1. Our Reputation Our Credibility Our Professionalism Is Reflected in How We Handle Each and Every Call

2.  Deliver quality at every turn  Provide solutions  Be Accountable  Be Consistent  Be Professional around the clock

3. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) Signed into Law March 2010 creating a new urgency for hardwiring high clinical and patient satisfaction performance. The Value-based Purchasing (VBP) initiative will begin in FY 2013 and focus on HCAHPS and Core Measure Results. Our performance will determine total hospital reimbursements from Medicare.

4. Condition Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) Heart Failure (HF) Pneumonia (PN) Surgical Care (SCIP) No. Measures 3 4 7 Proposed FY 2013 Areas Measured Multiple Metrics for Each Core Measure Core Measures 70% 1.Nurse Communication 2.Doctor Communication 3.Pain Management 4.Medicine Communication 5.Hospital Cleanliness & Quietness 6.Discharge Information 7.Overall Hospital Rating HCAHPS Core Measures

5.  Survey Questions measure “frequency” vs. satisfaction. Always Always  No partial credit for “Usually.” Easier to move a Usually to an Always than to move a Never to an Always.  Always  Always means that every interaction occurs with every patient on every shift. Only “Always” Counts 1= Never 2 = Sometimes 3 = Usually 4 = Always www.hospitalcomparehhs.gov

6. T ELEPHONE M ANNERS  Every call is the first call.  SMILE…the caller can sense it.  Good posture impacts your tone of voice.  Project energy and enthusiasm.  Speak slowly, clearly. No slang.  Repeat numbers.  Ask permission to place caller on hold. Thank caller for holding.  Allow caller to hang up first.  Use the SGMC Script: “Good Morning/Afternoon, Name of your department Your name/title if licensed How may I help you?”

7. Telephone Communication How Messages Are Interpreted Words Tone of Voice

8. What You Think and Feel Inflection… What You Think and Feel Monotone & flat voice Slow speed & pitch High pitch & emphatic Abrupt speed & loud Bored… No interest Leave me alone! ENTHUSIASM! Disgusted/closed minded

9. P – PITCH I – INFLECTION C – COURTESY T – TONE U - UNDERSTANDING R – RATE E - ENUNCIATION Every Caller Forms a Mental Picture of YOU!

10.  Greeting: “Good Morning or Afternoon.”  Identify your department  State your first name  Ask, “How may I help you?”

11.  Explain “why”  Ask permission  Always tell the caller the name and extension of the department they are being transferred to

12.  Ask permission or give options (offer to help, take a message/number or transfer to Voice Mail)  Give an approximate time  Wait for a response and say, “Thank you,” before pressing the hold button  Thank the caller for holding after returning to the line

13.  Repeat any action steps; seek understanding/clarification.  Ask the caller, “Is there anything else I can do for you?”  Allow the caller to hang up first  Follow through

14. Be prepared...know your phone system; anticipate every call will involve a message; First impressions begin with YOU! Smile before picking up the receiver. Answer professionally and pleasantly. Speak clearly. Every call is the first call. Never lay the phone down! Be noise conscious. Acknowledge the caller’s request. Reassure the caller you want to help

15. Allowing your “foul mood” or your coworkers to carry over in conversations. Hanging up on a caller “first” Not returning phone calls or Voice Mail messages promptly. Placing callers on hold or speaker phone without permission. Eating, drinking, chewing gum, laughing, sidebar conversations Rushing callers Personal calls while on company time Industry jargon Vent about your issues TT

16. “ I don’t know.” “I/we can’t do that.” “You’ll have to….” “Just a second.” “No.” “We’re short-handed” “Someone on the other shift dropped the ball.”

17. We are judged by people through what we say, how we say it, our body language, facial expressions, our tone of voice, and the way we answer the phone. The Lab’s Professionalism is always judged by the way the telephone is answered. You CANNOT...NOT make a first impression!