FEATURED MEDICAL EDUCATION TOPIC: Patient Experience

What is the problem?

Because of the multiple demands placed on physicians, it can often be challenging for them to consider what it may be like to be a patient in their hospital and under their care. The patient’s perspective and patient experience are especially important for physicians to be more aware of and considerate of because suffering is subjective, and patient satisfaction affects trust, treatment adherence, and complex medical outcomes. Physicians need to place emphasis on empathetic communication, patient-centered care, and therapeutic listening, which aid in reducing malpractice events and are also outcomes of interest to regulatory agencies such as CMS and The Joint Commission, and affect hospital rankings and CAHPS scores. Good practitioner-patient interactions facilitate health literacy and comprehension of medical information, and allow for better identification of patients’ needs, perceptions, and expectations. At times, however, these communications may be challenging due to time constraints, implicit bias, and cultural or language barriers. It is vital that physicians consider the patient experience and perspective, and improve communication with patients and their families, placing emphasis on empathetic listening and shared decision-making, to provide the best patient-centered care resulting in improved patient outcomes and reduced health disparities.

Proposed Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this activity, the learners will be able to:

• Utilize evidence-based techniques to improve patient experience and patient satisfaction scores
• Implement empathetic listening and therapeutic communication rather than only focusing on tasks/problem-solving
• Review evidence relating to patient experience with clinical outcomes, quality metrics, and hospital performance
• Navigate barriers to effective patient-physician communication, including implicit bias, health literacy gaps, and cultural competency challenges
• Reflect on how patient care and outcomes are most affected by inadequate listening and communication, and consider how implicit bias may impact equitable and appropriate care

If your medical staff needs a CME update on improving patient experience, patient-centered communication, or physician-patient relations, consider contacting our office to book a speaker at 714-505-4777 or info@speakersnetwork.com.

REFERENCES

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12764323/

https://www.ahrq.gov/cahps/about-cahps/patient-experience/index.html