Problem
Argosy Medical Center, a 400-bed critical care facility located in the Northeast, has been in operation for more than 18 years. Its mission is to provide quality healthcare services with the highest standard of excellence from employees who are dedicated to caring and patient satisfaction. At one time, staff were really excited to be part of the Argosy family, and the patients noticed this attitude and enthusiasm. Argosy became the hospital of choice because the patients felt that the staff really cared about them, which made the patients' experience positive regardless of their health status. Patient exit surveys were excellent, and patients frequently wrote glowing comments about the staff's genuine concern and about what a wonderful employer the hospital must be to have such a dedicated workforce.
In the last couple of years, however, the employees seem to have lost their passion. This change has resulted in higher patient complaints of poor customer service. Management has attributed this deteriorated employee attitude to higher workloads and burnout. Training was instituted. Employees are required to attend a refresher course every year in an effort to keep them motivated and in tune with the hospital mission and to reenergize them about the workplace.
The course includes a review of the hospital values, mission, and standards of service that everyone is expected to follow. Because the course is only for one hour, participants do not get to interact, ask questions, or give feedback afterward. In fact, since the refresher course was implemented, employees have not been surveyed to get their feedback or insights. Because the staff are constantly busy, they have had no opportunity to talk among themselves, with their managers, or in focus groups about the decline in employee morale and the poor customer service. Everyone knows the problem is there, but no time has been put aside to address it, other than an organizational reminder to give good customer service regardless of the situation.
Argosy's CEO has summoned you, the director of the OD department, to come up with a way to address the problem that is affecting absenteeism, turnover, and the hospital bottom line.
Task
A. Using the performance improvement diagnostic model in Exhibits 11.5 and 11.6, discuss the factors that might be at the root of the performance problem of low patient satisfaction scores. What questions would you want to ask the client?
B. What additional data would you want to collect?
C. With that analysis in mind, what interventions would you recommend?