CUSTOMER CARE A TOOL TO QUALITY IMPROVEMENT BY: MASHAURI ESTHER BScN, RN,RM

1. CUSTOMER CARE A TOOL TO QUALITY IMPROVEMENT BY: MASHAURI ESTHERBScN, RN,RM

2. OUTLINE • INTRODUCTION • DEFINITIONS &TYPES • WHY QUALITY IMPROVEMENT • WHY CUSTOMER SATISFACTION/ PROMISE • GAP BETWEEN PROMISE/CURRENT SITUATION • BASIC NEEDS OF CUSTOMERS/HEALTHCARE

3. Cont.. • COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY • NEED FOR INFORMED CARE • GAINING FEEDBACK FROM CUSTOMERS • INSTITUTIONAL BENEFITS OF GOOD CUSTOMER CARE • CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION

4. INTRODUCTION • Provision of quality health care is one of the top priority in the National Health Policy. • While hospitals are performing a valuable service to the public, stakeholders, including the public itself, are unsatisfied and complaining.

5. Cont.. • Media reports always portray negative publicity and image regarding health care providers • This is because the services provided are not focused on the client’s expectations and the services are not attractively presented to the clients.

6. Cont. • Surveys on customer satisfaction done elsewhere found un-met non-health expectations such as dignity, basic human needs, human rights, prompt attention in care, treatment, confidentiality, communication and autonomy are contributing factors to customer blames and complains.

7. Cont.. • For these reasons, BMC department of Nursing conducted a min research to find out clients satisfaction on the services we provide where findings showed customer dissatisfaction in same non-health expectations.

8. Cont. • To address this problems the department initiated customer care orientation classes to nurses, same sessions are conducted to newly employed nurses/medical attendants during induction course. • Out of 376 nurses 193 have been oriented (51.3%).

9. Trained staff on customer care

10. One of the customer care classes

11. Cont.. • We hope this presentation will enlighten us and other hospital staff on how we can improve Quality of our services through good customer care.

12. Cont.. • It should be kept in mind that to achieve quality improvement is a process and it requires staff positive attitude.

13. Are you a positive or negative thinker?

14. WHO IS A CUSTOMER? Customers to us are people who receive healthcare services. Every patient, family member, visitors, cooperate representative and co-worker. Quality - The Standard of something as measured against other things of a similar kind; the degree of excellence

15. Quality health Care Means doing the right thing, at the right time, in the right way for the right person and having the best possible results.

16. Why Quality Improvement Safety – avoiding injuries to patients from the care that is intended to help them. Effective – Providing services based on scientific knowledge to all who could benefit and refraining from providing services to those not likely.

17. Cont.. Patient-centered – Providing services that is respectful of and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs and values.

18. Cont.. Timely – reducing waits and sometimes delays for both those who receive and those who give care. Avoid unnecessarily long waits for registration, payments, consultations, lab results, surgery etc.

19. Cont.. • Eliminate processes that don’t add value to employees, patients or your workflow. Efficient – avoiding waste, including waste of equipment, supplies, ideas and energy. (achieved through 5S)

20. Cont. Equitable – Providing care that does not vary in quality because of personal characteristics such as gender, ethnicity, geographic location, and socio-economic.

21. TYPES OF CUSTOMERS They are two types: • External Customers: Patients/Clients/Community receiving services 2. Internal customers: Health workers within the Institution including administrators.

22. WHY CUSTOMER SATISIFACTION? Customers are a focus of any quality service. • Efforts to deliver customer oriented services is a key to any quality care. • Services that do not meet customer needs/expectations fail. • To provide quality services we need to better understand our customer needs.

23. Cont.. • Quality care provision is our promise to the public. • We need to understand our customers so that we can anticipate their needs and expectations. • A blame free environment leads to improved transparency, improved systems and, ultimately to better results.

24. INSTITUTION PROMISE TO THE PUBLIC • The Institution Vision, Mission and Corevalues are what we have promised the Public. • We promised the public that we strive to be a consultant centre of excellence in health care provision, research and teaching, inspired by the love and compassion of God.

25. Cont.. • Our Mission is to provide tertiary Specialist quality health care, consultancy, research and training in health. • Complains and blames indicate customer dissatisfaction, therefore every employee needs to know how to handle customer complaints and concerns.

26. GAP BETWEEN THE PROMISE AND CURRENT SITUATION • Still there is customer dissatisfaction on the services we provide at BMC despite the promise. • This was evidenced by results of a min-study conducted by the BMC - DNS office between March and April 2014.

27. Results of the study

28. BASIC NEEDS OF CUSTOMERS • Need to feel in control • Need to feel that their actions are directed toward their goals • Want to be treated fairly and appropriately

29. Cont.. • Want to know what is happening and why • Want to feel safe and secure • Want to feel important, recognized and appreciated

30. What matters most to Healthcare Customers: • Empathy • Showing Compassion • Courtesy and respect • Dignity – privacy, confidentiality

31. Cont.. • Responsiveness of hospital staff • Learn to apologize in case of delayed services for whatever the reason. • Good customer service- reception & communication • Information

32. Cont.. • Building trust • Explanation in easy to understand terms from healthcare workers • Pain relief • Clean/Safe environment (5S&IPC)

33. COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY We can achieve customer satisfaction by using the following communication Tips: • Establish rapport • Listen attentively • Ask questions to check understanding

34. Cont.. • Answer the way you’re asked • Reflecting • Clarifying

35. Cont.. • Using non-verbal • Don’t judge • Don’t use jargon

36. THE IMPORTANCE FOR INFORMED CARE • Builds good interpersonal relationship • Prepares patient/client psychologically and physically • Eliminates complains • Promotes patients satisfaction

37. How do we know whether our customers are satisfied or not? To provide services that are customer oriented we need to develop habit of gaining feedback from our customers.

38. Feedback from customers can be gained through • Survey Questionnaires • Interview – exit • Suggestion box • Focus Group Discussion

39. Cont.. • Community Forum • Key Informants • Community members of health committees

40. Why gain feedback from customers? • Understand customer’ needs • Feedback enhances customer loyalty and customers will recommend institution to others. • Feedback can tell you things you may not know, including human factors such as staff behavior.

41. Cont.. • Feedback can be used to analyze performance. • Customers feel valued • Promotes a sense of responsive customer service within the organization • Promotes contact, communication and improve relationship with customers

42. INSTITUTIONAL BENEFITS OF GOOD CUSTOMER CARE • Increased Efficiency • Employee Motivation • Customer loyalty - Customers recommend services to others • Enhance public image – and provides protection if there is a slip-up in customer service

43. Cont.. • More effective workforce – satisfied customers create a positive working environment • Staff who deliver good customer service receive their customers’ appreciation and are further motivated to offer good customer service.

44. Cont. • Good customer care contributes to customer retention. • Reduced Employee Turnover

45. CONCLUSION Understanding our customers and improving our services must be a priority throughout our care provision. MATHEW 7:12 “ Do for others what you would like them do for you.”

46. RECCOMMENDATION To promote Public Image, customer satisfaction and to be fair to our VISION and MISSION , BMC health workers need to provide services that are customer oriented .

47. THANK YOU