"Trust and accountability are fundamental tenets of a well-functioning, successful healthcare facility," said IFC's Raju Narayan, Senior Healthcare Specialist, in an insightful blog post on the patient experience. #patientexperience #healthcare #quality #equity IFC - International Finance Corporation Yana Gorbatenko María Zubizarreta Margaret Rankin
When healthcare providers talk about “patient experience” as their key differentiator, what does that really mean? While patient experience is influenced by every interaction a person has with the healthcare facility, it is not just the physical comfort and convenience that matter. It is essential to focus on what truly sets the stage for how a healthcare facility functions. And I’d say it’s about creating an environment of Trust through Accountable leadership. So, why is this so important? First, patients are already emotionally, physically, and sometimes financially vulnerable. They must trust that the healthcare team is committed to their well-being and will deliver the highest quality care possible. Second, every patient is singularly focused on getting better. They must trust the healthcare provider with personal information about themselves that might impact the treatment. They need to trust that the healthcare provider will not treat them differently just because they may be of a different gender, ethnicity, religion, or income group. And they must trust that the healthcare facility has good governance and a system of accountability to protect them from harm. These are the foundation of a good patient experience. While there is no guarantee that all treatments will always deliver a positive outcome, it is possible to guarantee and provide a positive patient experience through a trusted relationship with the patient. Trust and accountability are fundamental tenets of a well-functioning, successful healthcare facility. These must start from the top leadership and be reflected throughout every level of the organization—clinical, operational, financial, and service operations. This type of culture and shared purpose will improve patient-doctor trust, and when combined with trust among employees, it can propel organizations to provide better quality care. That’s why IFC advocates the Ethical Principles in Health Care, or EPiHC, a set of ten principles to help organizations create Trust and Accountability to drive positive patient experiences and improve care. We now have more than 240 signatories who together own or manage over 5,900 healthcare facilities in more than 90 countries. I encourage healthcare providers to reach out to me or go to the EPiHC website (www.epihc.org) for more information on becoming a signatory. #leadership #culture #quality #patientexperience #futureofhealthcare #ethics #ethicsmatter #healthcare #bestpractices #IFC - International Finance Corporation
