tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32053362.post2555979639855631735..comments2024-03-18T06:27:51.599-04:00Comments on Not Running a Hospital: There is no mystery in Mystery ShoppersPaul Levyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17065446378970179507noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32053362.post-80919751232104071222009-06-09T15:57:54.961-04:002009-06-09T15:57:54.961-04:00This was a great article that provides needed supp...This was a great article that provides needed support for medical mystery shopping! I work for a company that specializes in healthcare and one service we offer is mystery shopping. This was not always the case, but came about as a result of so many clients requesting it. The results are rewarding and have helped to turn entire departments around just by seeing an outside viewpoint. Seeing the experience of a doctors visit through the patients eyes is invaluable and now common place in many healthcare facilities. So glad to see so many healthcare executives getting more involved in their patients experience and helping their staff to better understand what is happening around them! This is beneficial for everyone involved. After all, we are all patients at some point.Stacyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18058971001247930920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32053362.post-38687702615830392622009-01-19T10:32:00.000-05:002009-01-19T10:32:00.000-05:00Great Blog. I own a mystery shopping company in O...Great Blog. I own a mystery shopping company in Omaha, NE that is now offering servies to healthcare providers. Our clients have found the information very beneficial in knowing if everyone is doing everything they should be and now have an unbiased tool to reward their stars and identify problems that exist.<BR/><BR/>One crucial thing to keep in mind, with all the privacy regulations now in place, it is essential that anyone performing this service not reveal ANY patient information.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32053362.post-13833976553827207862008-11-23T20:24:00.000-05:002008-11-23T20:24:00.000-05:00I was extremely excited to see the AMA's recom...I was extremely excited to see the AMA's recommendation on <BR/>healthcare mystery shopping The Ethical & Judicial Affairs report concluded that "Physicians have an ethical responsibility to engage in activities that contribute to continual improvements in patient care. One method for promoting such quality improvement is through the use of secret shopper “patients” who have been appropriately trained to provide feedback about physician performance in the clinical setting."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32053362.post-77180953250618137482007-04-15T06:47:00.000-04:002007-04-15T06:47:00.000-04:00I would be curious to know what percentage of BID ...I would be curious to know what percentage of BID staff give their name when answering the phone. In my experience as a BID RN, it's ~25%. (one person refused to give me her name when I asked!)Residents answer pages with "I'm answering for purple surgery," but don't give their name until asked. Many areas of phone etiquette need to be addressed here.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32053362.post-35463195636142188832007-03-25T00:22:00.000-04:002007-03-25T00:22:00.000-04:00That's really great. I've actually had a lot of id...That's really great. I've actually had a lot of ideas about similar research, but it seems that you can only go so far with this kind of research. As far as I know, it's been deemed unethical to have a researcher fake an illness (you probably know about the pseudopatient studies done in inpatient psych facilities in the 1970s -- if you don't, I'll explain). The field has decided that having a researcher pretend to need care might skew data (both actual numbers and the providers' own perception of how various illnesses play out). Also, it's generally frowned upon to waste resources like this.<BR/><BR/>All of which is understandable, but is really too bad, because there are several scenarios I'd love to run -- English-speaking and non-English speaking patient running otherwise the exact same scenario, and any number of other things.<BR/><BR/>What exactly are you allowed to do, other than have people loiter in the waiting room? You can't actually have people register or be triaged, can you? This is really intriguing...eekahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08263491847297435157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32053362.post-21543052280473719802007-03-23T18:28:00.000-04:002007-03-23T18:28:00.000-04:00I recently(end of February) had a CT scan done at ...I recently(end of February) had a CT scan done at BI. I was a bit early and parked at Shapiro. Shapiro is a lovely building, airy, spacious, clean with high ceilings. I followed the yellow brick road (i.e. the marked path) to the 3rd floor Rabb where my appointment was. Following the path worked pretty well. It got me to Rabb ok, but once I was in Rabb I was lost. Not only couldn't I figure out where the CT section was, I couldn't even figure out what floor I was on. Once I did find the third floor, the signs again led me to the right place. HOwever, Rabb was hideous, low ceilings that looked as if they were about to fall down, walls that closed in on you. <BR/>Though clean, it looked very ratty. The CT check in area was tolerable, though the bathroom didn't lock. But the waiting room!!! The waiting room was small and had maybe 12-15 chairs, and with four people was totally full. Again, it felt very grimy. A person in a wheelchair took up a lot of space. There was no privacy for a woman when the nurse came in to talk to her about her scan being delayed. The changing rooms were unidentifiable as such - in fact - I thought they were closets until the nurse told me to go change there. However, everyone was extremely nice; all the staff from the check in person to the technician. And when I left, I walked slowly back to Shapiro trying to figure out what it was about Rabb that made me hate to be their. I walked back looking at the ceiling heights and at the walls - i must have looked lost - because 2 or 3 people actually stopped and asked if they could help me find my way!!! Extremely nice staff. So, yes - it takes money to refurbish buildings, but maybe starting by painting the walls, putting up some paintings (like there are in Shapiro), enlarging the CT waiting room?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32053362.post-83117744860227215562007-03-21T06:09:00.000-04:002007-03-21T06:09:00.000-04:00To Craig,"I assume that folks at BIDMC understand ...To Craig,<BR/><BR/>"I assume that folks at BIDMC understand that the patient experience is an important initiative there and that all levels of management are engaged? Do you feel like it is ingrained in the culture or are you struggling to get people interest in this?"