HEALTHCARE IMPROVING PATIENT EXPERIENCE AND OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY

Abstract When improving the patient experience, the patient and his or her entire journey have to be in focus, especially in a multidiscipline environment like an Outpatient Clinic. From entry, reception through to treatment and back, all parts of the patient journey are important, and not just the medical procedures. This white paper describes the challenges of healthcare from a patient experience and patient journey perspective and possible solutions. This whitepaper does not discuss the medical procedures and its impact. Qmatic has been in the service to great customer experiences for more than 30 years. Our solutions, systems and knowhow have also been applied to the Healthcare industry all over the world where the focus is to improve patient experiences and operational efficiency with the methodology Patient Flow Management (PFM) that was invented by us. Solutions with Patient Experience Management (PEM) and the methodology Patient Flow Management (PFM) assist hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, etc. around the globe to reduce costs while offering better service. Page 1

Introduction 84% of healthcare leaders rank Patient Experience as a top priority. Care Transition Journal The vast majority of facilities within the healthcare industry are under enormous pressure to provide an improved quality of care while coping with limited resources. Spending cuts and a growing number of patients are driving the need for efficiency gains as well as revenue increases for clinics and hospitals. Add to these challenges a clear focus on not only maintaining the patient experience at an acceptable level but also improving it and the result is an equation which is difficult to solve. The processes comprising patient care are complex. Over the course of treatment, patients are introduced to a number of healthcare departments, services and processes. If movement from one service to another is not well managed or communicated, the patient can be left feeling overwhelmed, lost and frustrated. The sheer number of resources and departments involved in patient care inevitably leads to bottlenecks resulting in costly and sometimes detrimental inefficiencies. Inadequate systems waste taxpayer money and medical resources while decreasing patients faith and trust in the healthcare system. Well-organized processes and good clinical outcomes are critical components of a positive patient experience, but these alone are not enough to achieve an excellent experience. Patient experience is also influenced by the physical healthcare environment, including the quality of staff interaction with patients. Improving patient experiences starts by treating each patient individually to ensure that superior healthcare is provided. Improving healthcare and patient experience is not a revolutionary concept. However, a commitment to providing an excellent healthcare experience is still not widespread. Change is slowly adapted. Many healthcare leaders believe that providing a good patient experience is too expensive to implement. That perception is, however, changing as patients have increased options in their choice of healthcare providers. Page 2

Problem Statement Patients have more choices in how, when and where they receive care today. Simply put, they are prepared to walk away from clinics if their expectations are not met, i.e. to a chemist/pharmacy for non-urgent care as well as to another clinic. In a recent survey 1, 34% of patients said they would change their habits based on their experience. After all, Why should I settle for mediocre care? I have options today that I didn t have before. So let s take a closer look at the challenges facing hospitals and clinics today. From experience gained over the years, we have identified four key challenges facing Healthcare providers today. (1) Enhancing patient experience (2) Improving operational efficiency (3) Improving utilization of resources and facilities (4) Retaining staff So, how can Customer Experience Management (CEM) and Patient Flow Management (PFM) solutions and methodologies turn these challenges into opportunities enhancing the patient experience, while improving the bottom line? Fig 1. Understanding and managing the customer journey is key in delivering improved patient experience in healthcare. 1 PricewaterhouseCoopers Page 3

