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Health Care Marketing Learnscape 3: Patient Satisfaction

Health Care Marketing Learnscape 3 FINAL December 12, 2012 1

Patient Satisfaction Introduction:

The main Urgent Care Facility within Bright Road Health Care System has experienced a marked

decrease in patient satisfaction. As a marketing consultant, you will evaluate patient survey results and

meet a couple of staff members. The patient experience evaluation elements include clinical, process

and environmental elements. Based on this information, you will recommend operation changes, if

appropriate.

Characters:

1. James Melbourne, Director of Urgent Care Facilities within the Bright Road Health Care System

2. Lisa Leon, Receptionist at Urgent Care

3. Therese Holt, Nurse Practitioner at Urgent Care

Locations:

Scene 1: Office of James Melbourne

Scene 2: Student’s office

Scene 3: Urgent care waiting area

Scene 4: Urgent Care Receptionist’s Desk

Scene 5: Urgent Care employee break room

Scene 6: Student’s office

 

 

 

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Scene 1: Meeting with the Director of Urgent Care Facilities

In this scene, the student, a Marketing Consultant, meets with James Melbourne in his office. James is

concerned about the latest survey results for the urgent care facility and has asked the student to

evaluate the results, the urgent care facility, patient and employee processes and the patient

experience.

Location James Melbourne’s office

Scene setup James is across the desk from the student.

On-screen characters James Melbourne

Off-screen characters N/A

 

On screen text: Your meeting with James Melbourne, Director of Urgent Care Facilities within the Bright

Road Health Care System is about to begin…

 

JAMES Thank you for meeting with me. I am looking forward to getting your input on

how we can improve our urgent care facility.

**STUDENT OPTION 1 That’s why I’m here. Tell me about the project.

STUDENT OPTION 2 Absolutely. Tell me a little bit about what’s going on.

Student can choose either option to continue.

 

JAMES RESPONSE 1 Our latest patient survey results show a decline in patient satisfaction in one of

our busiest Urgent Care facilities. Of course we want patients to seek treatment

from their Primary Care Physicians. But if they need to use an Urgent Care

facility, we want it to be ours. And, we want them to have a positive

experience. Otherwise, they will most likely tell their friends and family, either

by word of mouth, or on social media outlets. That’s not good for our brand.

 

STUDENT OPTION 1 Is it just the one facility?

**STUDENT OPTION 2 Is this decline a trend?

Student can choose either option to continue.

JAMES It’s just this particular facility, it seems. Patient satisfaction ratings at our other

facilities are within the range we expect. Quite frankly, this was a surprise.

STUDENT OPTION 1 What are your initial thoughts about why patient satisfaction has declined at

 

 

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that facility?

STUDENT OPTION 2 What recent changes have been made to the facility that may contribute to the

patients’ overall experience?

STUDENT OPTION 3 Can you share the latest patient survey results with me?

Student must click all three options to continue.

 

JAMES RESPONSE 1 Well, most patients don’t want to be there in the first place, so that makes

patient satisfaction challenging from the start. I want to look at that particular

facility from the patients’ perspective and see where we can improve.

Response 1 kicks student back to options.

JAMES RESPONSE 2 We have made several recent changes at that facility. First, because of patient

volume, our triage nurses don’t assess every patient immediately. We have a

list of more serious symptoms, and the receptionist notifies the triage nurse if a

patient presents any of these symptoms. This has allowed the triage nurses to

spend more time in the treatment rooms. The downside is that all the other

patients have to wait a little longer before being triaged. Second, we stopped

our nurse follow-up calls to patients the day after their visit. It allows nurses to

spend more time with patients, and less time on the phone.

Response 2 kicks student back to options.

JAMES RESPONSE 3 Sure, I will email the latest survey results to you as soon as we’re through here.

 

**STUDENT OPTION 1 Has a gap analysis been done to identify specific areas of concern?

 

STUDENT OPTION 2 Do you know the differences between patient expectations and staff

expectations?

Student can choose either option to proceed.

