From Belonging to Better Care: Strengthening Patient Experience and Team Performance in Today’s Clinical Environment

Summary

In today’s complex healthcare environment, clinical outcomes, patient experience, and workforce engagement are deeply connected. This two-hour live webinar brings together two seasoned healthcare leaders with deep expertise in patient experience, staff engagement, and leadership development to explore how everyday clinical interactions—both with patients and with one another—drive quality, performance, and sustainability. 

Designed for nurses, nurse practitioners, and dietitians, this interactive program combines evidence-based insights with practical, role-specific strategies participants can apply immediately in their daily work. 

Key Takeaways:

• HCAHPS scores directly measure the patient’s hospital experience and influences hospitals in three major domains: quality improvement, market reputation and financial outcomes.        
• Routine clinical behaviors such as excellent communication between disciplines, responding quickly and working together directly impact the patient’s experience and HCAHPS scores.    
• A strong sense of belonging influences engagement, communication and performance in clinical settings.
• Using behaviors such as active listening, respectful communication, transparency and empathy can build high performing clinical teams.

Related Questions:

• How does patient experience measured through HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) impact hospital quality, reputation, and financial performance?
  HCAHPS is a national, publicly reported survey of patient experience in US hospitals administered by CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid).  It influences hospitals in three major domains: quality improvement, market reputation, and financial outcomes.  It encourages improvements in communication, responsiveness, safety, and environment.  Public reporting affects patient choice, referrals, staff recruitment, and Medicare reimbursement.
  
• How do everyday clinical interactions across different disciplines influence key HCAHPS domains such as communication, responsiveness, and care coordination?
  Patients judge the hospital experience based on how individual staff behaviors collectively feel like a coordinated, compassionate system.  All the small interactions shape a patient’s sense that staff communicate well, respond quickly, and work together to care for them.
• How does belonging and connection to purpose influence engagement and performance in a clinical setting?
  Belonging and purpose are core performance drivers in healthcare.  When clinicians feel connected, valued, and aligned with meaningful work, engagement, retention, safety, and patient outcomes improve significantly.  This can lead to fewer errors, stronger continuity of patient care, and reduced clinician burnout.
• What are some of the key behaviors that enhance or undermine trust, communication, and psychological safety?
  Key behaviors that enhance trust, communication, and psychological safety include active listening, respectful communication, transparency, and showing empathy.  Key behaviors that undermine trust include rushed or unclear communication, hierarchical or exclusionary behavior, ignoring emotional well-being and blaming and shaming.

References:

• Li LZ, Yang P, Singer SJ, Pfeffer J, Mathur MB, Shanafelt T. Nurse Burnout and Patient Safety, Satisfaction, and Quality of Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(11):e2443059. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.43059.
• George, Nicole MSN, RN, NEA-BC. How Nurses Influence the Patient Experience. AJN, American Journal of Nursing 124(4):p 42-45, April 2024. | DOI: 10.1097/01.NAJ.0001010580.63298.b0
• Chen H, Cates T, Taylor M. The effect of patient quality measurements and HCAHPS patient satisfaction on hospital reimbursements.  Human Systems Management 42 (2023) 419–433 DOI 10.3233/HSM-220042. 
• Hurwitz HM, Mercer M, Rose SL. Interventions that improve patient experience evidenced by raising HCAHPS and CG-CAHPS Scores: A narrative literature review. Patient Experience Journal. 2023; 10(1):107-114. doi: 10.35680/2372-0247.1669.
• Boissy A, Windover AK, Bokar D, et al. Communication Skills Training for Physicians Improves Patient Satisfaction. J Gen Intern Med. 2016;31(7):755-761. doi:10.1007/s11606-016-3597-2.
• Carthon JM, Hatfield L, Brom H, et al. System-Level Improvements in Work Environments Lead to Lower Nurse Burnout and Higher Patient Satisfaction. J Nurs Care Qual. 2021;36(1):7-13. doi:10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000475.