Healthcare Strategic Growth Blog

Why a Shift in Terminology is Needed for More Effective Strategic Growth

By Lee Ann Lambdin

The title of this post is inspired by a quote from Dr. John Boornazian, Medical Director for Huggins Hospital. I worked with him and others at Huggins to develop their strategic plan in just six months. During their planning process, the team wrestled with how to describe the people they served—were they customers or patients? The executive team at Huggins was comfortable with the word customer, but the staff wanted to use the term patient. 

In the end, it was Dr. Boornazian who persuaded the staff to use the word customer, a word he had previously detested. His change of heart occurred when he came to terms with the new reality of patient choice and mobility. If a patient determines that better quality or service can be obtained elsewhere, they will travel past your hospital to a provider they deem more worthy of their loyalty. In today’s healthcare world, patients expect to be treated with a certain level of customer service, and a shift in mindset is needed to meet these new patient expectations.

Respect meetings. Your time is valuable.

We all would appreciate more effective, productive meetings that lead to happier, more productive teams. Especially as companies grow, managing how often and why meetings are booked is critical, as the tendency can be for the number of meetings to spike alongside the number of employees.

Establish a Patient-Focused Culture and Drive Growth

By Lessie C. Poyner

In the past decade, patient experience has been a game changer for providers looking to surpass the competition and increase community impact. “Improving the patient experience can help a hospital improve its financial performance by strengthening customer loyalty, building reputation and brand, and boosting utilization of hospital services through increased referrals to family and friends,” states a recent report from the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions.

Fostering positive customer experience is the secret sauce for any organization. While different terminology is used across industries, the concept is the same: focus on delighting the people you are serving. As a healthcare provider, arming oneself with an understanding of what an excellent patient experience looks like will be a key component to meeting your hospital’s long term goals.