Dear Colleagues: 
At the close of last month, I spoke with a group of employees and members of our medical staff at a “President’s Forum,” hosted by our NYHQ College. It always strikes me to hear the many expressions of the trust and pride our team has for their colleagues and institution. These forums are an opportunity to share the great things that are happening right here. At this session, we also talked about how difficult it is to work in health care delivery when we have to keep doing more with less, while ever increasing levels of quality, satisfaction and safety.
One of the forum participants asked me what individuals can do to support our hospital during these difficult economic times. I’m sharing my response here…
First, it is important to know as much as you can about your hospital. Be aware of the major programs and strengths. Ask questions and take advantage of the resources and information all around you – read newsletters like this and INSIGHT, the Web site, and the many letters and announcements that come to you. Then, share what you know with others. Positive word of mouth is a great tool for building our reputation, referrals and volume.
Second, referral patterns are not set in stone, but it does take time and effort to build the relationship and trust that give a physician confidence to make a referral. A number of our medical staff are new to both our organization and to our community. They have to reach out and establish themselves, while they build their reputations through proficiency, service and accessibility. By the same token, we hope that the talented newcomers that are seeking opportunities to collaborate energize the well-established physicians in the hospital and community.
Third, we need to demonstrate that when a physician entrusts his or her patient to us, the patient will return to them with a high level of satisfaction from that referral or admission. Our Patient Satisfaction initiative is focused on sensitizing all caregivers that it is the patient’s experience with our communication, courtesy and control of their pain that forms their opinion of how well we have taken care of them.
Finally, we need to show community-based physicians that by working with our institution, they can access great talent and support, and find opportunities to expand their own practice efficacy. Opportunities abound in our new West Wing, especially as 10 new operating rooms become available. These will allow many more surgeons to perform more surgeries right here. The opening of the new facility is also reducing pressure on the Emergency Department, and enabling us to move admitted patients into rooms much faster than we could previously.
The bottom line is that when each individual can help to communicate to our community and area physicians that they will have a great experience when they choose NYHQ, and then we deliver on that promise … we can and we will overcome the toughest of environments.
Sincerely,
Stephen S. Mills, F.A.C.H.E.
For the complete President’s Message, visit: http://www.nyhq.org/oth/Page.asp?PageID=OTH001391
