How Patients Will Judge Hospitals in the Future
With all the information available on the Internet, it doesn’t take long for patients to pick the best hospitals for their care. The internet is filled with informative articles, reports and several other platforms that allow patients to screen available hospitals before choosing one.
There are websites that rate and review hospitals based on certain criteria. These criteria enable patients to make informative decisions but they also give healthcare institutions pointers on how to improve. Experts advise patients not to go to the closest hospital but to carefully seek out healthcare institutions that best fit their condition.
Today healthcare institutions need to turn away from traditional advertising methods like billboards and TV spots and instead focus on improving ratings on health-related websites.
According to experts, here is what hospitals will be judged on in the future:
Safety Score:
The CDC found that 1 in 25 patients acquires an infection while staying at a hospital; some hospitals have a greater rate on infections than others. So how can patients find out the infection rate? They can take a look at the hospital’s death and readmission rates; both statistics should be available on the Internet. A study published in the Consumer Reports found that big-name hospitals didn’t always live up to their reputations; infections were comparatively more prominent in these hospitals than in smaller ones.
Instead of opting for the biggest hospital in your area, do some research to determine which hospital will serve you better and keep you protected from infections.
Appearance of the Hospital
The “don’t judge a book by its cover” rule doesn’t apply to healthcare institutions. Neatness and cleanliness is of utmost importance in hospitals. The healthcare industry is competitive and patients have high expectations; they expect to be well taken care of by hospitals. For in-patients, hospitals are their home for a few days (or more). The aesthetics and atmosphere of a hospital matters; both these factors have an impact on the patient’s mood and emotional health.
Patients should take either a physical or virtual tour of hospitals before choosing one. Facilities that emphasize cleanliness and that are equipped with advanced technological devices, will rate better.
Friendly & Qualified Staff
Hospitals are strange places where you trust nurses and doctors with your life. No matter how qualified a doctor may be, patients will be put off by them if they aren’t approachable.
It’s not just the physicians that have to be friendly, the entire hospital staff needs to prioritize their patient’s satisfaction and comfort.
The best way for healthcare institutions to do this is to ensure that they hire healthcare professionals that aren’t just qualified for the job but also have an undying passion for what they do.
It also helps to keep the staff’s motivation levels up by providing them with good wages and benefits.
Hospital Reputation
In this day and age, word-of-mouth is integral for a business to survive. Hospitals needs to make sure that each and every patient receives the best care so they can become vocal advocates for the institution.
People don’t compromise on healthcare, they make it a point to ask the opinions of loved ones and check reviews before they decide on a hospital.
It’s essential that hospitals treat patients AND their loved ones with courtesy and respect. Emotions can run high when people are sick so it’s vital that hospital staff are sensitive and know how to handle difficult situations.
A patient’s experience in a hospital isn’t solely dependent on the sort of care they receive, there are several other factors at play. If hospitals do not meet the patients’ expectations, it will cost them heavily.
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If you’re pain management physician looking for a job, apply now and start your search. Healthcare institutions can also contact us to avail our recruitment services.
