Cleveland Clinic calls "Code Lavender" to improve patient satisfaction

From the WSJ:

How patients feel they were treated has always colored their opinions of a hospital. Now, those feelings are being factored into how hospitals get paid.

The Cleveland Clinic CEO, Dr. Cosgrove, says that in his own days as a top cardiac surgeon, he focused so intently on reducing complications from cardiac procedures that he gave little thought to the feelings or experiences of patients.

Times have changed dramatically since then. The Cleveland Clinic has launched a program known as HEART - for hear the concern, empathize, apologize, respond and thank—that empowers employees to handle patient concerns from the moment they arise.

It developed a Healing Services team to offer complimentary light massages, Reiki—a laying on of hands—aromatherapy, spiritual care from a clergy person or lay practitioner and other holistic services, and it will call a "Code Lavender" for patients or family members under stress who need immediate comfort.

Since 2008, the Cleveland Clinic's overall hospital ratings have increased by 89%.

"Code Lavender" has a Twitter account too (@CodeLavender), managed by the former Cleveland Clinic Chief Experience Officer who popularized the term.

From the Cleveland Clinic Twitter account: Efforts to improve patient satisfaction were featured in a NBC Nightly News story (see the video below).



References:

A Financial Incentive for Better Bedside Manner. WSJ.
Image source: Lavender Farm, Wikipedia, public domain.

Disclaimer: I was an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Cleveland Clinic from 2005 to 2008.

Comments from Twitter:

@TanyaPRpro (Tanya R. Walton): Clever and meaningful hospital care

@scottRcrawford: Brand medicine

@gruntdoc: How sad. Condolences. RT @DrVes: Cleveland Clinic calls "Code Lavender" to improve patient satisfaction goo.gl/X4Jtt

@MGastorf (Melissa Gastorf): concerns about satisfaction basis for payment- i.e. if you refuse to write narcotic and patient angry, physician payment suffers.

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From the WSJ:

"Cleveland Clinic Chief Executive Delos "Toby" Cosgrove, a heart surgeon by training, says he had an epiphany several years ago at a Harvard Business School seminar, where a young woman raised her hand and told him that despite the clinic's stellar medical reputation, her grandfather had chosen to go elsewhere for surgery because "we heard you don't have empathy."

Things have changed quite a bit now.

"The hospital launched a program known as HEART—for hear the concern, empathize, apologize, respond and thank—that empowers employees to handle patient concerns from the moment they arise. Healing Services team will call a "Code Lavender" for patients or family members under stress who need immediate comfort. Of patients who had pain, 31% reported a significant decrease after a healing service."

References:

A Financial Incentive for Better Bedside Manner - WSJ http://buff.ly/1pCHitL