Why Patient Satisfaction Matters for Radiology

Published on Diagnostic Imaging (http://www.diagnosticimaging.com)

Why Patient Satisfaction Matters for Radiology

November 05, 2012 | Practice Management [1]
By Whitney L.J. Howell [2]

CMS plans to use hospital patient satisfaction survey data to determine reimbursement. Heres how
radiology groups can improve their scores.

In 2014, CMS will add yet another factor into the mix of how your reimbursement payments are
determined. Thats when hospital patient satisfaction surveys known as HCAHPS will begin to
play a role in your bottom line.

Surveying patient satisfaction with health services isnt new, but HCAHPS Hospital Consumer
Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems is the first national effort to collect this
information. Once implemented, the survey has three goals: produce comparable data on how
patients perceive their care; give hospitals information needed to improve their care quality; and
increase transparency surrounding hospital care. Eventually, CMS plans to use this patient
satisfaction data to determine the level of reimbursement it will give hospitals for services rendered.
Concern over patient satisfaction has already taken hold in many hospitals. In a recent poll of
hospital-based imaging directors and managers on the MarkeTechs imagePRO panel, roughly 85
percent reported that maintaining or improving patient satisfaction ranks among the top third of
their organizational priorities. In addition, 65 percent said hospital administration is committed to
making those enhancements happen.

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 Why Patient Satisfaction Matters for Radiology
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In radiology where providers often have little-to-no direct patient contact, why is it important for you
to think about how happy patients are with the services you provide? It turns out, said James
Lipcamon, outpatient imaging services manager for East Cooper Medical Center in Mt. Pleasant, SC,
patient satisfaction is a big deal for todays radiologists, both in the hospital and private imaging
center setting.
For any patient coming into a hospital setting or an imaging center, they already expect our
competency. Thats not what theyre mainly concerned about; theyre looking for the warm fuzzies,
he said. And, if youre in a competitive market, patient satisfaction is critical because
word-of-mouth drives a lot of health care business. Someone has a bad experience with you, theyll
tell 10 people. If they have a good one, theyll tell three or four.
Improving Your Scores
Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to maximize patient happiness, and most
strategies are fairly simple. The HCAHPS data can give you a clear understanding of how much
patients approve or disapprove of your departments performance, Lipcamon said.
For example, use patient satisfaction cards to gather opinions and recommendations from patients
about areas where you can improve. Ask them if it was easy to make an appointment, if the front
staff welcomed them warmly, and if they received clear directions during the visit. You should also
inquire about how quickly they were seen once they arrived for the appointment. Phone surveys are
also an effective way to collect responses.
Radiology departments and practices can also improve their HCAHPS scores through an initiative
known as AIDET Acknowledge, Introduce, Duration, Explain, and Thank You said Jason Scott,
director of imaging, cardiac diagnostics, pulmonary, and neurodiagnostics at Witham Health Services
in Lebanon, Ind. AIDET works, he said, because it creates a culture that makes patient satisfaction a
central priority at all times.
Imaging staff needs to be constantly reminded that management expects patients to be taken care

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 Why Patient Satisfaction Matters for Radiology
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of in a quality manner, he said. Having an engaged staff is critical in achieving and sustaining
patient satisfaction goals.
When used properly, AIDET can give your staff the guidance needed to effectively address any
problems that occur during a patients visit, such as an extended wait, during the time of service.
Each person should also take the time to introduce themselves, describe what they do, and detail
their level of experience. Informing the patient can relieve any anxiety they feel over an imaging
study, Scott said.
In that vein, keep patients and any accompanying family members informed about anticipated wait
times and how long a test will reasonably take. Its also important for your staff to explain each step
in a procedure and why theyre doing it. For instance, let patients know why an IV line for a contrast
agent is necessary, he said. And, most importantly, thank patients not only for their cooperation
during a procedure, but also for choosing your practice or department for their study.
By keeping patient needs and responses in mind at all times, some radiology departments are
already experiencing success. The radiology departments at Ministry Eagle River Memorial Hospital
and Howard Young Medical Center recently announced their patient satisfaction scores, determined
by patient satisfaction survey company NRC Picker, put them in the top 10 percent of hospital
radiology departments nationwide.
Keeping the patient first is our No. 1 priority, Rebecca Morin, vice president of patient care
services, said in a written statement. Our radiology technologists are very respectful and responsive
to the needs, wants, and values of each patient.
The Challenges of Patient Satisfaction
Even with satisfaction protocols in place, keeping all patients happy with your performance can be
difficult. In many cases, the greatest challenge to doing so sprouts from inside your practice,
Lipcamon said.
In many offices or departments, youre dealing with a culture that has existed for 10 to 12 years,
and now it has to change. That doesnt happen in three or four months; it often takes one to two
years, he said. It can often take months for people to feel comfortable doing things differently
because it pushes them outside of their comfort zone. It can be difficult for some people to make
frequent eye contact and talk with patients.
It can also be difficult to maintain clear communication with your staff and hold everyone
accountable for their actions when youre serving a large number of patients each day, Scott said.
Reiterating the importance of patient satisfaction and delivering the best quality care during weekly
staff meetings is an easy way to reinforce behaviors that ensure high HCAHPS scores.
Administrators should also strive to create an environment where, if a staff member witnesses
discourteous behavior toward a patient, he or she can quickly and privately discuss more appropriate
actions with the colleague. Practice leaders can also stay current on how their staff performs by
reviewing any patient comment cards daily. Reading the cards ensures all staff members are serving
patients with the most respect, efficiency, and quality. And, if any staff member is mentioned
positively by name, Scott recommended displaying those kudos in a centralized place for everyone
to see.
The Unseen Customer
In addition to your daily roster of patients, Lipcamon advised you shouldnt forget the other parties
who need to be happy with your performance: insurance providers and referring physicians.
Although insurance companies do not currently include patient satisfaction in their decision models,
the advent of HCAHPS scores could change that, he said. He predicted many companies will soon
analyze your patient satisfaction scores before they decide whether they will cover services provided
at your facility.
Referring physicians, however, are already basing their referral decisions partly on how well you
provide service.
Generally, a referring physician will look at a number of factors when choosing which practice to
send their patient to, Lipcamon said. If he or she doesnt have confidence from previous
experiences that a radiologist can treat a patient with respect while providing a high degree of
service, you can kiss that referral goodbye.

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Links:
[1] http://www.diagnosticimaging.com/practice-management
[2] http://www.diagnosticimaging.com/authors/whitney-lj-howell

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