Kaizen for Improved Patient Satisfaction: The Experience of an Academic Cancer Center

Lynn Levandowski, Administrator, University of Rochester Medical Center, James P. Wilmot Cancer Center
Julie Berkhof, Nurse Practitioner, University of Rochester Medical Center, James P. Wilmot Cancer Center

This session shares the journey for a successful Kaizen where the objective was to improve the patient experience within the James P. Wilmont Cancer Center. The facility created an atmosphere of patient and family centered care by encouraging small day-to-day (yet continuous and never ending) process improvement involving everyone from managers to ancillary staff. Participants will learn to increase their patient satisfaction scores by taking a broad look at what the patients perceived as areas for improvements and implementing teams to work on those areas. Participants will also learn to establish and convey expectations to patients through improved communication practices.