Patient Experience Week 2019

Patient Experience Week (April 22 - 26, 2019) is an annual event to celebrate healthcare staff who make an impact on the patient experience everyday. This week provides time for organizations like yours to celebrate your achievements, align your efforts and honor the people who interact with patients on a daily basis. From nurses and physicians, to support staff and executive professionals, to patients and their families, SE Healthcare celebrates Patient Experience Week 2019 with you.

As we celebrate, we thought it would be the perfect time to provide you with some patient experience highlights and tips on how you can participate!

Celebrating Patient Experience Week

Here are a few ways that your practice can celebrate the Patient Experience - For this week and beyond:

• Establish a recognition program – From physicians to executive professionals and ALL practice support staff
• Host a recognition luncheon
• Plan an educational seminar on improving the patient experience
• Share how your practice has made positive changes based on patient feedback in a visible place
• Designate a “Patients’ Day” – Let your patients know you care by dedicating a day in their honor
• Social media suggestions
• Tell every patient “We care about your experience” and remind to complete their Patient Experience survey
• Each day have the team collectively choose one way your practice could improve the patient experience and plan to implement it – At the end of the week you’ll have 5 new initiatives!
• During the morning huddle – Share the Daily Challenge (see below)
• Using SE Healthcare’s Patient Experience Tips Library to post a “Tip of the Day” on your practice’s communication board. LINK to PE Tips document
• Form a Patient and Family Advisory Council

The Daily Challenge

Make each day of Patient Experience Week fun and exceptional:

Monday

Using their NAME, make eye contact and greet each person you see today with "Good morning" or "Good Afternoon".

Tuesday

Offer to WALK a patient to their destination.

Wednesday

Thank EVERY patient for choosing your practice and EACH colleague for all they do.

Thursday

Create a "WOW" moment for a patient by going above and beyond.

Friday

Ask every patient "What can I do to make this a GREAT experience?" then try to do it.

10 Additional Patient Experience Resources

The Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ), the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and the American Medical Association (AMA) offer excellent resources for improving the patient experience:

1. Patient Care Experience Observation Exercise
2. Partnering with Patients and Families Recommendations
3. Always Events® Toolkit
4. Always Events® One Page Overview
5. Questions are the Answer Poster
6. Patient Prep Card
7. Patient Note Sheet
8. The Guide to Improving Patient Safety in Primary Care Settings by Engaging Patients and Families
9. Be More Involved in Your Healthcare: Tips for Patients
10. Practical Strategies for Improving Patient Experience