Employees ‘stepping up’ to provide excellent care
by Cindy AbolePublic Relations
Like the subtle changing of autumn leaves, so are the moods of many Medical Center employees. They are happy, cordial and spirited individuals who are learning how to “step up” to better customer service, camaraderie and improved peer recognition throughout the month of November and beyond.
In 8-West's medical oncology and bone marrow transplant unit, nurse manager Yvonne Martin and her staff have embraced a new motivationally-driven program called Step Up. She and her 12-member staff have designated a special place in their unit to display posters and other motivational themes to stimulate themselves to “step up” to the challenge.
Stepping
Up are David McNair, Sue Pletcher, Allen Coulter, Brenda Bailey, Patti
MacFarland, Stuart Smith, Sharon Knowles, and Cindy Williams.
Downstairs in hospital admissions and financial counseling, employees
are humming catchy tunes, wearing motivational hats, and posting other
visible reminders that confirm their support to Step Up. Step up is part
of a proactive centerwide effort to improve customer and employee service
excellence. This includes extensive leadership development training and
customer service training for supervisors and employees.
“We’ve already gained some incredible interest and support from
our staff,” said Williams, who met with her team prior to the kick-off
to brainstorm and share ideas. “This program reinforces the basics of good
customer service and our need to reinforce it everyday. As a manager, it
motivates me in mentoring and helping employees learn how to work with
customers and each other.”
In recent years, hospital leaders have looked for ways to respond to surveys and other measurements that gauge patient/customer satisfaction in the delivery of good patient care.
As a result management chose the Step Up program as a fun, innovative initiative devoted to encouraging positive behavioral changes among staff. Last fall, a hospital steering committee identified four criteria for improvements: improved customer/patient satisfaction, both internally and externally; increased morale among staff; and employee retention.
“The Step Up program is a booster shot that feels good,” said Betts Ellis, administrator of institutional relations, MUHA. “Everyone can take an active role and be creative. It serves to focus our attention on excellence in customer service.”
The group turned to locally-based management development and customer service training consultants, the McNair Group, to help organize and conduct a customer service program that would offer creativeness, interaction and positive outcomes. The result is a program based on a refocus of life’s basics by building a conscious awareness of people through actions, attitudes and accountability.
“The hospital environment is an ideal foundation for compassion and empathy towards others,” said David McNair. “What’s challenging is that care and service is provided in a more demanding and changing environment. Many of today’s hospital staffs are increasingly challenged by so many demands that they fail to focus on the simple need of people caring about people. It’s what’s missing in work environments today.”
On Nov. 1, medical center employees were greeted with smiles and tasty cookies in the shape of stars to support MUSC’s goal of becoming a “five-star organization.” The treats were delivered by hospital administrators Stuart Smith, Marilyn Schaffner and Dave Neff as part of the Step Up rollout during the month-long awareness program.
The key to Step Up’s success is its flexibility and ability to help individual employees and department teams to improve communications, receive and provide feedback, plus generate response. Employees write down two service behaviors to “step up” to as their personal commitment to others. Individuals consciously try to accomplish their goals and perform positive actions that can count as a step up.
In addition, staff members are encouraged to give “Caught You” slips to acknowledge positive actions and personal service towards others. Teams and departments can track their daily and weekly accomplishments individually. For example, William’s group will tally their Step Up actions daily and then transfer the information on the department’s tracking board.
Aside from improving customer service and interaction, Step Up is designed to provide instant feedback and direction for employees, according to McNair.
“Recognition is the number one thing employees want from their managers and peers,” McNair said. “Praise doesn’t take much time to deliver. Providing positive feedback results in people feeling good about themselves, increases morale and ultimately helps staff work together to meet their goals.”
What's needed to keep the program alive after Nov. 30?
McNair knows that months after the rollout ends, there may be some need
to provide a refresher course to Step Up among staff as needed. With continued
interest by employees and support from management and the administrative
team, a program like Step Up can naturally become an individual’s lifelong
attitude and not just a process, McNair said.
Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as
needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations
for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South
Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107
or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst
Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu
or catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community
Press at 849-1778.