Recently, we discussed how patient-centered care revolves around asking and acting upon patient preferences. In the post, we focused on how the question, “what’s the matter with you” is not nearly as important to the patient as “what matters to you”. These subtle differences in how questions are asked have an immense impact on how patients and their loved ones perceive care.

Researchers at Dell Medical School in Austin, Texas sought to uncover the “secret’ to patient satisfaction and found that patients who rated their surgeons highly for empathy were likely to have an overall positive view of them.

According to the research, when leaders are looking to improve patient satisfaction scores, finding ways to communicate empathetically with patients will drive results. To help create a culture surrounded by empathy, utilizing a digital rounding solution like Orchid, can help in the following ways:

• Standardized scripts ensure questions are asked in a thoughtful and empathetic way
• Automated alerts help close the loop on patient issues and concerns, leading to on-the-spot issue resolution
• In-depth reports uncover opportunity areas for communication coaching

Improving patient satisfaction is a journey every provider must take in order to capitalize on the rise of consumerism and value-based payment incentives. View our resources to learn more about how providers across the care continuum are using technology to improve patient experiences and improve communication in healthcare.