ENHANCING THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE THROUGH VOLUNTEER SERVICES Presented By: Jennifer Thayer, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

OBJECTIVE  Define the Patient Experience  Identify How Patient Satisfaction is Measured  Identify Why Patient Satisfaction is Important  Identify How Volunteers Can Impact Patient Satisfaction  Identify How to Select and Retain Volunteers That Will Drive Results

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE  What is the Patient Experience?

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE  Beryl Institute defines the Patient Experience as the sum of all interactions, shaped by an organization’s culture, that influence patient perceptions across the continuum of care.

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE

How is Patient Satisfaction Measured?

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE  HCAHPS  Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems  The intent of HCAHPS is to provide a standardized survey instrument and data collection methodology for measuring patients' perspectives on hospital care.

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE Three broad goals of HCAHPS

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE Produce comparable data on the patient's perspective on care that allows objective and meaningful comparisons between hospitals.

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE Public reporting of the survey results is designed to create incentives for hospitals to improve their quality of care.

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE Public reporting will serve to enhance public accountability in health care by increasing the transparency of the quality of hospital care provided in return for the public investment.

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE  The HCAHPS survey contains 21 patient perspectives on care and patient rating items that encompass nine key topics:  communication with doctors, communication with nurses, responsiveness of hospital staff, pain management, communication about medicines, discharge information, cleanliness of the hospital environment, quietness of the hospital environment, and transition of care.

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE  DISCUSSION? How do you think your current volunteers could impact these perspectives?

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE  Communication with doctors  Communication with the nurses  Responsiveness of hospital staff  Pain management  Communication about medications  Cleanliness of hospital  Quietness at night of hospital

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE  Why is it important?

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE  In 2013 Hospitals began to face a potential loss of 1% of Medicare billings from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for low patient satisfaction survey scores.  The rate increases each year through 2017  1.25% in 2014  1.50% in 2015  1.75% in 2016  2.00% in 2017

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE  Health Care Reform  VALUE = QUALITY + SERVICE  Focus on outcomes and patient experience will be important drivers to improvement in patient safety and quality of care.

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE  Volunteers, have a great impact on patient satisfaction because in many cases, at some point in their lives, they have also been patients or family members involved in the care of a loved one. "They can empathize and understand what a patient may need in that given moment in a way that a staff member may not be able to." –Beryl Institute

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE  Make a direct connection between hospital volunteers and patient experience: Leaders must understand the positive impact volunteers have on the patient experience and their direct impact on patient satisfaction.  Adapt volunteers' duties according to organizational needs: Pressure to improve care while cutting costs "has enhanced the benefits of using volunteers in healthcare setting and finding more innovative and diverse opportunities”.

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE  Incorporate volunteers' own experience:  For volunteers to make a positive difference it is important that the experience be meaningful for them as well  Quantify and measure volunteers' impact:  Further evidence is needed to determine exactly what volunteers mean to patient experience,. For example, organizations can gain a better understanding of the true value of volunteers by tracking the time volunteers contribute and the cost associated with volunteer programs, as well as the impact on patient satisfaction.

 Foster relationships within the organization to enable volunteer programs :  Relationships between volunteers and both patients and hospital leaders must be strong enough to build the necessary trust to bring these results to fruition.

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE "Valuing volunteers: The impact of volunteerism on hospital performance."  2009 Study explored "the impact of the use of volunteers and the level of professionalism of volunteer programs on cost effectiveness and patient satisfaction in hospitals."  By analyzing data from 50 Florida hospitals--the majority being not-for-profit hospitals--they arrived at a few key conclusions:

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE  Like other studies on the value (cost-benefit) of hospital volunteers, the financial benefits of having a volunteer program outweigh the costs.  Utilization of volunteers in patient settings will greatly impact the patient experience.  Increasing the number of volunteer service assignments (especially volunteer hours) in patient settings could raise patient satisfaction scores.

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE  A well-developed volunteer program--formal recruitment methods, screening and interviewing techniques, orientation and training, policies, service guidelines, and risk management plans, etc.--will positively impact the patient experience. R.B. Hotchkiss and researchers from Georgia Southern University, 2009

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE How to Recruit and Retain Engaged Volunteers  Make sure volunteers are appropriately screened and apply the same selection criteria as you use when selecting paid employees.  Should have screening tool, standard interview questions, reference and background check (where appropriate).

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE  Make the onboarding experience stellar!!!!  New Volunteer Orientation  Provide relevant information about the organization.  Set expectations, review relevant policies, provide role specific training.

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE  Ensure Volunteer has resources and tools to fulfill their role (passwords, access codes).  Make sure the volunteer feels welcome. If they are expected to provide exceptional service, they should receive it.

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE  Include your volunteers in service standard training sessions. Not only will this help hardwire the service standard, it helps reinforce that the volunteers are valuable members of the team.  Apply the same standards to volunteers as employees. They should be expected to provide excellent service each and every time.  No “Oh that is just a volunteer!”

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE  DON’T Underestimate the Impact Your Volunteers Have on the Patient Experience!  Volunteers usually in first impression areas-  Information desk, transporting patients, gift shop  Patients and families do not distinguish between your volunteers and your employees. Just like your employees, they are the face of the organization!

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE  Align the goals of the volunteer program to the Corporate goals and priorities  Take the time, at least annually, to make sure that the volunteer program mirrors the vision and adheres to the values of the organization.

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE How does your organization measure volunteer satisfaction?

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE  Expand Volunteer Base  Increase marketing to patients and families to become volunteers.  Engage the media to share the stories of how your volunteers are making a difference.  Share your stories internally with volunteer groups and paid staff.

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE  Your volunteers should represent your community-how do you find them?  Tours/Open House  Community Outreach  Holiday Events  Wellness Fairs  Patient Education Workshops

VOLUNTEERS & THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE

QUESTIONS?