JAMES RESPONSE 1 Good question. This is one of the reasons I am reaching out to you. I think the

survey results will give you a better understanding. Patients have a certain

expectation about the level of care they receive. Our staff has their own opinion

about the quality of care they deliver.

STUDENT OPTION 1 I will need to identify this gap in expectations in order to make some

recommendations to you.

 

 

 

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JAMES RESPONSE I’m interested to see the gap between what the patient expects and what they

are actually experiencing at the facility. This will help us pinpoint specific things

we need to improve.

STUDENT OPTION 1 That covers their experience at the facility. What about the other piece?

JAMES RESPONSE 1 What other piece?

Response 1 kicks student back to options

STUDENT OPTION 2 What about the post-visit experience? The follow up calls?

JAMES RESPONSE 2 As I mentioned earlier, we eliminated the nurse follow-up calls. Is that

something we should reconsider? Also, some patients noticed they received

bills in the mail they weren’t expecting. How can we better manage that?

STUDENT This is something that I will research once I get the survey results and can

evaluate the patient feedback.

Add to student’s notes:

 Client would like a gap analysis done to determine the difference in a patient’s expectations and

the actual patient experience.

 Research the need for follow up nurse phone calls to patients the following day.

 Research how the change from 100% of patients being triaged to only those with more serious

symptoms plays a role in patient’s satisfaction.

 Research ways to decrease surprise costs to patients.

 Identify the process of seeing a patient from the time they enter the facility to when the billing

is complete.

 Visit the urgent care facility and make notes of the waiting area and treatment rooms.

 

JAMES RESPONSE I’ll send them after our meeting. Is there anything that you need from me now

to help you get started?

Student must select both options to continue.

 

STUDENT OPTION 1 Have any employee satisfaction surveys been conducted to indicate their level

of satisfaction and motivation for the work?

JAMES RESPONSE 1 No, we have not implemented an employee satisfaction survey. I think this

would be an important component of your research. Studies show that

employees who are highly satisfied with their jobs deliver high quality service.

STUDENT OPTION 2 Can you help me to arrange a meeting with some staff members at the urgent

care facility?

 

 

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JAMES RESPONSE 2 Absolutely. I will contact the manager at the facility and arrange for a meeting

with you, a receptionist, and one of our medical staff members. That will give

you a good idea of the processes from reception through treatment. And

because you’re an objective party, you will probably get candid responses

about their job satisfaction.

Add additional bullet points to student’s notes:

 Remember that the patient determines the level of care that they expect

 Explore ways to get employee feedback

 

STUDENT Thank you for this information, and for setting up a meeting with the team.

JAMES RESPONSE 1 You know where to find me if need any more information. I am very motivated

to get results that will help to improve patient satisfaction.

 

End of Scene 1

 

 

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Scene 2: Patient Survey Results

In this scene, the student receives the patient survey results from James.

Location Student’s office

Scene setup The student is facing their computer.

On-screen characters None

Off-screen characters None

 

On screen text: You have some time between meetings so you check to see if James emailed you the

survey results…

Note: The student can click the email icon, and the inbox appears with a message from James. The

student can click to open it.

EMAIL 1 FROM

JAMES

Hello,

Here are the survey results as promised. Review them and let me know if you

have any questions.

[link to open survey results document]

James

 

Note: When student clicks the link, a document with survey results appears. Asset:

Patient_Survey_Results. When student closes the document, the email inbox appears again, with

another message from James.

On screen text: You have received another email from James…

EMAIL 2 FROM

JAMES

I set up a meeting for you to talk with Lisa Leon, a receptionist and Therese Holt,

a Nurse Practitioner at our urgent care facility. They are both available to meet

with you on Thursday at 1:00 during their lunch break.

Thank you,

James

 

End of Scene 2

 

 

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Scene 3: The Urgent Care Waiting Room

In this scene, the student evaluates the waiting area for the urgent care facility prior to interacting with

the receptionist.

Location Urgent Care waiting room

Scene setup The waiting room virtual location is visible. The waiting room looks a little

dated and doesn’t look that comfortable or inviting. All the seats are filled, so

there is nowhere to sit.

