A few years ago we read a book by Fred Lee, “If Disney Ran Your Hospital: 9 1/2 Things You Would Do Differently.” In reading the book we quickly realized our conviction in deploying M3-Patient Experience matched up with what Fred said in his book. We contacted Fred, met him at the airport in Orlando for lunch and asked him to take a look at M3-Patient Experience. After spending a considerable amount of time, this was his unsolicited comment:
“I liked all the questions in your survey and could honestly not think of anything I felt was not covered. It is really an electronic work of art. You are to be highly commended. I can recommend it highly, and you can quote me on that!”
With that I would like to share with you some of the points Fred makes in his book, as well in presentations he makes to healthcare operations around the country.
Focus on What Can’t be Measured. When we focus on the perceptions of the patient the efficiencies will follow. In other words, when we treat the patient with compassion, we will meet the patients’ needs efficiently and effectively. Every patient is different, compassion helps you focus on the need of every patient.
Make Courtesy More Important than Efficiency. By first being courteous to the patient, which creates an external focus (focusing on the patient’s need), bringing responsiveness to the patient’s need, which promotes sharing of resources, and ultimately results in overall organizational efficiency and teamwork; creating a memorable experience for the patient.
Measure to Improve, Not to Impress. When we measure the patient’s experience with the focus on improvement, understanding each patient is different, we continuously find ways to get better. If we are merely measuring to impress we are more focused on average scores and if we are at least better than someone else, when “someone else” might be pretty bad. Continually improve and your patients will not only be impressed, but will be loyal.
Closing the Gap between Knowing and Doing. “Like losing weight, our problem is not with knowing how. When we want to enough, we figure out how and learn by doing. Our problem is with being committed enough to do what it takes every day, and do it permanently, not just in short bursts of inspired energy.” — Fred Lee
Here is a link to a slide show from some of Fred’s speaking engagements I found posted on the web: http://tinyurl.com/fredleeifdisney. I encourage you to read his book. But most importantly when providing care to your patients I challenge you to improve continuously and ask yourself, “What Will I Do Differently?”
—Marty Hudson