Video Tip: Arnold Palmer Hospital’s Culture of Quality

A few weeks ago, I visited my neighbor Artie while he was in the hospital. It was a typical large facility, with long hallways, nice private rooms…some of which had great views of the lake. But when I entered his room, the first thing I noticed was that the trash can was not only filled, it was overflowing!  As I left, I stopped at the nurses’ station to report this “defect”. The response: “Maybe you should call management to let them know”.

I can say that at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Women and Children (APH) this would never have happened. When you show this 10 minute video in class, you will see why. The culture of quality is ingrained deep at APH.

Let me give you a little off-the -record background about our filming experience, which was a fantastic learning exercise that resulted in 7 APH video cases in the text. I first sat through the  new employee orientation period. One of the 1st cultures I learned was that hospital employees always keep a positive face in all public spaces. No one may be heard talking about how bad their day is, problems at home, or troubling patients. The hospital has private staff corridors that parallel the public ones. Only there can staff speak openly. Second, all top administrators at APH are former nurses, who worked their way up. Kathy Swanson, the director, has an MBA, and others also have business training. I believe they have a culture of caring about patients above all else. Note in the film how they each take calls from patients 24/7.

We have 2 videos dealing with service TQM in Ch.6, the other being Quality at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel (7.5 min.). I prefer to show the APH film because the hospital incorporates several Ritz concepts, including empowering any staff member (even janitors) to hand up to $200 in gift cards to any patient with a complaint. My friend Artie could have gotten rich if his hospital had such an attitude!

Jay and I are especially proud of this APH video as it took 1st place in the annual Addy video competition in 2005. Out of 13,000 entries, it won the highest award, the Silver Telly.