Recent Trends In Improving the Patient Experience

Providing a positive and memorable experience has become the driving force in the missions of many companies, no matter their core business. It’s true with device companies like Apple, food and beverage businesses like Starbucks, and even health care facilities such as hospitals, clinics, and private practices. These organizations have discovered that people expect and appreciate an enjoyable experience — from their first interaction to their last goodbye. And health care facilities, in particular, are learning that providing a pleasurable experience can result not just in higher satisfaction, but better patient outcomes.

The are roughly 4 million births each year in the United States¹, but at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, new parents are feted with champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries, helping to make the day even more incredible². Lavishing parents and family members at the maternity ward with perks creates positive experiences that are good for the hospital’s bottom line. Competition within the health care sector is fierce, and like any business, people who feel good about their hospital stay are likely to recommend the facility to family and friends. Attracting new and retaining current patients through great care and unbeatable service secures the financial health of a health care institution.

Better design is another way hospitals are improving the patient and visitor experience. Incorporating nature, opening up spaces with glass and sunlight, planting indoor and outdoor gardens, using wood and stone materials, and integrating beautiful art installations help to create a more peaceful and modern environment. The calm promoted by thoughtful design can reduce stress, which has been proven to decrease the length of patient stays³.

Health care facilities are also developing methods to enhance communication between caregivers, patients, and guests. Lapses in communication can be attributed to more than half of all preventable errors⁴. Effective communication decreases mortalities in hospitals, and improves both morale and engagement between staff members and those they treat. Digital displays, which can broadcast critical messages in real-time and serve as wayfinding tools, are being leveraged to empower hospital visitors. Glassboards, prized for their antimicrobial elements, not only give hosptial spaces a clean aesthetic, they also provide a perfect medium for caregivers to deliver information to patients about medication and treatment instructions, translating to better adherence when compared to just vocal dictation alone. The versatile boards encourage patients to get involved in their own care, resulting in better treatment outcomes.