STAFF & PATIENT
SATISFACTION

While the hospital food and nutrition services (FNS) department’s core responsibility is to nourish patients and ensure their satisfaction, non-patients are also an essential segment in the healthcare environment. As FNS departments consider ways to empower staff and improve patient satisfaction scores, they must factor in accuracy, accountability, and safety.

Relative to the patient population, a positive hospital experience can and often does improve patient satisfaction scores. Since patient satisfaction scores are tied to hospital reimbursements, it is important to provide quality care consistently. For staff specifically, their motivation directly contributes to operational efficiency and enhances the overall foodservice atmosphere for all patients. Additionally, studies show that higher patient satisfaction levels are typically achieved at facilities with more positive work environments for their staff.

Patient nutrition personnel are constantly looking for ways to provide the best patient dining experience with a focus on patient-centered care. Likewise, onsite retail services are always exploring ways to nurture staff better. For that reason, implementing technology that addresses the needs of both patients and non-patients is crucial for enhancing hospital-wide human satisfaction.

Hospitals need to be equipped with food safety measures to reduce the risk of human errors and food allergy reactions, impacting patient experience surveys. Features like an electronic patient cardex and automatic substitutions of appropriate menu items, ensure staff doesn’t serve patients any food they dislike, are allergic to, or are inappropriate for their diet.