Service Excellence: The Customer Relations Strategy for Health Care

About this book: Designed for healthcare change agents, organizational development specialists, department directors, trainers, human resources personnel, administrators and service improvement team leaders and facilitators, and consultants, this book is a practical guide to creating an organization-wide strategy that results in heightened staff awareness of the importance of customers, higher levels of patient/customer satisfaction and continuous improvement in service behavior and systems. After building a case in Part I for the potential of impressive service quality as an unparalleled competitive advantage, Part II identifies concrete tactics that help change agents, teams and healthcare leaders to align everyday practices with the organization's focus on service quality. Tactics are provided that support "ten pillars of service excellence", including Leadership Philosophy and Commitment, Accountability, Input and Evaluation, Problem-Solving and Complaint Management, Staff Development and Training, Reward and Recognition, Communication, Physician Performance, Employee as Customer, and Refreshers and Reminders. Part III provides operational strategies, including planning and staffing for service excellence, handling resistance, and giving your strategy "staying power."