Multiple Interventions Improve Department Patient Experience Scores- A QI approach

Context Patient satisfaction is an important clinical outcome reflecting perceptions of service. Improving patient experience has been an important aspect of creating high value care, as envisioned in the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Triple Aim. The highest level of achievable experience is confirmed through our patients assessed “likelihood to recommend” their care provider to others.

Objective Increase top box scores to above 90th percentile by the end of 2020.

Study Design and Analysis Quality improvement project with interventions at the provider, care team, and departmental levels. Control charts were utilized to demonstrate achievement of statistically significant improvements.

Setting or Dataset Our multi-specialty integrated group practice at an academic medical center utilizes Press Ganey as our Patient Experience survey vendor.

Population studied Departmental level patient experience survey scores

Intervention/Instrument Patient experience as a departmental priority was emphasized via multiple interventions. Individual provider level data were shared by physician site leads quarterly and discussed with the Chair annually. Individual performance improvement plans, when necessary, were created. Reports were discussed with operational staff, including desk and nursing leaders, quarterly. All-Staff meetings focused annually on patient experience, engaging everyone on their perceptions of best practices and opportunities for improvement. Site level data also provided opportunity for comparison and reflection within each team.

Outcome measures Department level scores for “likelihood to recommend” and “Care provider Instructions for follow up care”

Results In Quarter 4 of 2016, top box score for Likelihood to Recommend was 80.7% and was 76.1% for Care Providers instructions for follow up care (each at about the 40th percentile). Our scores for Q 4, 2020 was 89.7% top box (92nd percentile) for likelihood to recommend and 88.4% top box (91st percentile) for instructions for follow up.

Conclusions Patient experience is a mission critical measure of quality and operational success. Achievement and maintenance of patient experience outcomes is a departmental priority and requires attention from all. Celebration of successes is essential as is ongoing vigilance and prioritization among other operational issues.