On-screen characters None

Off-screen characters None

 

On-screen text: You’ve arrived in the waiting room. What are your initial thoughts? Make your

observations in your Notes area, then click “Talk to Receptionist” when you’re finished.

Note: The student should click Talk to Receptionist to move to the next scene.

End of Scene 3

 

 

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Scene 4: The Receptionist

The student is now in front of the receptionist window. The receptionist is there, but doesn’t

immediately greet the student.

Location Urgent Care Reception Desk

Scene setup Lisa Leon is behind the desk, facing the student.

On-screen characters Lisa Leon, receptionist

Off-screen characters None

 

On-screen text: It doesn’t look like the receptionist notices you. You’d better get her attention…

 

STUDENT Excuse me…

LISA [Looks up, seemingly bothered by the interruption] Can I help you?

STUDENT Hello. I’m here to meet with Lisa Leon and Therese Holt.

LISA RESPONSE [Still not vey cheerful] And you are…

On Screen Text: Type your name here.

Note: A box appears in which the student can enter their name.

LISA [Cheers up] Oh yes, you’ve been working with James. I’m Lisa. I was told that

you were coming. Let me call for someone to cover the phones and I’ll let

Therese know you are here.

 

End of Scene 4

 

 

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Scene 5: Meeting with Employees

In this scene, the student will be meeting with Lisa Leon, the Receptionist, and Therese Holt, a Nurse

Practitioner, to learn more about the processes and experiences from the employees’ viewpoint. This

information will be combined with the survey results sent from James Melbourne to develop a data

analysis and recommendation for the urgent care facility.

 

Location Urgent Care break room

Scene setup Lisa and Therese are both sitting at the table, facing the student.

On-screen characters Lisa Leon and Therese Holt

Off-screen characters None

 

 

On screen text: Your meeting with Lisa Leon, receptionist, and Therese Holt, nurse practitioner, in the

break room is about to begin…

 

LISA LEON

 

[To student]

This is Therese Holt, one of our nurse practitioners.

**STUDENT OPTION 1 Thank you both for taking your lunch hour meet with me.

STUDENT OPTION 2 I appreciate your time and I know that you are busy, so I will keep this brief.

Student can select either response to continue.

THERESE James told us you’re working to find ways to improve the overall patient

experience at our facility.

STUDENT

 

Yes. Can you tell me about the process patients go through when they visit your

facility?

THERESE Lisa, why don’t you start with this one since you are the first person who sees

the patient?

LISA Sure, alright. Sometimes patients call ahead of time and let us know they are

coming but often our patients are just walk ins. They check in with me and I

begin gathering their information.

THERESE Pardon me for interrupting, but if the patient presents more serious symptoms

such as shortness of breath or confusion, Lisa will call for the triage nurse to

come out right away to evaluate the patient before taking any information for

the patient chart. And of course, if they have life-threatening symptoms, we get

 

 

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them transported to an emergency room.

LISA Good point, yes. But if that isn’t the case, I continue asking them for the

information to complete their chart. Then I ask them to have a seat and wait to

be called.

STUDENT OPTION 1

 

Do you explain cost to the patients at this time?

STUDENT OPTION 2

 

What do you typically tell patients about treatment costs or billing?

Student can choose either option to get a response, but must select the correct option to continue.

LISA RESPONSE 1 Yes.

LISA RESPONSE 2 I tell them what their co-pay is and collect it at that time.

 

STUDENT OPTION 1

 

What types of questions or responses do you get from the patients at this

point?

**STUDENT OPTION 2 Are most patients cooperative?

Student can choose either option to continue.

 

LISA RESPONSE 1

 

Most are pretty cooperative. Of course they always want to know the wait time

or how many people are in front of them, things like that. But sometimes I get

patients who don’t even want to give me the information to complete their

chart for the nurses and doctor. They sort of just demand to see a doctor. But

that isn’t too often.

