Surefire Ways to Improve Healthcare Culture

Posted on March 18, 2022 by Kylene Ordway

Positive healthcare culture is a critical part of remaining competitive in an industry that’s increasingly driven by patient satisfaction. But what is healthy healthcare culture, and how can you cultivate it within your practice?

About healthcare culture

A healthy healthcare culture supports an environment in which you and your employees are fully empowered to deliver patient-focused care. When you and your employees are engaged and happy, your enthusiasm for what you do is evident, and your patients can tell the difference. As a result, your patients feel valued, which boosts patient satisfaction, patient retention, and an improved revenue flow.

How to improve healthcare culture

Sounds great, right? Happy employees, satisfied patients, and predictable income, yes, please. So, how do you create or improve the healthcare culture in your own practice?

Here at Keybridge Medical Revenue Care, we are dedicated to cultivating a healthcare culture both in our business and the practices we serve. As a result of our experience, we have some tips to help you.

Self-review

The first step in creating a healthcare culture is to take some time to reflect on your business, what it stands for — and what you want it to stand for — outside of the services you provide. Some of the questions you need to consider include:

• What is the ideal patient experience?
• What is the actual patient experience?
• How do the providers and employees contribute to that experience?
• How do you support and empower your employees to deliver excellent service?
• Are your employees satisfied?
• What are your current patient satisfaction scores?

Surveying your employees is critical to understanding the current state of your office culture. They can provide insights that you might not be aware of as a manager or provider. Also, getting your employees involved early in the process can boost their engagement in the process and the culture.

Set goals

After you complete your self-review and identify where your practice is and where you want it to be, you can set goals to help you get there. Then, you can create a team to help select these goals.

Here at Keybridge Medical Revenue Care, we have four cultural pillars that support our healthcare culture in our office, and our goals help us maintain them:

• Choose your attitude
• Be present
• Have fun
• Make their day

A positive attitude can go a long way to enhancing your work environment. While work is often challenging, choosing to face the day with a positive and helpful attitude can make a big difference in your employees’ and patients’ experiences.

Goals that help your staff stay present also support excellent patient care. When your employees are focused on the patient in front of them or on the phone, the patient can tell they have the employee’s full attention.

Having fun isn’t usually a high priority in the workplace. However, taking steps to help your staff connect and enjoy coming to work makes a significant difference in their attitude. Investing in your employees helps them feel valued, secure, and happy about serving your patients.

In addition to supporting engagement activities, you can also provide training and development opportunities for your employees. Encouraging your employees’ professional development helps them feel valued and ensures that they have the skills and knowledge needed to continue serving your patients and supporting each other.

Fostering a positive attitude helps your staff stay engaged in their work and focused on delivering outstanding patient service, effectively making your patients’ days.

Employee engagement

Getting your employees involved is critical to the successful development of a healthcare culture in your practice. You can find out what they want and need to commit to your healthcare culture goals.

Also, keeping your employees on board is critical to ensuring that your culture evolves with your practice. Check in with your team regularly to ensure they — and your patients — remain satisfied.

The specifics of how you nurture a positive and patient-focused healthcare culture vary depending on your employees. There’s no correct answer. However, taking the time to follow the process of creating a positive healthcare culture pays off.

Your employees are happier, which decreases attrition, improves performance, and enhances the overall environment. Remember, happy and satisfied employees are critical to a robust healthcare culture and all of the benefits it brings.

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References:

Health Leaders Media

NCBI

Fish Philosophy

BDO