Press Ganey and Compass One Healthcare Launch e-Book Focused on Patient and Clinical Caregiver Experiences in the Emergency Department
Best practices for enhancing support services included in e-book titled, “The front door of healthcare redefined”
Click here to access and download the e-book.
Contact: Anna Oswald (anna.oswald@compass-usa.com)
Atlanta, GA, February 12, 2025 — The Emergency Department (ED) is a crucial entry point for many seeking medical care. However, recent data reveals significant disparities in the patient experience between those admitted directly to a hospital and those who enter care through the ED. Recognizing this critical issue, Press Ganey and Compass One Healthcare have collaborated on a new e-book focused on ways healthcare providers and systems can improve services and overall patient experience for those patients who begin their care journey in the ED, and the clinical caregivers who support them.
“Our latest e-book collaboration explores the profound impact of cleanliness and nutrition on the patient experience, highlighting innovative strategies that drive meaningful improvement,” said Marty Wright, Partner, Strategic Consulting, at Press Ganey. “By combining data-driven insights with hands-on expertise, we’re empowering healthcare support services teams as indispensable members of the patient care team, ultimately reshaping industry perspectives and practices.”
“In today’s hospitals, the ED serves as the primary entry point for many patients, significantly shaping their overall perception of the organization. Hospitals are currently facing unprecedented challenges, with skyrocketing ED admission rates and a growing gap in patient experience scores between ED admissions and direct admits,” said Dusty Deringer, PhD, Compass One’s Vice President of Experience. “By leveraging the innovative strategies discussed in this e-book, such as enhancing environmental services and providing tiered menus and hot meals, hospital leaders can transform their EDs, close the experience gap, and drive meaningful, lasting improvements while remaining competitive.”
The ED challenge: Research reveals a dramatic surge in ED admissions over the past five years, with some facilities reporting admission rates as high as 86%. This influx has exacerbated key pain points within the ED setting. Patients frequently endure prolonged wait times, sometimes exceeding 36 hours, while cleanliness scores drop in correlation with rising patient volumes, underscoring the operational strain. Furthermore, a significant gap exists with patient experience scores for ED admissions, as they trail far behind direct admits by as much as 30 percentile points.
Recommendations: Press Ganey and Compass One have identified several steps that should be taken to bridge gaps in patient care and improve experience scores in a new e-book titled, “The front door of healthcare redefined.” These best practices include:
- Enhancing Environmental Services in EDs. Patients associate cleanliness with safety and quality. ED cleanliness scores directly impact overall experience and the likelihood of recommending the hospital. Introducing new cleaning protocols, such as high-profile cleaning and public area focus, can significantly increase the ED’s perceived cleanliness and, by extension, patient satisfaction scores.
- -A health system in Texas saw a 6-point increase in patient experience scores after hiring a “room refresher” – EVS team members who interact with patients and their families to set expectations of EVS and who serve as the face of highly visible cleaning protocols.
- -Early pilots show a significant uplift in perceived cleanliness and experience after putting a few best practices into action. Facilities reported a 10% increase in patient experience scores, while nursing teams benefited from streamlined processes and reduced workloads.
- Implementing Innovations in Food and Nutrition Services: ED patients frequently receive cold, generic boxed meals, leading to dissatisfaction and a perception of neglect. To improve patient satisfaction, EDs should utilize ED-centric culinary solutions, such as tiered menus, and take advantage of equipment innovations. While tiered menus provide patients with customizable meal options that align with dietary needs and preferences, equipment innovations, such as hot holding cabinets and retherming technology, ensure meals are served at optimal temperatures.
- -At a health system in Charleston, South Carolina, a pilot program focused on upgraded after-hours meal options, including reheatable meals for patients admitted through the ED, was linked to a 16-point increase in Quality of Food scores and a 44-point increase in Courtesy of Server scores.
- Leveraging Technology and Data. Integrating technology that provides real-time feedback improves efficiency and consistency in EDs. Technology such as QR code implementation helps streamline nurse-initiated service requests, while an automated inventory system enhances workflow and ensures consistency in service delivery. By leveraging predictive analytics, decision-makers can anticipate staffing needs and adjust operations, leading to improved efficiency and outcomes. Regularly soliciting patient feedback on their ED experience is also an important way to inform strategy adjustments.
To access the e-book, click here. You can also check out Press Ganey and Compass One’s other collaborative efforts like last year’s “Helping Nurses Heal e-Book” and read more about their partnership here.
