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"We know that every patient's or family's complaint is an opportunity for Montefiore Medical Center to show its commitment to quality and patient satisfaction,” says Leslie Bank, director, Customer Services at Montefiore Medical Center, “Now we have the tool to assure a quick response and successful recovery, and to provide managers with the information they need to improve service.”
The software, which will be rolled out over the coming months, is designed to increase responsiveness and lower the chance of escalations relating to complaints by enabling frontline staff to report a concern from the unit and, in turn send the report directly to the appropriate staff for follow-up and investigation. Automated notification systems will then instantly alert key personnel, depending on the degree of severity.
“Of all the New York hospitals using our system in their Patient Relations offices,” says Jerry Seibert, President and CEO of rL Solutions, “Montefiore is the first to apply this web-based strategy to involve all staff in listening and responding to patients. They are moving beyond the concept of a ‘Customer Service Department’ to make service part of everyone’s job.”
“Being the first in New York to implement this system underscores our commitment to service excellence“ says Bank, “We know that patient satisfaction is everyone’s responsibility, and patients judge us on responsiveness to their needs, not just medical care.” Bank is a strong proponent of treating patients as valued customers and frequently promotes such ideas at national meetings.
Complaint management has lately come to the forefront of hospital customer service strategies. A recent report in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) documented a close relationship between complaints and physician malpractice risk. With healthcare embroiled in a malpractice insurance crisis, complaint management is being looked at as an ‘early warning’ system for potential claims. “Quickly and effectively resolving concerns is good service for our patients,” said Bank, “and good business sense for the hospital.”
About Montefiore Medical Center: Montefiore Medical Center, The University Hospital and Academic Medical Center for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, is an internationally recognized leader in patient care, education, research and community services. Montefiore provides treatment programs for patients with all major illnesses and has distinguished centers of excellence in heart care, cancer care, children’s health, women’s health and surgery.
About rL Solutions, Inc.: With nearly 200 clients and offices in Hollywood, FL and Toronto, ON, rL Solutions is the industry leader in providing healthcare organizations with customer service and risk management solutions that are easy to implement and globally accessible. rL Solutions’ vision is a world where customer experience in healthcare is second to none. For more information about Feedback Monitor Pro™ call 1-888-737-7444, e-mail sales@rL-Solutions.com or visit www.rL-Solutions.com.
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We treat the most fragile patients in Montefiore’s medical, surgical, neurological and cardiothoracic intensive care units, but critical care at Montefiore also extends beyond those areas. Our unique "ICU Without Walls" service is a rapid response team of intensivists and respiratory therapists who are on call 24/7 to evaluate and treat patients in need of critical care in other areas of the hospital.
