A Unit Based Team (or UBT) is a group of frontline employees, managers, and physicians from the same department who come together to work on meaningful projects to improve caregiver satisfaction and patient care, while improving the way they feel about coming to work every day. This project does just that!
Rheumatology Department UBT Improves Communication about Wait-Times
Department metric: improve patient satisfaction.
As a first project to work on, the UBT in the Rheumatology Department on the Memorial campus chose to communicate better with their patients about wait times once they were roomed.
An example of the timer outside a patient room in the Rheumatology Clinic
How did they do it?
The UBT worked to to re-educate the staff on timer protocols; a schedule was put into place to check on the timer batteries, and a standard location was established to ensure the timers are in the same location outside of every exam room, so they are not overlooked. The staff would then check-in with the patients according to the timer to communicate the wait time and offer some water.
The Results?
The results are positive! Caregivers now update patients more frequently about their wait times. And that’s provided additional opportunities for communication between patients and caregivers.
These check-ins have increased patient satisfaction and improved Press Ganey patient comments regarding wait times. Caregiver satisfaction improved, too!
This worked so well for their clinic, the members of the UBT were asked to present it at the All-Managers Meeting!
Way to go, Rheumatology!