New Value

One of the most exciting initiatives at MedStar National Rehabilitation Network is the New Value Process, a customer and employee loyalty program that draws elements from Disney's model customer relations program.

Experience shows employee satisfaction is the most important factor in customer satisfaction. This means creating a fully engaged, loyal and empowered team who understand the difference between their "job” and their "role in the overall patient experience."

The first step in employee satisfaction is to create a culture of excellence. So MedStar NRH created the New Value Process. Today, more than 200 employees have volunteered their time as New Value “Ambassadors” to help implement the New Value Process at every level of the organization.

New Value “Ambassadors” helps redefine the workplace to ensure the presence of smiling employees, clean facilities, friendly interaction, and first-rate customer service. The New Value process addresses everything from the patient admissions experience to facility aesthetics to employee hiring practices. The program endorses a shared sense of responsibility and promotes a positive and supportive work environment Network-wide.

Does it make a difference? When the New Value Process was first implemented, we asked team members whether or not New Value was having a positive impact on their job. Only 29 percent of team members said "yes." One year later, the response was up to 51 percent. And today, 64 percent agree that New Value was having a positive impact.

But is this impacting patient satisfaction? 94 percent of inpatients and 99 percent of outpatients report being satisfied with their experience. Each year since its implementation, MedStar NRH has seen a steady rise in patient satisfaction scores with 2003 recording a 4.5 percent increase from 2002 in the number of patients rating MedStar NRH as "excellent."