THERESE RESPONSE 1 Lisa does a great job as the gatekeeper. People don’t want to be here and Lisa

sometimes has to take the brunt of the intolerance that goes along with that.

 

Student must select all three of the following options in order to continue. Responses are shown directly

below the option.

 

 

 

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STUDENT OPTION 1

 

Lisa, what are typical patient comments that you hear in the waiting area?

LISA RESPONSE 1

 

Oh gosh, I hear it all. Patients want to know what is taking so long. They want to

know if there is another area to wait because they don’t want to catch

something they don’t already have. Sometimes we have an influx of patients all

at once and they get impatient standing in line waiting for me to help the

patients in front of them.

STUDENT OPTION 2

 

Therese, what are some of the patient comments that you receive in the

treatment area?

THERESE RESPONSE 2 The “not wanting to wait” spills over into the treatment area, too. Once I take a

patient back, they expect immediate treatment and sometimes get impatient as

I take history and vitals. Sometimes patients want a complete diagnosis and we

can’t always give that to them. We do not have the facility or equipment to run

every type of test to make a definitive diagnosis on some things. I don’t think

patients always realize this.

 

STUDENT OPTION 3 What is the most satisfying part of your job?

LISA RESPONSE 3

 

I really like my job but I get overwhelmed when there are a lot of patients and

they become difficult to deal with. My motivation comes from being part of a

team that is there to help people who are ill or injured.

THERESE RESPONSE 3 I agree with Lisa. I would say that I am very satisfied with team that we have

here. We all work together very well.

 

STUDENT OPTION 4 What would you like to see done differently at this facility?

LISA RESPONSE 4

 

I think the biggest thing would be to provide more privacy for our patients. In

addition to their personal information, I ask a lot of medical questions. I don’t

think the patients like giving answers that can be overheard by others in the

waiting area.

THERESE RESPONSE 4 It’s the same in the treatment area. We have some rooms with doors, but to

accommodate the large number of patients during busy times, we have

treatment areas with curtains. This does not provide privacy for talking with

patients about their medical issues.

 

 

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I also think we all need to remember that we are in the customer service

business. I would like to see Bright Road offer more training programs in areas

of leadership and customer service. I think we all do the best that we can, but a

little training or reminders may go a long way.

 

STUDENT

 

Can either of you tell me about interaction with management and the type of

feedback that you receive?

LISA RESPONSE 1

 

I don’t really get much feedback from anyone. I have my annual reviews but

that is about it. I assume that everything is okay if I don’t hear anything, but it

would be nice to get some sort of feedback, so I know the areas in which I can

improve.

THERESE RESPONSE 1 I would say that the medical staff could also use a little more feedback. We

have monthly meetings with management to review processes and updates.

But it seems that a few of us meet and the information doesn’t go beyond the

meeting. It’s a waste of information, and our time.

 

STUDENT Thank you both for taking the time to meet with me today.

 

LISA

 

You’re welcome. It is nice to have somebody actually take an interest in things

from our perspective.

 

THERESE Yes, you are welcome. If I can think of anything else to add, I will certainly call

you and feel free to contact me if you have additional questions.

 

End of Scene 5

 

 

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Scene 6: Your Recommendation

In this scene, the student will email their recommendations for improvement to James Melbourne in an

email.

 

Location Student’s office

Scene setup Student if facing the computer

On-screen characters None

Off-screen characters None

 

On screen text: Analyze the information you’ve gathered in an organized manner and create a 250-500-

word recommendation to James Melbourne. Your recommendation should include:

 A service delivery gap analysis and how to create customer value at the urgent care facility.

 The role the frontline personnel and their role in high quality service.

 Specific suggestions on how to improve the total patient experience at the urgent care facility.

 

Note: A blank email is on screen, with the To field populated with James Melbourne. The Subject reads:

Confidential: Suggestions for Urgent Care Facility Improvements. The student types a recommendation,

and clicks Send to send the email. On screen text appears when the message has been sent.

On screen text: Your recommendation has been sent.

 

 

 

END OF LEARNSCAPE 3