Meeting the challenges CHALLENGE 1: ENHANCING PATIENT EXPERIENCE Going to a hospital or clinic because of a medical issue is stressful. Patients are worried, anxious and sometimes in pain. Making the visit as comfortable, relaxed and secure as possible is important to achieve a positive patient experience. Staff communication, wait times, waiting room atmosphere, privacy and the process itself are all factors that affect the patient s overall experience. So how can applying PFM help healthcare providers improve the patient experience? Recent studies (McCarthy, McGee, & O'Boyle) show that up to 65 percent of patients rate wait times in clinics as unsatisfactory. The concern is, of course, that the wait time in and of itself results in patient dissatisfaction with the visit as a whole. Finding ways to reduce wait time is important to improving patient experience. With the right approach, healthcare providers can enhance the patient experience by taking both actual and perceived wait times into consideration. PFM methodology can help reduce actual wait times for patients by steering them to quieter hours of the day. For example, wait time reduction can be achieved with a calendar booking system (integrated as part of an overall Hospital Information System, or HIS) that allows staff to schedule appointments more efficiently. A booking solution streamlines the patient flow and offers real-time monitoring and proper planning of resources in order to improve the patient s experience. The booking solution also alerts hospital managers when service level targets are not achieved so that appropriate actions may be taken. The result: A reduction in actual wait times with an enhanced patient experience. The longest wait is the one you cannot control, especially as a patient. PFM methodology can reduce the perceived wait time by using media solutions in the waiting area to present hospital information and entertainment. Waiting is also more acceptable and feels shorter if it is calm, explained and logical. The patient experience is enhanced with a virtual queuing solution that allows patients to sit and relax. The system informs patients of their place in the process, communicating clearly with patients on when and where to go. A virtual queuing solution can also fulfill patients privacy requirements by identifying arriving patients with a unique alphanumeric idenfier allowing clinicians to call patients by designated ticket number instead of by name. This information can also be Page 4

displayed in digital solutions such as text messages and Smartphone apps. The solution helps healthcare providers comply with several known regulations concerning patient privacy (such as HIPPA). Fig 2. Qmatic Patient Journey gives control of all the surfaces in the clinic and not just the big screens on the wall as typical Digital Signage suppliers A hospital pharmacy reduced waiting time from 2 hours to 15 minutes resulting in happier customers. CHALLENGE 2: IMPROVING OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY Outpatient clinics have a lot in common with other healthcare providers such as inhouse doctors, labs or dentists. But there are also important differences. Outpatient clinics are multidisciplinary environments. Several different procedures are often involved in one patient visit. All of these procedures have to be coordinated to ensure a smooth and well-organized operation. Knowing who the patients are, why they are visiting and where they are at all times during their visit (from admission to treatment rooms) is key to reducing time wasted between treatments. PFM methodology directs patients to the right service point at the right time and, as a result, streamlines the patient flow. For example, a nurse or receptionist will no longer need to walk to the waiting area to communicate with a patient. PFM-led patient direction increases efficiency by allowing staff to focus on more value-added activities. PFM also makes it possible to track patients throughout the treatment process, which simplifies coordination. Healthcare providers can also implement a calendar booking system to steer patients to quieter hours. When utilizing the booking system, the number of patients visiting the clinic becomes more predictable, allowing for better resource planning. The result: more clinical time can be spent with individual patients, improving quality of care. Healthcare providers can improve their patient flow by implementing a Qmatic calendar booking system or by integrating with an existing system using standard HL7 protocol. Even when a calendar booking system is in place, regular patient absenteeism creates a critical challenge. As much as 10 to 12 percent of appointments in a clinic are cancelled and up to 35 percent of all appointments made by patients are rescheduled. Applying Qmatic s PFM solutions makes it easier to see and treat walk-in patients when scheduled patients do not arrive, substantially improving efficiency. Page 5

Reception desks are in many cases overstaffed, resulting in a loss of efficiency. By directing patients to an automated (self-service) reception system, healthcare providers reduce the cost of low value tasks performed by administrative staff and enabling patients to check themselves into the system. A PFM solution can reduce frontline staff costs by as much as 25 percent. Fig 3. Qmatic Patient Self Check-In solutions bring multiple benefits to an Healthcare organisation. It empowers patients and streamlines operations. When it comes to patient care, information is key to increasing speed. With PFM methodology, healthcare providers can reduce treatment time by informing clinicians of a patient s needs before the patient enters the treatment room, x-ray or lab. This head start allows the clinic to treat more patients. The access to MI (Management Information) from a PFM solution such as footfall, wait times and treatment times provides management with useful information about true staff performance. For example, historical data can be used to help forecast seasonal variation and predict future trends, allowing providers to increase capacity at key times in order to prevent long wait times. Benchmarking between departments or staff can also be done to drive operational improvement.. Mobile apps and online appointments even outs patient flow and avoid queuing and on-site waiting. CHALLENGE 3: IMPROVING UTILIZATION OF RESOURCES AND FACILITIES Lobbies, waiting rooms and reception areas all represent precious resources that need to be managed carefully in order to best serve patients. Through in-depth studies of clinic departments, average use of consultation rooms is often as low as 22 percent; waiting rooms/lobbies is often as low as 18 percent, and reception workstations often reach only 33 percent utilization. When implementing the PFM methodology, healthcare providers will have additional space in treatment rooms which will allow for reduced waiting times. Instead of having several local waiting areas (creating wasted space) facilities can combine these areas into one larger, centralized waiting area. The PFM solution is then used to guide patients, informing them when and where to go. With PFM, healthcare providers have flexible use of consultation rooms and workstations based on the needs of the patients and staff availability. Healthcare Page 6

