FRIDAY FOCUS:
The Patient Experience

“TGI Fridays” have now become “Patient Experience Fridays” at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital.

Since mid-January, members of the SMUCLA management team, have been making rounds every Friday to improve the patient experience. Similar rounds are occurring every two weeks at RRUCLA.

Armed with surveys and tracer tools, managers interview staff members and patients and conduct environmental assessments. The goal is to ensure that patient safety, care and satisfaction remain top priorities.

“This initiative provides a weekly opportunity to focus our efforts on the patient experience,” explains Posie Carpenter, chief administrative officer.

Specific goals for the initiative, according to Posie, include:

• Increasing patient-satisfaction scores at SMUCLA above the 75th percentile in 2009; and
• Moving safety and quality scores above established benchmarks.