Fostering a consumer/patient-centric culture in health and community services

Health and community services organisations have been moving to a model of consumer/patient-centric care for some time.

Much progress has been made. In partnership with its clients, Insync has measured the Net Promoter Score (NPS)* for 75 services and programs over the last few years.

Encouragingly, the average NPS is +45 – with some organisations exceeding +70. These high NPS results are driven both by a positive consumer/patient experience and meaningful outcomes being achieved.

In many cases, 80% or more of consumers/patients indicate high satisfaction with their experience in areas like:

• They listen to me
• They treat me with dignity and respect
• They do what they say they will do

A similar proportion are satisfied with the outcomes being achieved in areas like:

• I feel more hopeful about my future
• I am supported to achieve my goals
• Overall, I am satisfied with the service I received

Naturally, some certain services and programs are receiving feedback that is much less favourable. The key issues typically involve:

• Not achieving outcomes (e.g., taking too long to find accommodation)
• Not feeling listened to
• Not being able to access services in a timely manner

The role of leaders cannot be underestimated. There is plenty of evidence that shows how important leaders are for building, maintaining, and enhancing a consumer/patient-centric culture.

The checklist below highlights the things that leaders in the most successful organisations are doing. Completing this self-assessment will help you identify what you and your leadership colleagues could do differently or better to enhance your organisation’s consumer/patient culture.

Adopting a continuous improvement mindset and regularly assessing how you are fostering a consumer/patient-centric mindset throughout the organisation will help to improve the consumer/patient experience and lead to better outcomes. The goal is to create a culture where every employee is dedicated to meeting consumer/patient needs and exceeding their expectations. This, in turn, will enable you to deliver your mission, build your reputation, retain high-performing employees, and achieve your organisation’s goals.

*Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a registered trademark, and Net Promoter Score and Net Promoter System are service marks, of Bain & Company, Inc., Satmetrix Systems, Inc. and Fred Reichheld.

Fostering a consumer/patient-centric culture throughout your organisation – A checklist for leaders