The Military Health System (MHS) finds itself operating in a competitive market. TRICARE, the military managed care system, allows family members to seek care outside the uniformed network. In this competitive environment, it is necessary to deliver health care in such a way that meets or exceeds patients expectations and perceptions. Doing so not only ensures the existence of a robust MHS, but it is simply the right thing to do. As such, the staff at Winn Army Community Hospital (WACH) takes patient satisfaction very seriously. This project monitored the maturation and influence of a Process Action Team (PAT). The Hospital Commander chartered the team in order to find ways in which the Department of Emergency Medicine (DEM) staff could improve patient throughput for the most serious injuries and illnesses presenting to the department and, by so doing, increase patient satisfaction. The project followed the specific steps the team took to improve throughput, based on the variables it identified as having an influence on overall operations. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) compared the average time 1200 patients waited to see a physician in the DEM for the six months prior to and after the teams first meeting. There was a statistical difference between the study and control averages(p < .001). There was also a measurable improvement in patient satisfaction. Several research studies suggest improving throughput will increase satisfaction only slightly. Evidence suggests patients respond more favorably to a physician s or nurse s ability to empathize and communicate with a patient. This project recommends extensive customer awareness, in addition to physical and process changes, to significantly influence our patients perceptions of how well we meet their expectations.
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