How many businesses fall under the Healthcare Business Sector? How many people are employed? This is big business, to be sure. Today's blog is about a slice of it--hospitals. Recently a report was released: 2011 Healthcare Consumerism and Hospital Quality in America which documented patient outcomes at almost 5,000 American non-federal hospitals. This study looked at outcomes for 27 procedures using data from 40,000,000 records during 2008 through 2010.
Some of the results were obvious: people were most likely to survive in 5 Star rated hospitals. If you want to see how some of the hospitals in your state are rated, go to HealthGrades.com/MyCity.
Another result of the study found more people were researching to find quality doctors and hospitals rather than the diseases and illnesses. I am not sure I am convinced this is true. HealthGrades was deeply involved and had a vested interest in the research. But I do agree that quality healthcare is on everyone's mind. If it is going to be expensive, people want it done right. There is a huge trust factor that is quivering right now. There are many reason for this, of course. Quality plays an important piece. People want their hospitals to rise to the occasion and give top service. This is a conversation I heard several years ago in an Emergency Room and it went something like this--Communications Staff Member: " I am sorry you cannot go up to a room right now. We just don't have enough nurses and we must keep our nurse/patient ratio correct." Patient: " You are a for-profit hospital, are you not?" Staff: No response.
The patient wasn't buying it about a nurse shortage. If the hospital wanted to have more, they could hire more, but that meant the bottom line would be affected. That is the perception of the public about their hospitals.
For hospitals to be more about their patients and keep business in the black, here are some suggestions:
1. Stop having a huge marketing budget. My insurance, doctor, and friends' recommendations will decide where I go for procedures/surgery. I live in a city where there are hospitals competing everyday with ads and commercials. Rather, use that money to get lab and tests results back on time, rooms clean, and beds that work (all first hand information, folks).
2. Have EVERYONE, and I do mean everyone who comes in contact with a customer(I deliberately used that word instead of "patient"), pass the National Professional Certification in Customer Service. It is through the National Retail Federation and is an industry recognized certification. I can think of a doctor or two, phlebotomist, nurse, etc. who would have benefited from such a course. Bet people will come if they get good service. Quality + quantity = profit.
3. What really is free, which is sometimes what they tell you at the hospital or doctor's office? That is what a nurse told me when I didn't have to give a co-pay for my child's shot. But my insurance who paid for the shot that day is not free. I pay health insurance every month. And what really is on the hospital bill sent to your insurance company? Ever try to get an itemized bill from a hospital? This goes back to trust issues and ethical issues to name a few. If hospitals want repeat business and good recommendations, then they will have to perform just like any other business--quality product, expert advice, and being up front with good customer service.
Hopefully, your insurance allows you choice of doctors and hospitals. Perhaps the study above will be part of your research as to where you go to use the dollars you have set aside for medical care.
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