PATIENT EXPERIENCE

To encourage the pharmacy workforce to evaluate their practice settings for opportunities to improve the experience patients have with healthcare services and with the outcomes of their drug therapy; further,

To educate the pharmacy workforce about the relationship between patient experience and outcomes; further,

To develop or adopt tools that will (1) provide a system for monitoring trends in the quality of pharmacy services to patients, (2) increase recognition of the value of pharmacy services, and (3) provide a basis for making improvements in the process and outcomes of pharmacy services in efforts to engage patients and improve their experience; further,

To promote use of interactive patient technology (e.g., self-learning teaching resources) to augment patient experience and help prioritize and improve the effectiveness of pharmacy services; further,

To facilitate a dialogue with and encourage education of patient experience database vendors to include the value of pharmacy services in the patient experience.

Rationale

A major component of quality of healthcare is patient satisfaction (often referred to as “the patient experience”), which is critical to how well patients respond and adhere to healthcare. Research has identified a clear link between patient outcomes and a positive patient experience. Additionally, the patient experience is a key determinant of quality of care and an important component of pay-for-performance metrics. Pharmacy leaders need to continually assess how pharmacists and pharmacy services support an improved patient experience with their care across the continuum of practice sites, including how pharmacists contribute to team-based care.

A study detailed in a white paper by The Beryl Institute found that hospitals using interactive technology to communicate with patients saw improvement in patient satisfaction scores. Interactive patient technology gives patients faster access to hospital staff and services, including access to health education information about the care they receive and the steps they need to take after discharge. Hospitals using interactive technology realize tangible benefits, which translate into significant, measurable improvements in patient outcomes, the hospital’s financial performance, and greater patient engagement, making for an exceptional patient experience.