Week 2 – Discussion 1
Your initial discussion thread is due on Day 3 (Thursday) and you have until Day 7 (Monday) to respond to your classmates. Your grade will reflect both the quality of your initial post and the depth of your responses. Refer to the Discussion Forum Grading Rubric under the Settings icon above for guidance on how your discussion will be evaluated.
Customer Service
Prior to beginning work on this discussion, read Chapters 1, 2, and 3 from the Peden textbook, as well as the Creating a Culture of Ethics & Compliance in the Workplace (Links to an external site.) and the Five Ways to Reduce Ethics and Compliance Risk (Links to an external site.) In addition, watch the YouTube video, “Front Desk First Impressions” Front Desk Unprofessional Segment. (Links to an external site.)
Customer service is a hot topic for all industries, and especially in health care. In your initial discussion post, address the following:
- Identify one direct patient care and one non-direct patient care scenario that you have observed.
- Describe the scenario and delineate in detail how the situation should be handled from a customer service perspective.
- Describe four strategies to calm an upset customer.
- Identify three data elements you could use to analyze the customer service level of a department.
Your initial post should be at least 250 words. In addition to the course material, utilize a minimum of two scholarly sources to support your points. Cite and reference your sources in APA format as outlined in the Writing Center (Links to an external site.).
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
As a medical professor, it is important to train future healthcare professionals in providing exceptional customer service to patients. In this assignment, students will identify direct and non-direct patient care scenarios, and provide strategies for handling upset customers. They will also learn to identify data elements to assess the customer service level of a department.
1. Identify one direct patient care and one non-direct patient care scenario that you have observed.
Direct patient care scenario: A patient was admitted to the emergency room with acute chest pain. The nurse taking care of him was short-tempered and failed to explain the procedures to the patient. The patient was worried and scared, and his anxiety escalated due to the nurse’s behavior.
Non-direct patient care scenario: A family member of a patient was waiting to see the doctor for an update on the patient’s condition. However, the administrative staff at the hospital was rude and provided no information about the expected time when the doctor would arrive.
2. Describe the scenario and delineate in detail how the situation should be handled from a customer service perspective.
In the direct patient care scenario, the nurse should have taken a moment to explain to the patient the procedures and tests he would undergo to diagnose his condition. She should have used a reassuring tone and provided him with the opportunity to ask questions. The nurse should have been empathetic towards the patient’s anxiety and provided him with medication to alleviate his symptoms.
In the non-direct patient care scenario, the administrative staff should have been polite and courteous towards the family member. They should have apologized for the delay and provided her with updates on the patient’s condition. Staff should have provided a comfortable space for waiting, with water and reading materials.
3. Describe four strategies to calm an upset customer.
The four strategies to calm an upset customer are:
a) Listen attentively to the customer’s complaint
b) Acknowledge the customer’s feelings and apologize for the inconvenience caused.
c) Provide empathetic reassurance and offer a solution to the problem
d) Follow up with the customer to ensure that the issue is resolved and to check if they are satisfied with the service provided.
4. Identify three data elements you could use to analyze the customer service level of a department.
The three data elements to analyze the customer service level of a department are:
a) Patient satisfaction scores – These can provide feedback on how satisfied patients were with the care they received at the department.
b) Number of complaints received – An increase in complaints could signal a decrease in the quality of customer service provided.
c) Wait times – Shorter wait times can indicate better service, while longer wait times can lead to patient dissatisfaction.
