IMPLEMENTATION OF PRACTICE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN A LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT: WILL IT INCREASE CLINIC EFFICIENCY AND IMPROVE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION?

1 online resource (45 pages) : PDF

2018

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Objectives: The objectives of the project were to improve patient satisfaction scores of child health patients in the local health department and to decrease visit wait time. The first expected outcome would be patient satisfaction scores would reflect a score of 90% or more patients rating visit satisfaction as satisfied-very satisfied three months’ post implementation of the project. The second outcome was to experience a 5% reduction in wait times three months’ post project implementation. Method: The design was an evaluation of prospective interventions that were identified from a clinical flow analysis (CFA). The customer service and time study data was collected pre and post intervention of the new clinic processes. A CFA was conducted and followed 5 well-child visits from arrival to the agency to check out. The time it took at each patient check-in point was recorded using the Detailed Patient Cycle Time form. Customer satisfaction surveys were also distributed to these patients. Evidence based interventions were developed for the issues that were identified in the initial CFA. Three months after the implementation of the new strategies the customer satisfaction surveys and 5 CFA were repeated. Evaluation was completed to compare pre and post data collected on customer satisfaction and patient visit time. Results: Findings demonstrate that the newly implemented evidence-based practices facilitated a statistically significant decrease in visit time (p<0.000), and a significant increase in customer satisfaction related to visit time(p<0.000171) in children that received a well child visit following intervention. Customer satisfaction of visit/wait time was measured using the paired t-test and actual visit time was measured utilizing the independent t- test. The mean pre-intervention for visit time was 107 minutes, while the mean post intervention visit time was 72 minutes, with a total overall decrease of 35 minutes/visit.Conclusion: Findings of this project support the role of implementing evidence-based practices in a local health department clinic setting to improve customer satisfaction and improve clinic efficiencies. Improving clinic efficiencies decreased the time it takes to complete a patient visit. Implementing PM strategies helped to decrease well child visit times and left the customers more satisfied. Utilizing the Plan, Do, Study, Act cycle framework helped to develop a sustainable plan that will help the local health department to provide services in a timely, efficient manner.

doctoral dissertations

Nursing

D.N.P.

Health Services Research

Kazemi, Donna

Thesis (D.N.P.)--University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2018.

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