"In the health care industry, as in other service-related businesses, having engaged, empowered, loyal employees can lead to increased retention, lower costs, enhanced reputation, and a profitable business picture," said Forum President Michelle M. Smith, CPIM, CRP, vice president, business development, O.C. Tanner Company. "And now, we are finding that having satisfied employees leads to higher quality of patient care and overall better patient experiences."
Some key findings from the study, found at www.performanceforum.org, include:
- Patients that have higher levels of satisfaction are most likely to recommend the hospital to others when they are treated by highly-satisfied employees. Word of mouth, more than any other source of marketing promotion, is a primary driver in patient care decisions.
- As the popularity of electronic testing and monitoring expands, health care employees, more than ever, need to exercise "the personal touch" in caring for patients.
- In addition to what health care workers do, emphasis needs to be placed on how employees feel about what they do. Patient experiences will not be good if employees are not happy.
Forum Managing Director Annalisa Jacobs stated that this new white paper is just one of the FORUM's activities related to its mission of researching and sharing information that helps businesses understand the role of people in their organizations. Another effort underway is planning for its second annual Think Tank, Who's in Charge Now? Thriving in an Employee Led Economy, on Wed., Oct. 14, 2009 in Chicago.
