COVID-19 has created unprecedented financial challenges for hospitals. Elective surgeries were temporarily postponed, leading to significant financial losses, forcing hospitals to furlough healthcare workers. Further, many hospital executives are taking pay cuts. With the threat of continued financial uncertainty, hospitals are questioning the business value of many services, including patient experience, (PEX). CMS has temporarily lifted the HCAHPS reporting requirement, as a safety response to ensure safe social distancing between patients and healthcare workers. Are non-clinical rounds an essential activity in a pandemic?
While temporarily limiting PEX activities may seem like a prudent line-item to cut during a pandemic, such a decision could have swift and significant financial consequences. More than any other time, patients need to feel supported at the hospital, especially in light of visitor restrictions. Research clearly links a direct correlation between patient experience scores and financial performance. hopes of doing more with less, hospitals have found remote rounding a valuable solution. However, replacing face-to-face interactions with digital ones greatly minimizes the ability to read visual cues and body language that can put PEX teams at a disadvantage. What hospitals do need is predictive analytics, combined with remote rounding tools so that they can quickly pinpoint, in the absence of visual cues, which patients need their attention.
Ambassador Software Works
Ambassador Software Works provides AI-based patient insights through its proprietary APEXamenity Rounding Tool and through partnerships with leading Rounding Tool vendors. To learn more about how AI-based patient insights can improve your patients’ experience, HCAHPS scores, and VBP reimbursement, please call 855.349.4224 or email sales@ambsw.com.