Download Introduction to Quality Customer Service

Introduction to Quality Customer Service
Chapter 1
Introduction to Quality Customer Service
 Radiography is a specialty within the field of radiologic technology
 Radiologic technology includes:
 Radiography (all exams using x-rays)
 Radiation therapy
 Nuclear medicine
 Sonography
 Magnetic resonance imaging
 You are learning to become a radiographer who will use x-ray to produce
diagnostic images
 The medical imaging profession is first and foremost a people-oriented
business
 Patients have entrusted their health to us, and they need to feel that they are
in the best of hands
The Health Care Service Environment
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As an RT, realize your part of a service industry
Customer : someone whom we provide a product or service
Patients and their families are our customers
Total patient care must be a balance of human caring and concern, technical
expertise, and high-quality customer service
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)
 Stipulates that patient and family complaint systems must be in place
 Must be made available for use as part of a continuous quality improvement
program
 Such complaint systems allow complaints relating to the quality of care to
be addressed
A good understanding of the health care delivery system is vital to the student
radiographer
You will be part of this system from the beginning of school and throughout
your career
A strong grasp of these concept is vital in being a productive member of the
health care team and in interacting with patients
The Patient’s Perspective
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Who are our patients?
Where do our patients come from?
What do our patients think?
What do our patients expect?
How do we begin to try to understand them and their specific needs?
These can be difficult questions to answer for the health care professional
The Patient’s Perspective
 While many differences exist among people of all backgrounds, we are all
more alike than different.
 Humans respond positively to kindness and respect
 People want to feel safe and secure (especially in unfamiliar environments)
 They want to feel comfortable
 Patients want to be free of pain and discomfort
 Privacy
 Diversity
 The gene pool of over 6 billion people produces infinite combinations
 Every human is influenced not only by a specific culture, but by life’s
experiences
 Gender, family tradition, sexual preference, and religious beliefs are all part
of each patient’s background
 Every patient brings to you unique experiences, and a view of life that you
have not yet experienced
 Cultural diversity
 Difficult to define
 In American, the predominant cultures may be a mix of influences from
Europe, Hispanic nations, continent of Africa, Asia, Middle East, and American
Indian tribes
 As a health care professional, you will never be sure of your patients’
backgrounds, regardless of physical appearances.
 Need to be comfortable working with a diverse population
National Consumer trends Survey
 Service as expected by the patient and delivered by the caregiver is the prime
factor in patient satisfaction
 Information in surveys is not just part of a lesson to be learned; it should be
integrated into your radiography practice as part of the health care team
 The quality of care is evaluated by the patient
Inside and Outside Customers
 Inside customers – members of other departments (nursing units, ED), coworkers, and radiologist
 Outside customers – people from outside the hospital
 Patients and their families
 Physicians
 Suppliers
 Clergy
Benefits of High-Quality Service
 The radiographer can add value by making each interaction special for the
person served
 Smiles
 Appropriate touch
 Using the person’s name
 Explaining the examination
Moments of Truth in Radiology
 Can be considered points at which patients form perceptions about the quality
of service and quality of care being given
 Begin with observations that the patient makes and concludes with inferences
being made about the care and service provided
 May relate to the physical appearance of the work area, the appearance of the
radiographer, and the professional behavior of everyone involved
Customer Service Cycles in Radiology
 Each cycle is part of the patient’s total experience while at the facility or when
interacting over the telephone
 The key to value-added service is making the patient’s experience as pleasant
as possible at each step along the way
 Perform each step in the most professional way possible
 You wan to covey competence and reliabilty
Managing Incidents
 Use of patient’s name and, if appropriate, his or her title, conveys respect
 Adults ( those older than about 18-21) should not be greeted by their first
names
 Instruct the patient about how to dress for the exam
 Taking the patient to the x-ray room may take several minutes based on
location.
 Use this time to ask the patient about facility experiences (registration,
parking, etc)
 Taking patient’s history greatly assist the radiologist
 Careful explanation of the examination gains the patient’s cooperation and
builds trust
 Your enthusiasm about physicians, other departments, or coworkers conveys
that the patient is in good hands
 Clear communication with exam instructions
 A sincere parting comment closes a positive experience for the patient
Customer Service on the Telephone
 Most imaging departments have clerical staff who handle phone calls,
occasionally, the radiographer is called upon to deal with calls
 Telephone rules to remember:
 Keep the number of rings to a minimum.
 Answer professionally
 Enunciate carefully, speak clearly
 Smiling while speaking automatically makes your voice more pleasant
 Telephone rules to remember: (cont)
 Personalize: once you know your callers name, use it
 If you have to put a caller on hold, first ask permission to do so and wait for
an answer
 Become comfortable with the telephone system quickly (ie: transferring a
call with out losing it)
 When terminating a call, thank the caller, and allow the caller to hang up
first
Conflict Resolution
 Leaving quality service to chance can be a serious mistake
 A mishandled patient interaction can result in the loss of patient confidence
and will reflect negatively on the department and the institution
 Within the business of radiography, which is many times typified by high-stress
situations and brief encounters, are numerous opportunities for
miscommunications and conflict
 Highly successful service companies and individuals have at their disposal the
conflict resolution tools of listening and empathizing, and they also make use
of skills that build trust and develop solutions to problems
 Such tools are equally useful in dealing with coworkers and physicians
 Patients often have special questions for the radiographer:
 How much radiation an I getting?
 Will this hurt?
 How much will this cost?
 How many pictures are you going to take?
 When can I leave?
 What do you see on my films?
 Being comfortable with these questions further enhances our professional
standing in the eyes of the patient and increases the patient’s confidence in us
 Most student radiographers have little or no experience in dealing with the
public in the health care setting
 This relationship is special and quite unlike any other in-service businesses
 Serves as more reason for thoroughly understanding conflict resolution early in
your education program
Conflict Resolution
 Two most effective tools you can use for conflict resolution:
 effective listening
 empathizing
 Effective listening tells other people we respect what they have to say and that
we are here to help if we can
 Empathizing (empathy) is understanding and accepting the other person’s
position without necessarily agreeing or disagreeing
 This can be difficult in high-stress situations
Conclusion
 High quality, value added service is what the patient/customer expects
 Failure to meet those expectations may send the patient elsewhere for future
care
 Exceeding those expectations satisfies the patient
Words of Wisdom
“A happy customer will tell a few people of their satisfaction with a
businesses service; an unhappy customer will tell anyone who will
listen”
-Zurekculus