Background:

Patient satisfaction is an important quality performance measure directly impacts the reputation of the hospital and long–term financial performance of the hospital. In our hospital, Press–Ganey patient satisfaction scores for medical floors/hospitalists’ were in the first to tenth percentile compared with the surgical and telemetry floors at the 99th percentile. A multidisciplinary team was assembled in January 2011 with the aim of improving Press–Ganey patient satisfaction scores in medical floors and for hospitalist’s by September 2011 in acute medical care unit.

Purpose:

To improve overall Press–Ganey patient satisfaction scores for nurses, physicians and the discharge process from first percentile to above 90th percentile by improving process deficiencies and establishing best practices for exceptional care.

Description:

In an effort to improve patient satisfaction, tactics spanned from the time of admission until the time of discharge and included: •Providing a warm welcome to the floor •Conducting multidisciplinary rounds with physician and nurse rounding together •Disease specific education by physician followed by teach back by the nurses •Improving communication with patients, families and their primary care physicians •Assuring follow up appointments with primary care physicians/clinic by case managers before the discharge •Improving medication compliance by filling prescriptions at the hospital pharmacy and delivering the medications to their room prior to the discharge •Addressing transportation needs by social worker •Making post discharge calls Process measures and Press–Ganey scores were evaluated.

Conclusions:

Press–Ganey scores increased to >90th percentile for all three domains measured (overall nurses, physicians, and discharge process). This improved professional satisfaction for the physicians as well as nurses. This work required significant amount of time and exceptional teamwork but no extra resources were required.

Figure 1Press–Ganey patient satisfaction scores