!
OK to discharge Jane Smith in 421?
Fine by me
5 TIPS TO IMPROVE HCAHPS SCORES
Heed the call button
End on a high note
Alleviate communications pains
Impress the patient
1
5
3
4
Nix the noise2
LET’S GET IN TOUCH!
Learn more:
CASE STUDIES VIDEOS
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