It's the Little Things: Medical Equipment's Big Impact on Patient Experience

These days understanding why a patient is satisfied (or dissatisfied) is key to creating positive future experiences.

Experience encompasses more than the overall perception of care that is often based on preconceived ideas. The ease of making an appointment and interacting with medical personnel, the environment of the medical facility, understanding of treatment plans, post visit or procedure instructions, and financial arrangements all contribute to a patient’s experience.

And let’s not underestimate the impact the little things like the comfort of medical devices and equipment can have on a patient’s experience.

Medical Equipment with a Big Impact

Take Blood Pressure Cuffs for example. The simple change of taking a measurement on the inflate cycle versus the deflate cycle makes blood pressure readings more comfortable for the patient while maintaining the accuracy of the data.

Think about it, a patient in an acute care setting may have a blood pressure cuff compressed on their arm dozens of times a day. If this is uncomfortable each time the experience will be remembered as negative … which will be a factor in overall satisfaction … which will be surveyed … which will impact hospital CAHPS scores … which will impact reimbursement …

You get the picture.

Oxygen delivery systems are another innocuous means of turning the tide of patient experience to the positive. It is unsettling enough to need a breathing mask. One that is ill fitting will be irritating and uncomfortable, not to mention upping the risk for pressure sores associated with long term use.

Rotating between different facial interface types lowers the probability of pressure sores and increases the likelihood of a positive experience.

Offering a wide range of mask types and contact surfaces to accommodate different facial and nasal features or masks featuring air and gel cushioning for effective and comfortable seals are little things that make a big impact on patient experience.

While there is nothing like your own bed to help you feel safe and in control of your immediate environment, hospital beds designed with ergonomic controls give patients a measure of control over their environment.

Peripheral conveniences that support mobile devices help patients stay connected.

Beds that address issues like incontinence in discrete ways preserve dignity.

Little details in patient centered medical equipment add up to big advances in positive experiences.

Positive experiences have a way of translating into positive outcomes.

Nurturing positive patient experiences is not limited to long term or acute care settings. Experiences with routine care in physicians’ offices can also leave a lasting impression on patients.

On a list of the top ten things most of us dread, stepping on a scale is close to number one. Scales designed with a patient in mind tip the balance to a more positive experience. For example, the stress and discomfort associated with being weighed can be significantly reduced by

• Stand-on scales that are easy for patients to step on and off of;
• platform scales sized to comfortably accommodate wheelchairs and larger or unstable patients; and
• scale-mounted handrails to help steady patients.

An obvious but often overlooked step to facilitating a positive experience is placing the scale in an area with appropriate seclusion to diminish the stress patients may feel if they believe others can see them being weighed.

Choosing scales that are the appropriate size to accommodate patients, regardless of the size of the person, is a key step to promoting a positive experience.

For many of us when we think of medical equipment, images of cold, sterile instruments come to mind. The good news is times are changing and so are the designs of medical equipment. Today, medical equipment has gone beyond the conventional approach of just providing functionality, to one that also considers patient comfort and experience.

Little details. Big Impact.

The CME Experience

CME is all about positive experience! Our experts can help you choose medical equipment that makes patient comfort the top priority, help you stay on budget, and schedule delivery of assembled medical equipment when it is convenient for you and your patients. Learn more about our white-glove Direct-to-Site service or contact us at cmecorp.com .

About CME: CME Corp is the nation’s premier source for healthcare equipment, turnkey logistics, and biomedical services, representing 2 million+ products from more than 2,000 manufacturers. With two corporate offices and 35+ service centers, our mission is to help healthcare facilities nationwide reduce the cost of the equipment they purchase, make their equipment specification, delivery, installation, and maintenance processes more efficient, and help them seamlessly launch, renovate and expand on schedule.