Jan L. Bergen, CEO, Lancaster General Health
In today’s increasingly competitive health-care market, Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health recognizes that patients can choose where to go for care. Our ability to deliver an extraordinary patient experience on a consistent basis is often what sets us apart from other providers.
Increasing our Likelihood to Recommend scores in patient surveys is one of LG Health’s five goals for fiscal year 2019. We know that patients who have a positive experience with us are more likely to return for future care and work with us to achieve their health goals.
When we exceed the expectations of our patients, they tell their friends and family about their experience. Research shows that recommendations from friends and family are trusted sources of information that impact who comes to us for care.
Thanks to your hard work and dedication, LG Health’s Likelihood to Recommend scores have continually improved in the first half of the fiscal year. We are significantly exceeding our goal of 83.1 percent, with a current score of 83.8 percent.
There are many reasons for our success. Our entire team, from executive leaders to front-line staff, understands the importance of continued focus and enthusiastic engagement around improving the patient experience. Our commitment to delivering an extraordinary patient experience is a personal way for each of us to live our legacy at LG Health.
Last summer, LG Health joined our colleagues throughout Penn Medicine in adopting the Penn Medicine Experience Standards. The standards -- Be Compassionate, Be Present, Be Empowered, Be Collaborative and Be Accountable -- ensure that our patients have the same extraordinary experience, wherever they receive care in the Penn Medicine system.
Our Customer Engagement team’s training sessions offer real-life ideas for putting the Experience Standards into practice. Hundreds of employees across dozens of locations have already completed the trainings, which apply the standards to everyday patient interactions, from greetings to explaining delays.
Improving our overall Likelihood to Recommend score can seem like an ambiguous task for an individual team. Instead, each of our clinical teams now chooses a specific focus area, such as listening carefully to patients or providing easy-to-understand instructions. Offering this flexibility personalizes and increases engagement in our efforts to continuously improve.
Surveys help us better understand what our patients experience when they come to us for care. Asking the right questions, and truly listening to the answers, enhances our ability to provide the care our community expects and deserves.
Thank you for your dedication to improving our patient experience. While you may not work directly with patients, the support of each and every team at LG Health is critical to our success. I am proud of our efforts so far this year, as well as the positive results.