Increase patient satisfaction by rewarding staff for extra effo

You expect each staff member to do his or her best work at all times, but adding special incentives to recognize performance above and beyond the job description can greatly boost staff morale. Even better, staff rewards often improve patient satisfaction, too.

Perhaps your scheduler keeps a copy of local bus routes by her phone so she can tell patients who don't drive exactly which bus to take, where to meet it, and where to get off. Or your receptionist holds an umbrella to walk an elderly patient to his car on a rainy day. Maybe your nurse always adds a note on each chart to recall personal dates and events important to the patient.

Actions like these keep patients coming back—and keep referrals coming in. So consider offering simple, inexpensive incentives to recognize and reward individual staffers for putting patient needs first.