The patient transport team can be an overlooked link in the care process, but they can have a great influence on patient satisfaction. That is what Baylor Jack and Jane Hamilton Heart and Vascular Hospital in Dallas found out when it improved the patient experience with a Family Care Card.
In the project to develop the information card, the Baylor team found that the patient transport process affected patients and family more than might be expected, says Brenda Keeton, manager of service excellence at Baylor Jack and Jane Hamilton Heart and Vascular Hospital. That prompted Baylor to put more focus on the transport team, particularly in the hiring process. Customer service is now seen as a key component of the transport team’s job, so Baylor hires people who are friendly and comfortable interacting with people at a stressful time.
“A lot of people consider them behinds the scenes, just transporting the patient, and they don’t have a lot of influence on the patient experience,” she says.
“The transport team spends only five to eight minutes with the patient and family, yet when we send patient satisfaction surveys to patients five days after discharge, our patient transport team members are mentioned by name. That’s the kind of impact they can have.”
- Brenda Keeton, Manager, Service Excellence, Baylor Jack and Jane Hamilton Heart and Vascular Hospital, Dallas, TX. Telephone: (214) 820-0629. Email: [email protected].