providers can also measure facility use and, based on real-time data, take action to realize short, medium and long-term improvements. CHALLENGE 4: RETAINING STAFF As healthcare institutions worldwide are experiencing a workforce shortage, an increasing challenge is to attract and retain skilled staff. PFM methodology can increase staff job satisfaction by making sure that the right patient is at the right place at the right time, contributing to a more comfortable and relaxed workplace. Satisfied patients are usually friendlier toward clinicians, contributing to a more positive work environment. PFM also contributes to a sense of professionalism as it provides staff with improved information on waiting patients. The system also specifically matches employee competence with patient needs. Staff can take pride in knowing they are informed and ready to meet patient requirements, resulting in the best possible service. In addition, real-time monitoring and resource planning alerts hospital managers when service level targets are not being met so that appropriate actions may be taken. Page 7

Results / Conclusion The wrong PFM solution can be worse than having no solution at all. Qmatic has implemented more than 10,000 healthcare solutions worldwide across 122 countries, giving Qmatic a competitive edge in providing tangible improvements and measureable results for clients. Below are a few examples, based on real cases, of what healthcare clients have achieved with Qmatic s PFM methodology. A leading hospital automated 25 to 30 percent of reception desk tasks by implementing a Qmatic PFM solution. An outpatient clinic reduced frontline staff by 26 percent. Hospital nurses realized staff savings of 10 percent due to less walking throughout the hospital. An outpatient clinic achieved a 25 percent increase in productivity in registration and admission. A hospital decreased actual wait times by 70 percent; to a mere five minutes. A healthcare provider satisfied 95 percent of patients with improvements made by the new Qmatic solution. A hospital pharmacy reduced wait time from two hours to 15 minutes. Outpatient lab cuts improved blood test turnaround time from 27 to 13 minutes. A hospital served three percent more patients utilizing the same floor space. Page 8

About Qmatic There is only one boss - the customer. And he can fire everyone from the chairman down, simply by spending his money somewhere else. Sam Walton, 1977 Qmatic s vision is to realize the full potential of every patient visit. We help clients engage and interact with customers from the very first touch point. We gather information based on the customer journey and help create brand value based on improved customer experiences. By creating a seamless customer journey from online channels and face-to-face meetings, we improve customer experiences and strengthen our clients brands. Qmatic holds a market-leading position in the financial services, retail and healthcare industries as well as the public sector. It is estimated that more than a quarter of the world s population pass through a Qmatic system every year. Qmatic has a true global footprint and operates in over 120 countries through its subsidiaries and partner network. The Qmatic Group has a turnover of EUR 60 million and employs approximately 300 people. The company s primary owners are Altor Fund II GP Limited and ICG. Qmatic Corporation 2400 Commerce Ave. Building 1100, Suite 100 Duluth, GA 30096 Want to talk to us? Find your local representative here: www.qmatic.com/findpartner Phone: 770-817-4250 Mail: marketing@qmatic.com Web: www.qmatic.com/us Disclaimer This document is provided for information purposes only and the contents hereof are subject to change without notice. This document is not warranted to be error-free, nor subject to any other warranties or conditions, whether expressed orally or implied in law, including implied warranties and conditions of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. We specifically disclaim any liability with respect to this document and no contractual obligations are formed either directly or indirectly by this document. This document may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without our prior written permission. Qmatic is a registered trademark of Qmatic AB. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Page 9