Improving the patients experience- BWH Bulletin - For and about the People of Brigham and Women's Hospital
Improving the patients experience- BWH Bulletin - For and about the People of Brigham and Women's Hospital
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February 7, 2000
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In This Issue:
Improving the patients experience
BWH launches new ad campaign
February Calendar
Employee Perks:
From bench to bedside with Dirk Inglehart, MD
Survey results produce action
In the fall of 1998, Massachusetts became the first and only state in the nation to publicly release hospital patient satisfaction data. Setting a new standard for public dialogue on this important issue, BWH joined 50 other participating hospitals in the first statewide release of this information, which gauges patient perceptions. Two years ago, the Picker Institute collected information on experiences from more than 12,500 patients. They are now in the process of collecting a new round of patient satisfaction data from inpatients during this month and next. The information collected at BWH will be publicly released in the fall, along with statistics from other hospitals from throughout the state. “This has been a unique and important initiative,” said Paula Johnson, MD, director, Quality Management Services, as she outlined the Picker process at the February 4 Town Meeting. “This provides us with an opportunity to measure our progress on a number of critical initiatives.” Johnson outlined hospital efforts in three areas measured by Picker: coordination of care; emotional support; and continuity and transition. She recognized the unique challenges at teaching hospitals like BWH, but reviewed a wide number of initiatives designed to improve BWH’s interactions with patients. These efforts have included the development of a patient relations department and the new Compassionate Care Program at BWH, improved admitting and discharge procedures, as well as day after discharge phone calls. “There is an ongoing commitment on the part of hospital leadership to address this important area,” said Johnson. “There has been widespread involvement of staff and a growing recognition that this is not just ‘patient satisfaction,’ but an indicator of overall quality.” See next week’s Bulletin for questions and answers from this Town Meeting.