Service Excellence and Guest Relations Work to Better the Patient Experience

At Regional West, great customer service is top of mind. That’s why Service Excellence Director Ally Berggren and Guest Relations Patient and Guest Experience Specialist Mark McCarthy are committed to providing a quality patient experience.

Berggren’s Service Excellence role includes helping Regional West’s employees provide quality customer service. She assists in establishing employee expectations through new hire and contractor orientation, and she also manages the hospital’s patient surveys, which help identify areas of success and improvement. Recently, she brought back the Patient & Family Advisory Council (PFAC), an initiative composed of patients, families, and members of Regional West’s healthcare team who are committed to raising the standard of care.

“During new hire training, I like to remind employees that when they have their badge on, they are Regional West,” said Berggren. “Whether it’s your first day, your 21st day, or your 13th year, people see your badge and you are the face of Regional West.”

McCarthy’s role involves listening to patient concerns, sending them to the appropriate leaders, and reporting resolutions back to the patient. Guest Relations follows guidelines established by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Conditions of Participation (CoPs), meaning that once a patient submits a concern, the department must send him or her a letter within seven days acknowledging the concern. The team then gets 30 days to resolve the concern or provide updates and send the patient follow-up communication.

Over the past year, McCarthy said that Guest Relations has improved getting follow-up communication to patients before the 30-day mark. He attributes this to greater collaboration between the health system’s departments.

“Everyone has a unified goal and wants to make sure that our patients and their families are having the best experience possible,” he said.

As Regional West’s patient survey scores improve, Berggren and McCarthy are finding new ways to better the patient and family experience. McCarthy has started rounding on patient floors to check in with patients, ask about their stay, and address concerns while they’re still in the facility. Berggren is implementing new customer service initiatives such as the Commit to Sit program, which encourages physicians and providers to sit with patients when they have conversations about their care.

Director of Compliance and Risk and Compliance and Privacy Officer Stephanie Todd, CPHRM, CPCO, said people across the health system are committed to looking at processes to make sure that Regional West is providing great care. Although McCarthy is the sole patient and guest experience specialist, Todd said there is always someone available to hear patients’ concerns.

“If Mark is out or can’t answer the phone, I’m next in line. If I am unavailable, the house supervisor or the administrator on call can field concerns. Additionally, any leader of the unit who is receiving the complaint can take concerns,” she explained. “We always have someone who can listen.”

Both Berggren and McCarthy feel they can make an impact and are inspired by their peers. 

“It feels good every time I’m able to help somebody. It’s about the appreciation that people give and how thankful they are that you listened to them and you were able to help them get through whatever issue they were having,” said McCarthy. “I feel that my job is to make a difference.”

“I love the people I work with every day,” added Berggren, who also serves as director of Volunteer Services. “Some of my best friends are here, and when you spend that much time together you see there are good people who work and volunteer here at Regional West.”

To learn more about Regional West’s Service Excellence program, contact Berggren at 308-630-1271. To reach McCarthy regarding patient concerns, call 308-630-1442.