Understanding what your staff says to patients is crucial for ensuring a positive patient experience. Here are some ways to find out what your staff is communicating:
1. Patient Feedback and Surveys
- Anonymous Surveys: Distribute anonymous surveys to patients after their visit, asking specific questions about their interactions with staff.
- Feedback Forms: Place feedback forms in waiting areas or send them via email, encouraging patients to share their experiences.
- Online Reviews: Monitor online reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, or Healthgrades. Patients often share detailed experiences, including staff interactions.
2. Mystery Shoppers
- Hire Mystery Shoppers: Engage PUMC to send mystery shoppers who pose as patients. PUMC’s professional mystery shopping services can provide detailed reports on our shoppers’ experiences, including staff communication.
- Internal Mystery Patients: Use trusted acquaintances or volunteers to visit as patients and report back on their interactions.
3. Patient Follow-Up Calls
- Post-Visit Follow-Up: Implement a routine of follow-up calls or emails to patients after their visit. Ask open-ended questions about their experience, focusing on staff interactions.
- Personalized Inquiries: During follow-up calls, ask specific questions about how the patient felt they were treated by the staff.
4. Staff Training and Role-Playing
- Role-Playing Exercises: Regularly conduct role-playing scenarios during staff meetings where staff practice patient interactions. Observe and provide feedback.
- Open Discussion: Encourage staff to discuss their communication strategies and challenges during meetings, promoting transparency and improvement.
5. Direct Observation
- Shadowing: Spend time observing staff interactions with patients directly. This can be done discreetly or as part of a formal evaluation.
- Install Cameras: In areas where it’s legal and appropriate, install security cameras in non-private areas (like reception) to observe how staff interact with patients
6. Secretly Record Interactions (where legal)
- Audio/Video Recordings: In some regions, it might be legal to record conversations for quality assurance purposes. If considering this, make sure to comply with local laws and privacy regulations.
- Patient Permission: You could ask patients for permission to record their interactions for training and improvement purposes
7. Staff Self-Reporting
- Staff Feedback Forms: Create a culture where staff regularly report on their own patient interactions, including challenges and successes.
- Encourage Honesty: Promote an environment where staff feel comfortable discussing their communication with patients, including mistakes or areas they feel they need help with.
8. Monitor Communication Channels
- Phone Call Monitoring: Record and review phone calls between staff and patients, where legal. Use this data for training and improvement.
- Email and Chat Logs: Review written communications between staff and patients, such as emails or chat logs, for professionalism and clarity.
9. Patient Exit Interviews
- In-Person Interviews: As patients leave, have a designated staff member conduct a brief exit interview, asking about their experience and interactions.
- Third-Party Interviews: Hire an external agency to conduct these interviews for more unbiased feedback.
10. Conduct Regular Patient Experience Audits
- Internal Audits: Regularly review patient care processes and communication standards. Audit how well staff adhere to these standards during patient interactions.
- External Consultants: Bring in consultants to perform audits and offer an outside perspective on how staff communicate with patients.
11. Patient Advocacy Groups
- Engage Patient Advocates: Create a patient advocacy group within your practice that provides feedback on how patients are treated, including communication with staff.
12. Staff Peer Reviews
- 360-Degree Feedback: Implement a peer review system where staff members evaluate each other’s patient communication skills.
- Buddy System: Pair staff members together to observe and provide feedback on each other’s patient interactions.
By using a combination of these methods, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of how your staff communicates with patients and identify areas for improvement.