Anything improving ‘HealthCaring’?

The short answer is YES

In our hospitals, we've experienced, witnessed, or read about. incivility and hostility between patients and healthcare providers, as well as between providers and their associates. We’re losing our humanity to each other.

Why?

Due impart to under-staffing and ever increasing time constraints, some physicians and their associates have reluctantly opted for early retirement. Others are approaching or experiencing burn-out, and in the extreme, some have taken their own lives. Many healthcare providers are saying, “This is not why I got into medicine." We’ve all heard the phrase; You can’t pour from an empty cup. Many healthcare workers are approaching ‘empty’ and patients are losing patience.

As under-served patients it’s important for us to know that many hospitals are already at work healing themselves first so they’re healthy enough to care for us.

Steps Being Taken? Hospitals are addressing the health and well-being of their providers by instituting ‘Wellness’ programs.

Peer-to-Peer support programs are focusing on recognizing when fellow healthcare providers appear to be approaching, or experiencing, burn-out or having difficulty with a personal life crisis. Some of what’s taught is learning to be a compassionate listener and validating the feelings and concerns that are being shared. In addition to de-stressing and maintaining provider wellness, it’s contributing to optimizing provider-to-patient engagement and communications skills. Healthier physicians/nurses/associates will no doubt provide better patient care.

Provider Educator programs are addressing the increasing diversity of our communities. Curriculum's include inter-cultural competency, referring to optimizing cultural, racial and gender engagements to deepen the understanding of patient’s beliefs and backgrounds. These healthcare workers are also mentored to become better medical educators for next-gen providers. This education also works to improve their hospitals clinical and operational performance.

?One participating physician shared; ?

A new learning experience was needed, exactly when I needed it. I was

falling through the cracks. My interest in my career was taking a hit,

after COVID and burnout. I lost my happiness, that sense of why

am I doing this. Offered this opportunity to become a better

teacher gave me energy and a reason to keep going.

As wellness and educator programs help to mitigate burn out and maintain provider health, they're serving to?improve patient care and the patient’s experience. FYI, hospitals are rated not just by clinical outcomes, but also by how patients and families were, or weren’t, engaged, respected, and listened to. This rating system is called HCHAPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) and based on patient surveys. Taking your hospital’s post-care survey impacts the hospital’s financial bottom line, for the better or for the worse!

Healthcare providers note to leaders Many expressed the need to see, and be seen more, by their leadership. Everyone needs to hear; “I see you, I hear you and you matter”, especially patients.??One physician went as far as to say; The C suite (CEO, COO, etc.) are no longer real people to us. If that’s true, then disconnected leaders may find out to late about a decline in their organization’s culture, performance, patient care levels and HCHAPS.

A while back, I interviewed Kevin Burke, former Chairman, CEO/President of ConEd. When asked about what’s expected of his leaders and senior managers, he replied.

?If I’m not made aware of serious issues, in a timely manner, and

my leaders may be afraid, or worse, unaware to tell me about it,

they’re not leading and our organization’s and the people we serve are already in trouble.

If what’s being expressed by healthcare workers is true, then leaders reconnecting with staff appears essential for improving provider morale, patient care and the patient experience. Oh, let’s not forget improved HCHAPS scores.

?

So, what’s improving ‘Healthcaring’ for us patients?

? A bi-directional process that’s simultaneously enhancing the patient and provider experience. It’s increasing the provider-to-patient ratio (hiring more staff), sustaining wellness programs, increasing cultural competency, and reconnecting leadership with their workers. Hopefully, it’s restoring provider wellness, lessening hostility and civility, improving provider morale and enhancing patient satisfaction.

For now, let’s try to understand why some of our provider are frustrated and at times exhausted. They’re in medicine because they want to serve us, and despite all their challenges, they still are.

About the author Bob Becker is a marketing/communications leader and facilitator of Medical Educational Resources www.medicaleducationalresources.com