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Last fall I conducted an alumni interview of a high school senior who was seeking early admission to my alma mater. Among a dozen or so standard questions, I asked, “So what do you want to be when you grow up?” Without hesitating, she said, “pediatric endocrinologist.” “Huh?” came my eloquent reply.

I have always been interested in how people choose – or end up in – their careers. For many, it is a series ...

Stage actors, movie stars and dancers have it. Musicians and rock stars have it. Newscasters and national lecturers have it. What do they have that health care providers could benefit from incorporating into their daily work? Stage presence! It’s not just actors, musicians and dancers who need it today. Doctors and nurses can use the tools of the theater to connect with patients, resulting in greater understanding of treatment and reduced anxiety.

Many in health ...

I’ve been an apprentice of servant leadership for several years now, having once been in the role of teaching its principles to health care leaders. In his classic essay, “The Servant as Leader,” Robert K. Greenleaf said that “only a true natural servant automatically responds to any problem by listening first.” As caregivers, we may not be able to take away all of the pain, sadness, disappointment or anger that an illness provokes, but we ...

My mother thinks I missed my calling, and my father can’t quite believe the things I actually take on. It’s my passion outside of work – my hidden talent. It all has to do with neglected houses and my desire to make them shine again. I get so much enjoyment and fulfillment out of taking a real “handywoman special” and turning it into something so improved that it isn’t recognizable (with help from my spouse, ...

Sit in any meeting of health care executives and you are bound to hear the term “accountability” thrown around. This is especially true today. Under health reform, so many of the needed changes depend on leaders, physicians and frontline staff delivering measurable results. We are told that hospitals and physician groups are being held accountable for patient outcomes and nurses are being held accountable for exceeding patient expectations. In reality, however, accountability is exactly what ...

“I just spoke with three patients last week who told me how much they love the care I provide. This week, two other patients told me this is the highest quality care they have ever had. I don’t understand why my Press Ganey scores aren’t better! I don’t think the data are valid.”

When I speak with physicians, and hear the above argument, I understand their confusion and frustration, and why this would lead them ...

Since this is a season not just to be jolly but also to hit the road, I thought I’d break with precedent for this health care blog and simply share a few tips for making holiday journeys a little more pleasant.

First, my credentials: I travel a lot. I’m about to hit “platinum” airline status, passing silver and gold along the way. Being a consultant means spending a lot of time with far-flung clients, which ...

Now it was my turn.

Eventually, everyone gets to be a patient or the family member of a patient. When you are a Press Ganey employee, you go into the experience with a combination of increased knowledge and awareness of the amazing things that health care heroes do every day and the things that may not go as expected.

My husband Bill was scheduled to have a three- to three-and-a-half-hour hand surgery to correct an ...

“It’s the little things.”

I keep hearing this phrase from health care leaders, employees and physicians, and it’s true. When we talk about improving satisfaction of patients, physicians and employees, it’s those little things that can make a difference in how a patient feels about the care experience and how he or she may respond to survey questions.

So what are those little things? More importantly, how do we ensure we are consistently doing them ...

DALLAS – The Press Ganey National Client Conference wrapped up this afternoon, as more than 2,000 attendees headed home following two days and more than 50 presentations by industry experts and Press Ganey faculty.

During the event, attendees heard insightful presentations from actor and Parkinson's activist Michael J. Fox and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle.

Breakout sessions featured detailed analyses of hot topics such as value-based purchasing (VBP), accountable care organizations (ACOs), patient ...