Becker's Hospital Review

45 Executive Briefing A New Benchmark For the Individual Experience: N=1 By Steve Jackson, President, NRC Health How changing your focus could lead to healthier patients, happier staff and a stronger business F or healthcare executives, big numbers often dominate the discussion. Service volumes. Patient populations. Market share. Relative rankings. Revenues. These figures shape hospital policy, and in a highly competitive marketplace, they reveal which hospitals are falling behind and which will live to serve another day. No one can dispute the importance of these numbers. But these figures are aggregates — the summed-up results of what happens on a much more minute scale. Paradoxically, correcting larger trends requires adjusting the littlest details. And the smallest — but most important — data point is the one indivisible unit of healthcare: the individual care experience. Getting that experience right requires a shift in perspective. It requires defining a new benchmark: N=1. An N=1 mentality means focusing on one patient, one visit, one experience at a time. It calls for depth, for a relentless pursuit of clarity. You'll need to listen to your patients — really listen — and integrate their thoughts into your care. After all, according to NRC Health's 2016 Market Insights Survey, "having a provider who listens to me" is the No. 1 aspect consumers want from their care experience. It's a subtle shift, but it's crucial. Your patients, staff and business stand to gain from an emphasis on the individual, and here's how. Your compassion will resonate with patients Social media has transformed patients into savvy, vocal consumers of healthcare. Their expectations for hospitals have never been higher, and their feedback has never been so consequential. This puts pressure on every interaction a patient has with your organization. They need to feel compassion at every step. From their first glances at your website to sober conversations with clinicians and everything in between, these moments matter to your patients. They all contribute to a "halo effect" that can dramatically influence a patient's perception of your care. One rude interaction with a provider can cast a shadow over the entire care experience. It can cause the patient to fixate on little flaws that most hospitals struggle with, like a messy waiting room or a confusing hall sign. They'll be sure to mention these small faults in online reviews and on surveys. But get those interactions right, and your organization will enjoy the patient's loyalty. If the patient feels welcomed, listened to and cared for, they'll remember the experience positively. Crucially, they'll also forgive whatever small hiccups may occur along the way. This was the case with Sentara Medical Group. By paying careful attention to the patient experience and developing skills like active listening, providers at Sentara managed to increase patient satisfaction by 6.5 percent — in just one quarter. So step into your patients' shoes, and experience your hospital the way they would. Teach your staff to treat them as people, not "admissions" or "conditions." That's the essence of the N=1 approach, and it's the best way to guarantee that the patient feels attentive empathy at every step. This empathy won't only improve your reputation. More importantly, an emphatic focus on the individual also leads to better health outcomes. Evidence shows that a patient-centered approach actively promotes healing. When physicians take the time to relate to their patients as people, they come to better understand those patients' health issues. This means that patients need fewer diagnostic tests or referrals and can start treatment faster. They experience a smoother recovery and are more likely to report good emotional health two months after their incident. In turn, they have more confidence in their physicians, which makes them more compliant with discharge and treatment instructions — substantially reducing their risk for readmission. But attending to patient preferences needn't be restricted to in-room interactions. In fact, an N=1 mindset means helping consumers through their entire journey along the continuum of care. Organizations should take a longitudinal perspective. This approach to care starts well before health needs arise for patients and does not end with the episode of care. Proactively anticipating a consumer's needs and following through with his or her transition home are important parts of a holistic care experience. Sponsored by:

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