|
|
||||
Medical/Surgical patients give high marks on satisfaction scoresA portion of the Mission Statement for New Ulm Medical Center states “We serve our community by providing exceptional care.” During 2005, the medical center’s Medical/Surgical department put solid numbers behind that statement and achieved inpatient satisfaction scores above the 90th percentile compared to hospitals across the nation. “That means only 10 percent of hospitals across the nation have better inpatient satisfaction scores than the Medical/Surgical unit at New Ulm Medical Center,” said Marilyn Swan, RN, MSN, manager of the medical, surgical and critical care units. Within the Allina Health System, New Ulm Medical Center has the highest medical/surgical satisfaction scores. “This is exactly what we mean when we talk about giving exceptional care,” said Medical Center President Lori Wightman. “When patients fill these surveys out, they are thinking about their whole experience as an inpatient… from how they were greeted at the door, to how their pain was managed, to whether labs were done in a timely manner, to the scheduling of physical therapy sessions. It looks like we are hitting on all cylinders on our medical/surgical unit.” Swan agreed, “These scores really reflect on the entire facility.” To provide an exceptional care experience, Wightman pointed out, everyone is truly working as a team: the physicians, nurses, dietary staff, lab, physical therapy and all departments. “It’s important for the community to know that we exist to serve our patients and we are committed to making their experience the best experience possible,” said Sharie Novak, RN, assistant manager of the department. Amazingly, Swan pointed out, these scores were accomplished during a high-stress period of time in the facility – while implementing the facility’s complex automated medical record system. Swan attributed the increased patient satisfaction scores to several factors, but most importantly to the commitment of the nursing staff on the unit to deliver top quality patient care. “Our amazing nursing staff and patient care support staff make everything else we do possible,” Swan said. In addition to the staff is a thorough thought process behind each change made in the unit. “Before we implement a change, we really think about how it is going to impact the patient,” Swan said. Several initiatives have been implemented in the last year that may have contributed to the increase in patient satisfaction, Novak added. “One initiative we implemented is conducting daily care conferences on the inpatient unit,” Novak said. “A multi-disciplinary team meets and discusses each patient’s progress and coordinates the patient’s care between departments during their stay. The team also provides support and coordination for their discharge.” The move to private rooms has also been a big patient satisfier, Swan said. An ongoing project is looking at discharge times, trying to coordinate discharges with families and improve communication to try to make the discharge time more convenient. “We recognize that the families of our patients have jobs and other obligations and we believe this work will provide better communication to anticipate discharge times so they can build it into their day,” Swan said. Other work that has contributed to patient satisfaction has been the new “room service” style of meal service on the unit by which patients can order their own food and planning ahead for physical therapy appointments so that inpatients can build it into their schedule for the day. “I’m very proud of the accomplishments on Med/Surg and the medical center staff that have made it possible,” Wightman said. “It’s why we exist: to provide exceptional patient care and make a difference in people’s lives.” |
||||
|
||||
New Ulm Medical Center
|
||||
|
||||
Print
Send to a Friend