Talk to someone about patient safety these days and you're almost certain to hear a horror story about a hospital-acquired infection. In the media, and in living rooms across the country, staph and other infections are frequently part of the hospital conversation.
The Women's Choice Award discovered in a recent survey that hospitals with strong patient safety records aren't doing enough to share their track records among a public that is starved for information. The February 2017 survey of over 1,000 women revealed that 92% of women are concerned about hospital-acquired infections, yet only 23% consider themselves "very confident" in their local hospitals' patient safety performance. The research also showed that three-quarters of women are unaware of their local hospitals' infection and complication incidence rates.
Does awareness make a difference in hospital choice? Absolutely—especially among women, who make 80 percent of health care decisions for their families. From our research, sixty-four percent of women would choose a hospital based on patient safety performance even if their doctor didn't have privileges there.
So, the question is, if your hospital is proud of its patient safety record, what are you doing to share it?
Here are three ways you can promote your hospital's record and patient trust.
1. It's one thing to tout your record, it's another to show it in action. Who are the champions of patient safety in your hospital? What are they doing every day to ensure a patient's safety? Tell the story behind your record with the faces, names and details that have led to your strong performance. Pitch the stories to your local media, share them on your website and use them in your marketing materials and in-hospital communications.
2. As part of the patient experience, are your doctors, nurses and staff communicating to your patients and their loved ones your strong record and the specific precautions in place to minimize risk of hospital-acquired infections? It's probably on their minds, but they may be afraid to ask. Be proactive by assuring your patients and cultivating their trust one-on-one. Posters and pins aren't enough to communicate such an important message.
3. You obviously want to publicize any awards received and use their logos on your marketing materials. But an award should also be celebrated as a point of pride among your staff and used as an inspirational tool to help your team maintain a high bar every single year. Their efforts toward better patient care will result in a better patient experience. We have seen the recipients of the Women's Choice Award use the honor in this way and not only improve care, but also reduce operating costs.
Keeping patients safe is a hospital's number one job. It's critical to your reputation and your profitability. Make sure when the conversation turns to your hospital's record, it's a positive one.
Delia Passi has spent her entire career dedicated to understanding the female consumer, with a special expertise in women's healthcare issues. She is the former publisher of Working Woman and Working Mother magazines, author of Winning the Toughest Customer: The Essential Guide to Selling to Women, and a renowned speaker. As founder and CEO of The Women's Choice Award®, she has created a trusted referral source, empowering women to make smart healthcare choices by identifying the country's best healthcare institutions based on CMS data, including patient satisfaction and clinical excellence.
The views, opinions and positions expressed within these guest posts are those of the author alone and do not represent those of Becker's Hospital Review/Becker's Healthcare. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The copyright of this content belongs to the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with them.