Our Reputation Our Credibility Our Professionalism Is Reflected in How We Handle Each and Every Call.

YOU…Are The SGMC LabOur Reputation Our CredibilityOur Professionalism

Is Reflected in How We Handle Each and

Every Call

Expectations We Are Expected to…

Deliver quality at every turnProvide solutionsBe AccountableBe ConsistentBe Professional around the clock

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

(PPACA)Signed into Law March 2010 creating a new urgency for hardwiring high clinical and patient satisfaction performance.

The Value-based Purchasing (VBP) initiative will

begin in FY 2013 and focus on HCAHPS and

Core Measure Results.Our performance will determine total hospital

reimbursements from Medicare.

Condition

• Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI)

• Heart Failure (HF)

• Pneumonia (PN)

• Surgical Care (SCIP)

No. Measure

s• 3

• 3• 4• 7

Proposed FY 2013 Areas Measured

Multiple Metrics for Each Core Measure

Core Measures70%

1. Nurse Communication

2. Doctor Communication

3. Pain Management

4. Medicine Communication

5. Hospital Cleanliness & Quietness

6. Discharge Information

7. Overall Hospital Rating

HCAHPSCore Measures

Survey Questions measure “frequency” vs. satisfaction.

No partial credit for “Usually.” Easier to move a Usually to an Always than to move a Never to an Always.

Always means that every interaction occurs with every patient on every shift.

Only “Always” Counts1= Never 2 = Sometimes 3 = Usually 4 = Always

www.hospitalcomparehhs.gov

TELEPHONE MANNERSEvery call is the first call.SMILE…the caller can sense it.Good posture impacts your tone of voice.Project energy and enthusiasm.Speak slowly, clearly. No slang.Repeat numbers.Ask permission to place caller on hold. Thank caller for holding.Allow caller to hang up first.Use the SGMC Script:

“Good Morning/Afternoon,

Name of your department

Your name/title if licensed

How may I help you?”

Telephone Communication

How Messages Are Interpreted

84%

16%

Words

Tone of

Voice

Inflection…What You Think and Feel

• Monotone & flat voice

• Slow speed & pitch

• High pitch & emphatic

• Abrupt speed & loud

• Bored… No interest

• Leave me alone!

• ENTHUSIASM!

• Disgusted/closed minded

P – PITCH

I – INFLECTION

C – COURTESY

T – TONE

U - UNDERSTANDING

R – RATE

E - ENUNCIATION

Every Caller Forms a Mental Picture of YOU!

Answering the Call

Greeting: “Good Morning or Afternoon.”

Identify your department

State your first name

Ask, “How may I help you?”

Transferring a Call

Explain “why”Ask permissionAlways tell the caller the name and extension of the department they are being transferred to

Placing a Customer on Hold

Ask permission or give options (offer to help, take a message/number or transfer to Voice Mail)

Give an approximate time Wait for a response and say, “Thank

you,” before pressing the hold button Thank the caller for holding after

returning to the line

Ending the Call

Repeat any action steps; seek understanding/clarification.

Ask the caller, “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

Allow the caller to hang up firstFollow through

YOU…Are The Lab• Be prepared...know your phone system;

anticipate every call will involve a message; • First impressions begin with YOU!• Smile before picking up the receiver.• Answer professionally and pleasantly. Speak

clearly. Every call is the first call.• Never lay the phone down! Be noise conscious.• Acknowledge the caller’s request.• Reassure the caller you want to help

Telephone Taboos• Allowing your “foul mood” or your coworkers to

carry over in conversations.• Hanging up on a caller “first”• Not returning phone calls or Voice Mail messages

promptly.• Placing callers on hold or speaker phone without

permission.• Eating, drinking, chewing gum, laughing, sidebar

conversations• Rushing callers• Personal calls while on company time• Industry jargon• Vent about your issues

T T

Avoid Forbidden Phrases:

• “ I don’t know.”

• “I/we can’t do that.”

• “You’ll have to….”

• “Just a second.”

• “No.”

• “We’re short-handed”

• “Someone on the other shift dropped the

ball.”

Can you Judge A Book By It’s Cover?

We are judged by people through what we say, how we say it, our

body language, facial expressions, our tone of voice,

and the way we answer the phone.

The Lab’s Professionalism is always judged by the way the

telephone is answered.You CANNOT...NOT make a first impression!