Introduction
Spital Thurgau, specifically Clinic St. Katharinental, situated in the Canton of Thurgau along the serene banks of the River Rhine, specializes in the rehabilitation of the movement apparatus and long-term care. With a capacity of around 130 beds and a dedicated workforce of 331 employees, the clinic has established itself as a bastion of health and refuge. Under the leadership of Dr. med. Stefan Goetz, the medical director, the clinic has embarked on a transformative journey.
🎯 The goal is to elevate the well-being and performance of its healthcare professionals (HCPs), recognizing the direct impact of employee satisfaction on patient care.
Problem Statement
One of the critical challenges faced by hospitals in general is the turnover of healthcare professionals.
Dr. Goetz and his team were able to minimize the HCP turnover by implementing strategies to improve the work comfort, enhance leadership and employee happiness, and ultimately improve patient care through increased HCP well-being.
Methodology
In a collaborative effort with Screver, a comprehensive multi-step survey strategy was developed to engage with the clinic’s workforce and identify key areas for improvement. The initiative comprised the following phases:
Baseline Survey:
Designed to gain an understanding of the current challenges faced by employees, reaching out to 331 of them through an email campaign. Team leaders played a crucial role in promoting participation, emphasizing the importance of the survey in forthcoming team meetings and through a second wave of invitations.
Continuous Feedback Loop:
The Screver Professional Services team is great at keeping the lines of communication open and personal with clients. Thanks to Dr. Goetz’s focused leadership and his team’s resolve, we managed to customize each survey perfectly to tackle the specific challenges at hand. Together we made sure that the ongoing surveys remained relevant and actionable.
Feedback as a Tool for Engagement:
We understand the importance of listening to employees and patients and implementing actionable feedback.
The surveys provide actionable insights that can be transformed into concrete steps.
Follow-up Surveys: A series of follow-up surveys were implemented to measure the effects of the actions and strategies put into place. Areas requiring further attention were defined and analysed.
Follow up surveys were created in close collaboration with the clinic team. It was the particular goal to finetune the analysis following the results of the baseline survey.
We have also adapted particular questions to the needs and particularities of single hospital departments in order to find out the specific issues in each department.
Webinar for Discussion and Reflection: The final phase involved a webinar hosted by Dr. Goetz and Tanja Palm from Capptoo. The session focused on discussing the challenges faced, achievements made, and the overarching goal of creating a sustainable and ideal environment for both HCPs and patients.
Outcomes and Strategic Implementations
The survey strategy yielded significant insights into the needs and concerns of the clinic’s healthcare professionals. Key outcomes included:
Leadership and Employee Happiness
The surveys highlighted the correlation between leadership styles and HCP satisfaction. In response, the clinic introduced leadership development programs and workshops aimed at fostering supportive and effective management practices.
Leadership Thinking and Set of Mind
Dr. Goetz is set on developing a leadership mindset within the employees. Each person can be a leader in their special field and can learn to take over responsibility for particular tasks. This is an agile approach ensuring continuous improvement of every single team member and an ongoing development of the teams and their well-being.
Reducing HCP Turnover
By understanding the factors contributing to employee turnover, Spital Thurgau implemented targeted retention strategies, including flexible working arrangements, career development opportunities, and enhanced recognition programs.
Impact of HCP Well-Being on Patient Care
The direct link between HCP well-being and patient experiences was underscored, leading to the introduction of wellness programs, stress management workshops, and increased support services for staff.
Sustaining Employee Satisfaction
The clinic adopted a proactive approach to maintaining high satisfaction levels, regularly revisiting survey findings and adapting strategies as needed to ensure long-term engagement and satisfaction.
Feedback as a Tool for Engagement
Emphasizing the importance of listening, the clinic established regular feedback mechanisms, including suggestion boxes, regular town hall meetings, and an open-door policy with management.
Conclusion
The case of Spital Thurgau is an example of how structured feedback mechanisms, such as surveys, can help healthcare professionals identify and address workplace challenges.
The clinic St. Katharinental of Spital Thurgau has prioritized the well-being of its workforce and thus demonstrated a solid commitment to excellent patient care.
Actively listening to employees and implementing their suggestions are the key elements the team around Dr. Goetz uses to take significant strides towards a satisfied workforce and the well-being of patients.
Dr. Goetz stresses personal responsibility and leadership among healthcare professionals, creating a culture of knowledgeable and satisfied employees. This sets a benchmark for healthcare institutions worldwide and makes Clinic St. Katharinental a innovative leader in this field.
