The linkage between employee and patient satisfaction in home healthcare.
Greater accountability for patient outcomes, reduced reimbursement, and a protracted nursing shortage have made employee and patient satisfaction results central performance metrics and strategic imperatives in healthcare. Key questions are whether the two interact and if so, how can that relationship be leveraged to obtain maximum gains in both employee and patient satisfaction. This article examines the experience of a large, nonprofit home care agency in exploring these issues. The agency found that organizational commitment to patient care and customer service are fundamental to patient satisfaction. The more employees perceived that the organization is focused on quality and customers, the more patient satisfaction increased. Among nurses, work-life balance, fair compensation, and regard for employees all influenced patient satisfaction.
Rosati
Robert J
RJ
Center for Home Care Policy, Visiting Nurse Service of New York, USA. robert.rosati@vnsny.org
Marren
Joan M
JM
Davin
Denise M
DM
Morgan
Cynthia J
CJ
D006699:Home Care Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care