Telephone Excellence by Mike Mitchell

What’s Telecom got to do with Patient Satisfaction?
By Mike Mitchell

What impact does the Telecom department have on patient satisfaction? The results produced by this behind-the-scenes department may not be readily apparent to the casual observer but the contribution to patient satisfaction is undeniable. Here are four easy ways Telecom can help the clinical staff create wonderful patient experiences and keep satisfaction scores high.

Provide easy to use large button patient room telephones and keep them in working order. There are few things that can create a more frustrating experience than being confined to a hospital bed without a working telephone.

Make sure pharmacy fax extension numbers and machines are working perfectly. Getting meds to the needy patient is a top priority for medical staff and telecom should support them. It’s especially critical on the weekends.

Have well trained hospital operators who have excellent communication skills. Their skill with oral and written communication can be a powerful tool to calm an angry patient, concerned family member, or disoriented visitor. Their competence in handling hospital codes and emergencies is a morale booster for the clinical staff. Emergency responders can concentrate on providing quality medical care in a stressful situation with the knowledge that proper communication procedures and processes are being followed.

Respond quickly to technical problems and help desk calls. The clinical staff can focus on their patients’ progress more completely when they know any computer, telephone, dictation, or printer problem will be resolved quickly by the Telecom analysts. Doctors and nurses have enough stress during their daily routine without having the distraction of a broken wireless telephone or inoperable laptop during their day.

The clinical staff has a difficult task serving the needs of the patients and determining the course of medical care which sometimes involves life and death decisions. When Telecom supports their medical and communications equipment with scheduled preventive maintenance and rapid repairs, they can focus on the healing and wellness of their patients

Whether you use the Satisquest customer satisfaction report or some other reporting tool, I recommend that you review your hospital’s customer satisfaction report monthly. Look for areas in which the Telecom department can be proactive in supporting patient satisfaction. Even with limited patient interaction, Telecom can be a valuable asset in improving patient satisfaction for your hospital by making sure those who do have daily interaction with patients have the tools to do their best to satisfy their patients.

-Mike