Customer Service

Orientation for Nursing

Presented By Zakaria, SE,MM
 Customer Service
Every employee has the ability to
positively impact the customer’s
experience.

All employees are expected to do

their best to exceed our customer’s
expectations every day.
Customer Service
 Our Goal – 90%
 How do we reach it?
Everyone working together to surpass the expectations
of all customers
 Patients
 Families and loved ones
 Physicians
 Fellow employees
 Vendors
 EVERYONE!
Customer Service
Up to 60% of dissatisfied patients will not return

Dissatisfied customers will tell 8-10 people. 13% will

tell 20 people

It costs 5X as much to attract a new customer

Seven of ten complaining customers will do business

with you again if you resolve issue

If you resolve a complaint on the spot, 95% will do

business again
 Customer Service
What is our image?

How people perceive us is more

important than what may or may
not be true.

We are all a walking and talking

advertisement for our employer.
Customer Service
Image begins and ends with us

Most of us can’t really

understand how we appear to
others, but we can see the effect
we’re having on other people.

When we practice warmth,

friendliness, honesty, patience,
tact, courtesy and promptness,
other people respond in positive
ways that we can see.
Non-Verbal Expectations
 Smile.
 Use direct eye contact when
communicating with all patients,
visitors, and guests.
 Ignoring someone or rudeness is
never accepted.
 Acknowledge guests immediately
when they enter a unit or
department.
 If you observe someone looking
for help, offer assistance, escort
them if possible.
 Never walk by a call light.
 Verbal Expectations
 Always introduce yourself and explain your role.
 Ask the patient or guest how he or she would like to
be addressed.
 Do not call a patient, guests or co-workers “sweetie”
and honey”. In many cultures and among the elderly,
these terms can have negative perceptions.
 Use “please,” “thank you,” “sir or “ma’am” in all
conversations
 Apologize for problems and inconveniences. Try to
resolve problems immediately.
 Verbal Expectations
 Patients & family members might not understand
medical or technical jargon. Use words they
understand and try to keep it simple.
 Keep patients & family members informed of any
and all delays.
When exiting a room or completing a task, give the
patient or guest your name and role again. If you are
returning, tell them when to expect you back. If not,
tell them what to expect next so they know why they
are waiting.
 Overcoming Barriers
 Keep the customer’s thoughts in mind
 Take the time to acknowledge - 10 foot rule
 Be prepared to help other members of your team
Avoid the blame-game / criticizing
Be careful of how you speak:
 Tone = 45% of a person’s perception
 Body Language = 55% of a person’s perception
Positive communication with others leads to
positive communication FROM others.
 Encourage your co-workers in their
efforts.
 Express praise for a job well done.
 Ask for others’ ideas.
 Offer thoughtful suggestions.
 Provide options and solutions instead
of complaints.
 Stay positive.
 Listen respectfully to what others say.
 Resist the urge to gossip.
 Keep lines of communication open.
 Complete your tasks on time.
 Do not hesitate to ask questions.
 Be willing to compromise.
 Take pride in your achievements.
 Respect your co-workers and their
property.
 Settle disagreements peacefully.
 Measurement
Survey questions relate to the
eight dimensions
of patient-centered care:

 Emotional Support
 Physical Comfort
 Patient Preferences
 Information and Education
 Continuity and Transition
 Involvement of Family and
Friends
 Coordination of Care
 Access to Care
 Public Reporting

• Customer Service
Information to be made
available to the public
beginning in 2009

• While not mandatory,

hospitals not in
compliance will receive
reduced Medicare
reimbursement
 Public Reporting
Hospital Consumer Assessment of
Healthcare Providers and Systems
(HCAHPS)
•Provides a standardized instrument and data collection
methodology for measuring the patient’s perspective.
•Enables valid comparisons to be made against all
hospitals.
•Core of set questions to compliment existing data.
 HCAHPS Questions
COMMUNICATION WITH NURSES
• During your stay, how often did
nurses treat you with courtesy and
respect? Never, Sometimes, Usually,
ALWAYS
• During your stay, how often did
nurses listen carefully to you? Never,
Sometimes, Usually, ALWAYS

• During your stay how often did

nurses explain things in a way that
you could understand? Never, Sometimes,
Usually, ALWAYS
 HCAHPS Questions
COMMUNICATION WITH
DOCTORS
• During your stay, how often did
doctors treat you with courtesy and
respect? Never, Sometimes, Usually,
ALWAYS
• During your stay, how often did
doctors listen carefully to you? Never,
Sometimes, Usually, ALWAYS

• During your stay how often did

doctors explain things in a way that
you could understand? Never, Sometimes,
Usually, ALWAYS
 HCAHPS Questions
COMMUNICATION ABOUT
MEDICINES
•Before giving you any new
medications, how often did hospital
staff tell you what the medicine was
for? Never, Sometimes, Usually, ALWAYS
•Before giving you any new
medications, how often did staff
explain medication side effects in a
way that you could understand?
Never, Sometimes, Usually, ALWAYS
HCAHPS Questions
RESPONSIVENESS OF
HOSPITAL STAFF
• During your stay, after you
pressed the call button, how
often did you get help as soon
as you wanted it?
•How often did you get help
going to the bathroom or using
the bedpan as soon as you
wanted? Never, Sometimes, Usually,
ALWAYS
HCAHPS Questions

