Patient Experience of Care: The Results at CKHS

Being a hospital patient is no ones idea of a good time.

As part of the most recent Vision Day, Crozer-Keystone Health System nurses talked about changes at their hospital to make
the patient experience of care better. And while this was not the primary goal, the changes will result in better financial health
for the Health System.
Ensuring the best patient experience is the right thing for the patient but it is also the best thing for the health of the
organization, says Zanet Lester, MSHA, BSN, RN, director of Nursing Excellence.
A part of an evidence-based concept is the no pass concept that has been instituted throughout the health system. It means
that anyone can answer a call or call light, explains Paul Touhey, RN, in Rehab at Taylor Hospital. It allows the patient need
to be filled more quickly - which increases overall patient satisfaction.
It also results in fewer call lights, explains colleague Nicole Salladino, BSN, RN The patients need is taken care of and
the patient feels that someone is attendant to them.
Touhey also spoke about the benefit of hourly rounding to help improve patient scores in the Taylor Rehab Unit. This was
another way to reduce call light usage as well as reduce medication calls and requests for bathroom assistance.
In the Springfield Hospital Emergency Department, Diane Neary, BSN, RN, discussed how the implementation of huddles
resulted in an improvement of patient scores. We typically meet every four hours, she explains. It improves the
communication among the ED team and keeps everyone aware of the care plan. It also identifies an opportunity to keep the
patient updated.
Celeste Quigley, BS, RN, from 5 West at DCMH, shared some of the techniques her unit used to increase their patient
satisfaction scores. We stressed teamwork and instituted a daily safety huddle, she says.

We also learned, Lester says, that when we are doing all the right things for the patient experience our clinical outcomes
are better. Our goal is to improve the patient experience. When we improve our responsiveness, we have fewer falls and fewer
falls with injury. When we have improved communications, the patient has a better understanding of the discharge

instructions--which increases compliance and decreases readmissions. This affects our reimbursement rate also; our financial
health is tied to clinical outcomes and our Patient Experience of Care/ HCAHPS* scores. We all win.
*Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems

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