Being a Well-Organized Healthcare Business can Improve Patient Experiences
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At EnticEdge, we are healthcare and wellness business consultants dedicated to helping companies clarify and align around their competitive advantage, which we call your authentic edge! Our team brings 30+ years of healthcare expertise in strategic advising, value mapping, business consulting, client experience, team and cross-departmental alignment, and more, all tailored to helping teams achieve mission-driven growth.
The patient experience your healthcare business provides is an instrumental element of your brand. From a recent Beryl Institute survey, about 60% of participants stated to have had a poor patient experience just in the past three months. Leaving patients with a positive, lasting impression will increase referrals, customer loyalty, and overall patient outcomes; thus, the ROI on working to improve patient experience is undoubtedly high. The overall patient experience is a culmination of many factors including the effectiveness of your service, how interactions with your business made them feel, and their mental and emotional state throughout.
There are a few strategies that are helpful in building a positive patient experience, such as aligning it with your brand and implementing a feedback loop to the process of refining it. Another worthwhile way to improve the patient experience of your business is by maintaining strong organization. It should be no surprise that organization throughout your company is important internally, however, have you considered the effect an unclear protocol or a misplaced file can have on your patients? Here, we will highlight what it really means to have a well-organized healthcare business and 6 reasons how it can improve patient experiences.
What it means for your healthcare business to be organized
In running a business, there is a lot of work, information, and people to have in order so that your operations can run smoothly, both internally and externally. Organization is not just about having meticulously labeled folders and a tidy workspace (although these do help). A well-organized business has sets of processes for how projects should be executed from framework to implementation, how the primary company mission will be achieved, how each team’s role fits in working toward the mission, and how feelings of confusion, stress, and uncertainty can be minimized for both team members and patients (example: scenarios and messaging modeling for handling high-stress conversations with new patients).
If you’re not sure if your business meets the mark for being well-organized, here are some more specific criteria to check for:
Well-defined Workflow
To get tasks done with order, your team needs to know who manages who and who does what. Having well-communicated decision-making hierarchy and communication preferences as well as an outline of each team members’ responsibilities will streamline the approval and completion of work and keep employees clear on their role and the decision-making capabilities of those around them.
Productive System for Managing Resources
In addition to employees being clear on their purpose and job, it is crucial for the labor itself along with other company resources to be managed productively. Implementing systems or guidelines to direct how resources such as technology, funding, and labor should be allocated will add another layer of clarity on how the business operates so it can do so efficiently and effectively.
Team Alignment
Ensuring your whole team is on the same page about the core components of your business is a must. Team alignment is achieved when all members of your company have clarity and consistency on your audience, mission, values, goals, strategies, key messaging, unique differentiators or value propositions, and brand guidelines. In other words, team alignment is when all team members have a well-organized idea of your business’s character and purpose.
6 reasons good organization can improve patient experience
The patient experience is about providing a service that leaves patients feeling cared for and satisfied that their questions were answered and needs were met. There is the in-person experience, which includes important milestones from access and environment to communications and care interactions. There is also the digital patient experience, which guides the patient through services offered, your organization’s qualifications to offer the care you do, access options, and likely most importantly, introduces (or re-introduces) them to your values, your team, and a wide-array of the pieces that make up your organization’s brand. Both journeys will be more positive and successful when business operations and systems are organized and team members are clearly aligned around what (and how) your organization hopes to provide. Consider the improvements adding well-organized systems will create:
Clearer communication channels between you and your patients.
Clear communication within your team and with your patients and clients is a byproduct of solid team alignment. Please don’t assume everything is just fine - check in with those in first communication with patients - what are they hearing and learning? When everyone on your team understands their role and the company’s purpose and mission, they can better deliver consistent and accurate information to patients. Consider helping your staff troubleshoot during difficult situations proactively. Offer hypothetical scenarios with suggested solutions and messaging. Audit what you’re saying online to make sure it’s in line with what you have agreed upon internally so that communication is consistent for your patients and referrals. If the answers to your patients’ questions are streamlined and patients have clarity on what to expect from your service and business, they will have a more comfortable patient experience.
Building further patient trust.
Patients are looking for professionals who understand the seriousness and sensitivity behind their health. They want to be taken care of by healthcare professionals who are qualified, experienced, and who have regard for the patient experience. Internal disorganization, such as friction when scheduling or inconsistent information about a clear policy, can negatively impact patient interactions, leading to a loss of trust and increased apprehension throughout their experience.
Consistent quality care.
When your team adheres to established protocols and procedures, it guarantees that each patient receives the same high standard of treatment and attention. This organization allows for precise execution of both technical procedures and patient care, reducing the likelihood of errors and ensuring that every interaction meets company expectations. Ultimately, it also delivers on efficiency in the long run. Delivering reliable care will leave patients satisfied with both your service and their overall experience.
Minimizing patient stress.
It is important to not forget the sensitive state a patient may be in when seeking a health-related service. Many patients may be in overwhelming stress and anxiety. Maintaining a well-organized business will help foster a calm, orderly environment that can help combat patients' heightened emotions.
Ease in handling emergencies and unexpected situations.
Being organized is crucial in healthcare, where emergencies and unexpected situations are inevitable. A well-organized system ensures that records, treatment protocols, and emergency contacts are readily accessible, allowing for quick decision-making and responses. When faced with a high-pressure situation or patient-facing problem, having a well-organized company will help your team approach such crises with confidence and efficiency, leading to better patient experiences and outcomes.
Gaining support from your whole team.
A key component of team alignment within a well-organized business is receiving buy-in and feedback from your team.The insights of team members directly interacting with patients should be reflected in organizational procedures, ensuring patients and their experience remain central to your work. When you have systematic ways of allowing everyone to contribute and offer their ideas, your team will more likely stay aligned and committed to the same mission. Remember, if your team is not on board and feels left out of shaping the patient experience, they are less likely to adhere to it, especially since they are likely the ones working most closely with patients on a daily basis!
At EnticEdge, we know a thing or two about how to eliminate the clutter and develop a strategy with your patients and clients at the core. If you are ready to get your team on the same page and push your business forward, reach out to us and we can help you by facilitating a value mapping session and advising your team to achieve team alignment and intentional growth.
Ready to map and improve your patient experience?
Book a call today for more information on how you can leverage EnticEdge’s Strategic Advising and 30+ years of healthcare expertise to improve your patient experience today.
