“Patient experience” is more than a buzz word in healthcare. In fact, it has become its own sector in the industry to some degree, with departments, staff and even a week in April to commemorate it. It indicates a company's shared commitment to patient-centered care. At PartnerCare, the importance of the patient experience is more than a buzz word, it is a part of all that we do. The patient-centered culture at PartnerCare begins with leadership and flows down to providers through our practices and ultimately the patient.
PartnerCare places so much value on the patient experience that they even have a Patient Experience Leader among their ranks. Robin Louks, CPXP, is an expert on patient experience and works with PartnerCare practices focusing on all aspects of the patient experience throughout their practice. Robin emphasizes the importance of integrity in the workplace as well as treating others with respect and compassion. She sees the importance placed on the patient experience as one of the factors that makes PartnerCare different from other health care groups.
What Robin wishes everyone knew about the patient experience at PartnerCare is that any small act of kindness or intentionality can make someone’s day. Whether it’s the words you use, how you look at a person or your posture, all these things make an impact, and they send a message.
Whether it’s a nurse helping a veteran walk down the hallway, or an office manager offering an elderly woman a cup of coffee in the waiting room, kindness makes a lasting impression. At PartnerCare, the patient experience isn’t just about making a patient better physically, it’s about caring for the whole person through small acts of kindness and gratitude.
"Mothers, grandfathers, firemen, construction workers, veterans – these are the faces of
PartnerCare," said Robin. "Dealing with pain can present issues beyond the physical ones. PartnerCare practices strive to help patients by connecting them with the resources needed to get back to their best lives all while treating them with the utmost respect and compassionate care. Our team members want to help patients, especially veterans who may be transitioning back into the workforce following their service in the military, live, work and enjoy life pain free.”
A positive patient experience flows from the top down. The integrity of PartnerCare leaders and practice providers is evident in their open communication and transparency. When trying to improve outcomes or fix patient problems, PartnerCare gets to the root cause, taking a problem head on rather than covering up the symptoms.