Five ways hospitals can learn from the hospitality industry
The hotel industry has been making customers feel comfortable for centuries, Noelle Homsy explores what, amid a rise in medical tourism, hospitals can adapt from the hospitality sector
Noelle Homsy is associate director, hospitality industry lead, with Grant Thornton UAE
A discussion on service excellence in healthcare intrigued me while recently moderating a conference on medical tourism in the GCC region. Patients can rarely challenge the technical competency of the medical staff, let alone provide immediate satisfaction feedback.
Healthcare providers are then left to rely on other supporting services to meet and exceed patients’ expectations. Most of these services are linked to the patient’s journey and experience as well as their families’.
In other words, service excellence in healthcare is what hoteliers have mastered for centuries now. So why not explore cross-sectoral partnerships that would allow hotels to innovate on their market expansion while pushing healthcare to new levels of patient satisfaction?
Here are five key areas in which hoteliers can lend their expertise to the healthcare sector.
Focus on room design
There is a reason people enjoy checking into a hotel room much more than a hospital room, other than the state of health they would be in while doing so. A hotel room looks fresh, comfortable and has a warm cosy feeling to it, all while being aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Hospital rooms should be designed with similar objectives in mind. From the colours of the walls, the warmth of the light, the material of the furniture and bedding, to the location of power sockets – every detail makes a difference.
Created a family-centered environment
Hospital patients are often accompanied by family members or friends who are there to provide emotional support. Although these companions are not direct “clients” of the hospital, they often act as influencers when selecting the best hospital for the patient, or even as decision makers. With this in mind, addressing their comfort needs during their stay is a must-have in every healthcare facility. Adding a comfortable guest bed in the room, a library and an entertainment centre would help them feel more at ease during their stay.
Train staff on hospitality standards
One important aspect that affects patient satisfaction is how friendly and hospitable the nurses and support staff are. Patients often complain about unkind or rude nurse behvaiour. It’s important to tailor hotel staff training programs to fit the hospital’s support staff needs.
Perfect catering
It is about time we stop describing bland tasteless food as “hospital food”. Hospital food can be healthy and delicious at the same time. The hospitality sector, specifically the F&B sector, has mastered the art of bringing happiness through food, and they can help hospitals do the same.
Offer top-notch housekeeping
While hospitals today outsource cleaning services, it’s important to know that there’s much more to housekeeping than just cleaning. Fresh towels and linen, bathroom amenities and laundry services and general aesthetic upkeep of the property go a long way.
Healthcare providers are going above and beyond to cater for their patients’ non-medical needs and reach new levels of service excellence. As the world shifts from mastering the experience economy to discovering the transformational economy, a huge opportunity lies in creating partnerships between the hospitality and the healthcare sectors to transform the patients’ journey and ultimately their lives.
Noelle Homsy is associate director, hospitality industry lead, with Grant Thornton UAE
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Five ways hospitals can learn from the hospitality industry
The hotel industry has been making customers feel comfortable for centuries, Noelle Homsy explores what, amid a rise in medical tourism, hospitals can adapt from the hospitality sector
Noelle Homsy is associate director, hospitality industry lead, with Grant Thornton UAE
A discussion on service excellence in healthcare intrigued me while recently moderating a conference on medical tourism in the GCC region. Patients can rarely challenge the technical competency of the medical staff, let alone provide immediate satisfaction feedback.
Healthcare providers are then left to rely on other supporting services to meet and exceed patients’ expectations. Most of these services are linked to the patient’s journey and experience as well as their families’.
In other words, service excellence in healthcare is what hoteliers have mastered for centuries now. So why not explore cross-sectoral partnerships that would allow hotels to innovate on their market expansion while pushing healthcare to new levels of patient satisfaction?
Here are five key areas in which hoteliers can lend their expertise to the healthcare sector.
Focus on room design
There is a reason people enjoy checking into a hotel room much more than a hospital room, other than the state of health they would be in while doing so. A hotel room looks fresh, comfortable and has a warm cosy feeling to it, all while being aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Hospital rooms should be designed with similar objectives in mind. From the colours of the walls, the warmth of the light, the material of the furniture and bedding, to the location of power sockets – every detail makes a difference.
Created a family-centered environment
Hospital patients are often accompanied by family members or friends who are there to provide emotional support. Although these companions are not direct “clients” of the hospital, they often act as influencers when selecting the best hospital for the patient, or even as decision makers. With this in mind, addressing their comfort needs during their stay is a must-have in every healthcare facility. Adding a comfortable guest bed in the room, a library and an entertainment centre would help them feel more at ease during their stay.
Train staff on hospitality standards
One important aspect that affects patient satisfaction is how friendly and hospitable the nurses and support staff are. Patients often complain about unkind or rude nurse behvaiour. It’s important to tailor hotel staff training programs to fit the hospital’s support staff needs.
Perfect catering
It is about time we stop describing bland tasteless food as “hospital food”. Hospital food can be healthy and delicious at the same time. The hospitality sector, specifically the F&B sector, has mastered the art of bringing happiness through food, and they can help hospitals do the same.
Offer top-notch housekeeping
While hospitals today outsource cleaning services, it’s important to know that there’s much more to housekeeping than just cleaning. Fresh towels and linen, bathroom amenities and laundry services and general aesthetic upkeep of the property go a long way.
Healthcare providers are going above and beyond to cater for their patients’ non-medical needs and reach new levels of service excellence. As the world shifts from mastering the experience economy to discovering the transformational economy, a huge opportunity lies in creating partnerships between the hospitality and the healthcare sectors to transform the patients’ journey and ultimately their lives.
Noelle Homsy is associate director, hospitality industry lead, with Grant Thornton UAE
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