Patient Care Follow-up/Survey

[keith10247]

Good afternoon everyone. I am new to the forum and had an idea I wanted to run past you.

I run with a volunteer squad that is in a rural community. I wanted to create a program that would make it so that the EMT that runs the call would fill out a "get well soon" greeting card to send to the patient. In addition to the greeting card, an optional satisfaction survey could be included. Basically this would allow the squad to get an understanding on how the community rates our quality of service.

I was wondering if anybody has attempted to do such a program or if they knew of any HIPPA regulations that may get in the way with such a program. My reason for wanting this program is to show the community that we are people who care as opposed to just people who take them to the hospital. This also has potential to be a way to get more support from the community.

Any Thoughts?

 

[MMiz]

Our patients don't get cards, but are mailed a survey. Feedback is then posted in the crew lounge. I know this has gone through our lawyers.

 

[Jon]

It sounds like a good idea.


Around here, EMS-wise, the only feedback we get is from SOME of the staff, from SOME of the flight programs... they send us a "thanks for flying ___ Aeromedical" for your incident on X date... and covers that the crew had a flight time of X to X trauma center, and that patient was TOT staff, and as of X day was alive, or died in the ED... some decent feedback.

 

[keith10247]

Our patients don't get cards, but are mailed a survey. Feedback is then posted in the crew lounge. I know this has gone through our lawyers.

Thanks for your reply. Do you by any chance know some of the questions asked on the survey? Also, are the surveys kept anonymous?

 

[Jon]

Thanks for your reply. Do you by any chance know some of the questions asked on the survey? Also, are the surveys kept anonymous?

I can't see setting up a survey and NOT allowing it to be anoyomyus.. I'd leave an option for them to leave a name/number so that we could address them about any concerns... but if they want to be anonomys, so be it..

 

[Ridryder911]

I started a "Get Well" card program in my ER, and was sent to those that were admitted or seriously ill. This was sent before the bill !
As well, as anonymous survey of some general questions and comments.


Some examples:

Staff friendly, professional ?
Appearance professional ?

Unit clean?

Billing/administrative department friendly ? etc..

I used the 1- 5 scale (< poor to 5 great!)

Good luck!

R/r 911

 

[keith10247]

I am not too familiar with the HIPPA regulations but I am assuming that this should not be a violation of HIPPA regulations as long as the cards do not go in to detail about what their visit was about. Anybody on here know the HIPPA restrictions?

I also have a fear of sending these cards on the ALS calls we have due to the fact that once we leave the hospital, we do not know the patient's outcome. I think it would be bad to send a "get well soon" card and a survey to a patient that died at the hospital...

 

[FF/EMT Sam]

I think it would be bad to send a "get well soon" card and a survey to a patient that died at the hospital...

Exactly what I was thinking!

 

[oldschoolmedic]

Sounds like a good PR campaign, but it would be dependent upon your call volume. Since you work for a small rural volunteer service it would probably not be an issue. Costwise where I am currently working we are transporting roughly six thousand a year, it could get expensive. My last service would have had to send out about 45,000 cards. Hall mark would be their biggest supporter.

Give it a go. Maybe you could hook up with a local retailer to provide cards at little or no cost. Put their little "donated by" acknowledgement on the back of the card. A freebie for you and a tax writeoff for them. Good luck with it.

 

[keith10247]

Thanks for the feedback! We are double verifying HIPPA regulations and I am getting the survey ready.

 

[keith10247]

Anyone got any ideas on Limericks for the cards? A friend of mine suggested:

"You were struggling for breath in the loo, our medics they knew what to do! They performed CPR, and stole the keys for your car. Nice wheels for a crusty ol' fool!"

I am not sure that would fly very well! :wacko:

 

[Ridryder911]

Since you are not "sharing" information, I do not see where it would be affected. We send out bills ? Then no one is yelling HIPPA? ..

R/r 911

 

[keith10247]

So I made a list of some of the questions I could think of...Im in lazy mode this weekend so I am probably missing things...

Do you have any suggestions on other questions I could ask? We do not have billing related/administration related stuff since we transport for free....

How would you rate:
The amount of time it took for us to arrive?
The professional appearance of the crew?
The friendliness of the crew?
The professional behavior of the crew?
The cleanliness of the ambulance?
The crew’s ability to tend to your needs?
The crew’s knowledge?
The comfort of your ambulance ride?
Your overall experience?

 

[MMiz]

Our is 1/2 objective questions, and a few with space for a pt to write a response. If any come back, many will only answer the objective questions. Our objective questions are like the ones you've presented, and have multiple check boxes. Example:

The crew arrived quickly:
( ) Fully agree ( ) Partially agree.....
The crew appeared and acted in a professional manner:
( ) Fully agree ( ) Partially agree.....

 

[ffemt8978]

Thanks for the feedback! We are double verifying HIPPA regulations and I am getting the survey ready.

I don't see how this would be a HIPAA issue for two reasons:

1) It's part of the QA/QCI program which is allowed by HIPAA
2) The patient does NOT have to respond, and they have the right to release any PHI that they want to whoever they want.

I may try something like this with our agency so any info you generate would be helpful.

 

[Canoeman]

Patient Care Evaluations

We have been sending out cards with each and every call for over 5 years. Two years ago we initiated a program that we call Patient Care Evaluations (PCE's) With the approval of our Medical Director, the patient we had 2 weeks before, get a revisit. The crew that took the patient calls up the patient to "see how things are going" then they ask the patient if they can return to see them. The crew visits with the person, adresses diagnosis, does vitals, goes over new meds perhasp and a simple "in house form" is done. This program has been a stunning hit with our patients and our county Sosial Services loves it as well

Canoeman

 

[keith10247]

Canoeman,
Sounds quite involved! What kind of service do you all run? I do not see my volunteer company being able to offer quite that level of follow-up due to staffing and scheduling issues.

 

[fm_emt]

Surveys suck.

In all of my years of customer service, we always covered one thing - people are more likely to :censored::censored::censored::censored::censored: and moan than they are to compliment. If you give them an avenue to :censored::censored::censored::censored::censored:, they will use it.

This was consistent across internet service providers, wireless telecom carriers, and various other information technology support positions.

If you set up a survey system, be prepared for a whole bunch of people to vent about completely unrelated things. Or, they may see *you guys* as having caused their problems even if it's not the case.

 

[Canoeman]

Post Calls Evals

Keith - Sorry not getting back sooner. We are a paid and volunteer system. We just "make the time" and it is worth it in piece of mind and it also makes dollar sense. Just try it yourself - call your patient up ask he/she if they would mind a visit. The rewards are plenty. If nothing else it make you feel bettter about the caring for the people in your community. If you do it maybe other will.

Canowman
www.ti-rescue.org

 

[Canoeman]

FM emt

Could it be you just have ----- customer service? In my thirty years in EMS , surveys and expience with dealing with the public - the cream rises to the top. The good always outways the bad.

You are either asking the wrong questions or you are creating a negative image to the public. Something needs to be fixed. Survey yourselves.


CM