Service Strategies for Healthcare

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Please see response attached (also below). I hope this helps and take care.

RESPONSE:

1. Describe a healthcare organization's service strategy. In particular, link your service strategy to the creation of a healing environment and developing a culture of customer service and Identify how your service strategy is linked to the organizational vision and mission. Mission (That everything exists in order to provide service to the patient).

I have suggested a strategy for you to consider below which seems to meet the organizational vision and mission, as the strategy is patient focused. The references are listed as numbers, and are listed at the end of the response (i.e., (1), (2), etc.)

Example: Healthcare Service Strategy: Customer Relations Strategy

This service strategy is an organization-wide strategy that would result in heightened staff awareness of the importance of customers, higher levels of patient/customer satisfaction and continuous improvement in service behavior and systems. It creates a healing environment. This is in keeping with the vision and mission of the organization to provide quality health services to the community it serves and strictly adhered to these principles by maintaining a deep respect for the dignity of each person.

An array of detailed, useful strategies to improve customer service would be implemented. For example, health care administrators, managers, and supervisors in any provider organization, regardless of size, will benefit from core service strategies like:
? Establishing high standards of customer service
? Helping staff hear the voice of the customer
? Hiring customer service pros
? Helping staff cope better in a stressful atmosphere
? Reducing anxiety to increase satisfaction (1)

After building a case for the potential of impressive service quality as an unparalleled competitive advantage, this service strategy would also include concrete tactics that help change agents, teams and healthcare leaders to align everyday practices with the organization's focus on service quality. Services strategies would be provided that support "ten pillars of service excellence" as described Leebov (2003) by including:

? Leadership Philosophy and Commitment
? Accountability, Input and Evaluation
? Problem-Solving and Complaint Management
? Staff Development and Training
? Reward and Recognition
? Communication
? Physician Performance
? Employee as Customer (see communication strategy below following references: " Right on Target")
? Refreshers and Reminders (2)
This customer relation's strategy would also provide operational strategies, including:
? Planning and staffing for service excellence
? Handling resistance, and
? Giving your strategy "staying power." (2)

Handling resistance and complaint handling go hand in hand. Things don't always go smoothly and customers complain, sometimes for good reason, and sometimes for no reason. This strategy would include training to learn how to handle complaints professionally and smoothly to increase customer loyalty and retention (see http://customerservicezone.com/Complaint_Handling/).

In the end, "it doesn't matter what you say. The only thing that matters is what is understood by the other person," says Robert Tracz, a Toronto-based personal-development coach and co-author of "Secrets of Face-to-Face Communication." This service strategy would included tips for handling complaints from customers, such as the four tips for handling complaints suggested by Tracz's (2005):

1. Don't give people the runaround. Whether you're a part-time employee or the owner of the company, if you find yourself fielding a customer complaint, "you are responsible for it," says Tracz. Don't bounce callers from ...