<BR/><BR/>This is indeed one of our top priorities, and people throughout the organization are involved. I can't give the whole story here, but rest assured that results are promulgated, discussed, and acted upon.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32053362.post-24870606747432541522007-03-21T03:02:00.000-04:002007-03-21T03:02:00.000-04:00Thank you for your support of healthcare mystery s...Thank you for your support of healthcare mystery shopping. I own a medical mystery shopping service with focus on the private practitioners, managed care groups and extended care facilities. Not only is it a means to monitor employee performance and assure compliance, it will hopefully improve the patient’s emotional experience. Patients seek quality clinical care when ill but also want (and need) to be treated with kindness and compassion. I can personally attest to being made to feel like a nuisance rather than welcome, more often than not. Many healthcare providers are often unaware of the patient’s perception and this concept can truly be an eye opener. As a business owner and a patient, I’m glad to see an increase in interest.JodiMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05853881471303650838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32053362.post-81972248764821994222007-03-20T13:37:00.000-04:002007-03-20T13:37:00.000-04:00This is an interesting post. Can you talk about y...This is an interesting post. Can you talk about your structure around the patient experience? For instance, who receives and is responsible for following up on these reports? How much organizational commitment is around this? Based on your post, I assume that folks at BIDMC understand that the patient experience is an important initiative there and that all levels of management are engaged? Do you feel like it is ingrained in the culture or are you struggling to get people interest in this?Craig Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10959729493695642156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32053362.post-62672015906071275782007-03-19T21:06:00.000-04:002007-03-19T21:06:00.000-04:00I wonder what is the right way for us, patients, t...I wonder what is the right way for us, patients, to send feedback like this? Is it even useful? Do you get so much feedback that you can't sort through it?<BR/><BR/>You would send something if you are very unhappy or very happy with the treatment you got, but if you are just a loyal patient (not angry, nor exited) that notices things that can be improved, what is there to do?Ileanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04040455462764366306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32053362.post-91169573731240749772007-03-19T00:18:00.000-04:002007-03-19T00:18:00.000-04:00I wish Joslin would do this. They could really use...I wish Joslin would do this. They could <I>really</I> use a lot of improvement.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32053362.post-2530225570205151732007-03-18T22:27:00.000-04:002007-03-18T22:27:00.000-04:00I like the idea of a mystery shopper. My small tow...I like the idea of a mystery shopper. My small town hospital redid their ER dept and several other depts after they merged with the other hospital in town. I moved into town right when the merger occurred and I was less than impressed with the hospital. Staff was rude, the place was a mess. My daughter has severe asthma, and the dr was telling that her 89 O2 sat level was ok. I immediately took her to her asthma specialist the next morning. The dr told me not to go back to the er there again. To call Children's and get the fellow on call and they could listen to her breathing over the phone and call in a rx or have her come into the er at children's (hour away). <BR/><BR/>Since then they have merged. They have sent out patient surveys. Asking about all aspects of care. I got one for a lap that was done. Two things that bothered me. One the OB ward did not call me to follow up on me after surgery and they are supposed to call after every surgery. Two, the anesthesiologist tried to say I was there for a tubal and I was there for a lap for endo. He kept saying your chart says. I said THAT IS NOT MY CHART. Finally my ob and the nurse came in. He said that she is here for a lap. The other girl there is here for a tubal. He said we are not switching, lol. I did report that. Because I was already anxious and just didn't need the additional anxiety of it. <BR/><BR/>The ER has gotten better now. Except, if I come in with a problem now, they contact my physician and let them know that I am there and they give him the results of all the tests, and then he agrees or disagrees with the course of treatment. They still have way too many personal conversations that patients can hear, but the care is getting better.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32053362.post-75634517999356687982007-03-18T15:05:00.000-04:002007-03-18T15:05:00.000-04:00That is a great idea. While some people's opinion...That is a great idea. While some people's opinions will always be skewed negatively or positively, it can give you invaluable feedback that you'd never even have thought of.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32053362.post-55209768447557366702007-03-18T13:48:00.000-04:002007-03-18T13:48:00.000-04:00Of course, you are right that there are lots of su...Of course, you are right that there are lots of such differences between the two clinics. I was not trying to equate them by telling both of their stories -- nor trying to denigrate one nor extoll the other. In fact, I remain incredibly impressed by our ED folks, especially on those really busy days.<BR/><BR/>No, we don't have a non-emergency clinic to divert to.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32053362.post-29425417729071873492007-03-18T13:06:00.000-04:002007-03-18T13:06:00.000-04:00Supplicant vs. invited guest?I doubt it's explicit...Supplicant vs. invited guest?<BR/>I doubt it's explicit or conscious, but there is no doubt that it exists.<BR/><BR/>ID runs at a profit and ED loses money. Also, the safety factor is important. How many times per week are there police in the ED vs. how many times per year in ID? Finally, think about volume. All in all, I think you might be being unfair to the ED when you compare their budget per patient vs. ID's budget per patient.<BR/><BR/>Ask your janitorial staff to hit the ED waiting room every time the number of people loged in equals the number of people who entered the ID waiting room for the entire day. Assign the same number of desk people in the ED waiting room per patient as you do the ID and I imagine that things might improve considerably (although your budget might take a hit).<BR/><BR/>Finally, do you have an non-emergency clinic to divert to? This seems to work well in hospitals that have this option.Elliotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08947512500100910895noreply@blogger.com