Assessing Customer Satisfaction: The Key to Comprehensive Customer Service

Abstract

In today’s competitive health care environment, health care providers must continually identify strategies that enhance customer service. At a rehabilitation hospital in Washington, D.C., three objectives were initiated in this facility’s stroke program (SP): (1) Develop a standardized process for assessing patient satisfaction, (2) investigate the use of a satisfaction survey early in a patient’s in-patient stay to identify areas of concern, and (3) determine if utilizing a service recovery process could effectively address dissatisfaction during the patient’s hospital course. The methodology, data analysis, and applications are discussed. Data indicated that patient satisfaction during hospitalization, in conjunction with service recovery interventions, was higher at discharge. This approach has been key to a comprehensive customer service program and the hospital’s present and future initiatives.

Keywords:

• patient satisfaction
• customer service
• assessing customer satisfaction
• service recovery