DISCHARGE INFORMATION
• During your hospital stay, did
hospital staff talk to you about
whether or not you would have the
help you needed when you left the
hospital? YES NO
• During your hospital stay, did you
get information in writing about what
symptoms or health problems to
look out for after you left the
hospital? YES No
 HCAHPS Questions
PAIN MANAGEMENT
• During your hospital stay,
how often was your pain well-
controlled? Never, Sometimes, Usually,
ALWAYS
• During your hospital stay,
how often did hospital staff do
everything they could to help
you with your pain? Never,
Sometimes, Usually, ALWAYS
HCAHPS Questions

CLEALINESS
• During your hospital stay,
how often were your room
and bathroom kept clean?
Never, Sometimes, Usually, ALWAYS

QUIETNESS
• During your hospital stay,
how often was the area
around your room quiet at
night? Never, Sometimes, Usually,
ALWAYS
 HCAHPS Questions
RATING OF THE HOSPITAL
• Using any number from 0 to 10
where 0 is the worst hospital
possible and 10 is the best hospital
possible, what number would you
use to rate this hospital?
0-8, 9-10
• Would you recommend this
hospital to your family and friends?
Definitely no, Probably no, Probably yes,
Definitely yes
 Emergency Department
Rating
RATING OF THE HOSPITAL
• Overall, how would you rate the
care you received in the Emergency
Room? Poor, Fair, Good, Very Good,
Excellent
• Would you recommend this
emergency room to family and
friends?
• Yes definitely, Yes probably, No
 Outpatient Rating
RATING OF THE HOSPITAL
• Overall, how would you rate this
visit? Poor, Fair, Good, Very Good,
Excellent
•Would you recommend this
outpatient service to your family
and friends?
Yes definitely, Yes probably, No
Impact of the Electronic Medical
Record (EMR) on Patient Satisfaction
EMR Benefits Patient Perceptions
 Improved provider  Patient may perceive a
access to patient data reduction in time delay
 No wasting time to see physician and
looking for chart
obtaining test results
 2 or more persons can
review chart at same
time
 Pt’s chart can be
opened on any
hospital computer
Impact of EMRs on Patient
Satisfaction
EMR Benefits Patient Perceptions
 Improved continuity of care  Patients may experience
between healthcare higher levels of confidence
providers and trust in their healthcare
providers
 Patients may perceive that
their healthcare providers
understood their condition
completely
 Patients may perceive that
their healthcare providers
work well together
Impact of EMRs on Patient
Satisfaction
EMR Benefits Patient Perceptions
 Increased patient safety  Patients may rate our
 Reduction in effort to provide safe
medication errors care at a higher level
 Better medical
decision making
Impact of EMRs on Patient
Satisfaction
EMR Benefits Patient Perceptions
 Improved quality of  Patients will be more
healthcare likely to rate their
overall satisfaction with
a higher score
 Patients will be more
likely to recommend the
facility to family and
friends
Impact of EMRs on Patient
Satisfaction
EMR Potential Pitfalls Patient Perceptions
 Privacy issues  Patients may
 The data is only as experience anxieties or
good as the individual fears concerning who
entering it may have access to
their medical
information
Impact of EMRs on Patient
Satisfaction
EMR Potential Pitfalls Patient Perceptions
 May encourage a focus  Patients may perceive
on performing tasks that their healthcare
(data entry) rather than providers are not
on service listening carefully to
them
Avoiding the Pitfalls
Entering the Patient’s Room
 Knock
 Smile
 Introduce yourself
 Explain your role and the purpose of the
computer on wheels
 Explain what you are going to do i.e. nursing
assessment, enter orders, update medication
list…
Avoiding the Pitfalls
Entering the Patient’s Room
 Never refer to a
computer on wheels as
a “C.O.W.” Patients
may perceive that you
are calling them a
“Cow”
 Reference the computer
on wheels as a
“W.O.W.” or wireless on
wheels.
Avoiding the Pitfalls
 Place the computer as close to the patient as
possible
 Sit rather than stand
 The computer on wheels should not obstruct your
direct line of vision with the patient
 Maintain eye contact with the patient. Look at the
computer screen only when necessary
 Talk to your patient and not the computer
Avoiding the Pitfalls
 When updating a patient’s medical history, avoid reading to the
patient, rather ask the patient to provide his medical history
 Never assume that the information already present in the
database is correct. Always clarify with the patient/others as
needed.
 Always use positive communication with patients
Unacceptable: “Mr Smith, it says here that you have HIV, Hepatitis
C, and a history of drug abuse. Do you have anything else to
add?”
Acceptable: “Mr Smith, would you share your medical history with
me so that I can update your medical information? Is there
anything else that you’d like to share?”
Avoiding the Pitfalls
 Reassure the patient that his medical information is
protected and that providers will only have access to
the information they need to perform their role
 While using the computer on wheels, make sure that
no one is standing behind you and reading the
patient’s information
 If you must walk away from the computer, always log
off. Never leave patient information displayed on the
computer screen if you are not present
 Always log off when you are finished utilizing the
“W.O.W”
Conclusion
 Personal
interaction is the
most important
function in a high
TECH
environment.

 No matter how
good a computer
is, it cannot
replace the
compassion and
caring of a
human.