Case Study: How Employee Engagement Affected Outpatient Satisfaction Scores

By Jennifer A. Kirkman MHA, RT(R)(VI), CRA, FAHRA

Outpatient satisfaction scores for fluoroscopy were the lowest in the department. One of the biggest opportunities was "Staff explained things." Knowing that both the teammates and the APPs explain the procedure, we asked the team in weekly huddle what they thought. No one had any ideas on how they could explain things differently. However, a teammate shared her frustration about a different issue and offered a possible solution. This one suggestion dropped our no-show rate by 30% in the first two months and allowed the department to not miss out on potential revenue for the scheduled patients.

Then the outpatient survey results started to climb. The teammate shared that many patients did not understand what they were scheduled for and appreciated having the opportunity to ask questions before arriving.

Patients now show up on time, and our outpatient survey results continue to climb. We now know ahead of time if patients tell us they are not coming for the appointment, allowing better facilitation of the inpatient orders into the daily schedule. Teammate engagement has increased, and they are not afraid to offer solutions when they escalate concerns.

Healthcare administrators face the unique challenge of improving employee engagement and patient satisfaction, two factors that are deeply intertwined. In a tight labor market with more open jobs than potential employees, retaining great talent has never been more important. Furthermore, studies show that engaged employees are more productive and more likely to remain with an organization.

Engaged employees also tend to deliver better care, which translates into stronger patient satisfaction scores. These satisfaction scores directly affect hospital reimbursement through CMS’s HCAHPS program. And as patients become increasingly savvy, sharing their experiences online, the connection between employee and patient satisfaction becomes even more acute. Departments that invest in employee engagement, such as through shared governance models, have demonstrated measurable improvements in staff engagement and patient experience.