I recently revisited a top healthcare book: “If Disney Ran Your Hospital – 9 ½ Things You Would Do Differently” by Fred Lee. You might wonder how Disney, the "happiest place on Earth," relates to healthcare. The author, who worked both in healthcare leadership and at Disney, looked at hospitals through a fresh lens, focusing on loyalty through exceptional experiences.
Even if you’re not ready to dive into the book, here are four takeaways that stand out for our work at UVA Health:
1. “Outcomes are delivered by teams, impressions are delivered by individuals.”
At UVA Health, we work hard as teams to ensure safe outcomes, but it is often what an individual says (or doesn’t say) that has the most powerful impact on patient impressions. The book’s tips and tricks for building strong communication and interpersonal skills with patients and team members are reason enough for me to recommend giving it a read.
2. "Our competition is anyone our customers compare us to."
Fred argues that we shouldn’t just compare ourselves to other health systems; we should look at any organization that offers an exceptional experience. At UVA Health, this means concentrating not just on the quality of care but also on our patients’ experience of compassion, safety, and comfort. During one of our large COVID-19 vaccination clinics, I remember participants comparing us to Chick-fil-A for our smooth flow and excellent customer service. It was a genuine compliment and a great example of how healthcare is compared to other industries.
3. "Hospitalization is not a service, it’s an experience."
While hospitals and amusement parks are worlds apart in many respects, both are in the experience business. Our patients and their loved ones often come to us feeling fearful and in pain, and it’s our job to help heal them emotionally as well as physically. Many of you already do this beautifully, and it is significant to why our community trusts us. When reading “Hope at Work” stories or DAISY and BEE Award nominations, it’s clear that our patients remember how we made them feel just as much as the care we provided.
4. "Dissatisfaction is the father of improvement."
Fred offers a model for continuous improvement that starts with dissatisfaction—being honest about where we can do better. The most innovative people I’ve worked with at UVA Health don’t settle for “good enough.” They not only see where we excel but also where we can grow. This drive for improvement has kindled programs like the Spark Innovation Competition, where we bring team members’ great ideas to life. Dissatisfaction with the status quo helps us live up to our mission and keeps our work exciting and meaningful!
I’m proud to work with a team that already embodies many of this book’s teachings. If you haven’t read the book, I encourage you to check it out or watch Fred’s TED talk! Let’s keep improving patient experiences here at UVA Health to achieve our mission of transforming both health and hope for all Virginians and beyond.
Have a book recommendation that could inspire our work? Share it with me through the Be Heard Suggestion Box!
Take care and be well,
Wendy