MCDH Laboratory scores big

4/28/06

Over the last year, the MCDH Laboratory has conducted a series of Patient Satisfaction surveys, and results show big gains in improvement of waiting times and levels of patient satisfaction.

In February 2006, survey results show that 95% of our patients complete their lab draws in 30 minutes or less.  This includes the registration process as well as the blood draw.

More specifically, patients were asked their waiting time between arrival at the facility and registration. The February results show that 87% of patients waited less than 10 minutes to complete registration, and 97% waited less than 15 minutes to register.

Patients were also asked their waiting time between registration and their blood draw: 62% of patients waited less than 10 minutes, while 95% of patients waited less than 15 minutes. 

Patient satisfaction scores also improved for several other indicators, such as overall level of satisfaction, safety, and teamwork between staff members.

The lab and registration staff worked together to achieve these patient satisfaction improvements.  Among the changes made were centralizing all registration staff in the new building and creating a central location for faxed and standing lab orders. To reduce the redundancy of data entry that used to be necessary, the two departments were integrated into a single computer system with the Meditech clinical information system.

In addition to enjoying lower waiting times, patients also like the spacious, private registration areas where no one can overhear confidential health information (this also ensures hospital compliance with strict privacy standards required by the government).

Many patients also included comments on their survey forms, including:

• “One minute! Great!”
• “Hospital staff is competent, kind, friendly – always a favorable experience at the Lab.”
• “Vast improvement over the past year, before opening the new building.”
• “The staff here has always been wonderful. I’m glad you’re here.”
• “Very good system.  I’ve never really had to wait very long in any one place, and everyone is nice and very helpful.”

The laboratory staff has worked hard to improve waiting times and service to the community, and their efforts have paid off, as clearly shown by the patient satisfaction survey results.  The staff continues to look for new ways to improve their service.

The Lab Department’s next goals include further decreasing the amount of paperwork that the patient has to deal with when coming to the lab.  This will be accomplished by developing software that can be shared by the hospital and physicians’ offices to increase the efficiency and speed of the process.

Laboratory Manager Emmet O’Connell explained the department’s philosophy, saying, “Our most important job is to foster and support the healing relationship between the doctor and patient. Our goal is to be a source of support and positive influence on that relationship.”