Patient Satisfaction: Confident Care After Surgery

Concierge nursing services present a unique patient-pleasing option.

The old adage, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail,” feels like it was written specifically for the surgical experience. Whether patients are choosing an elective surgery or in need of emergent same-day care, education and planning is paramount.

Patients are often given so much overwhelming information prior to their procedures, they stop listening or don’t understand what they’re being told and miss critical information. Many surgeries, elective and otherwise, get postponed or put on the backburner simply because the patient does not have friends or family to help them in their recovery process. More often than we’d like, cases get canceled for patients who have not arranged for a proper ride home or who have no one to remain with them after surgery for the first 24 hours. 

As more complex surgeries are being performed in the ambulatory surgical setting, there is a need for closer monitoring of these patients. Assessing pain levels, bleeding and signs of postoperative nausea and vomiting, taking vitals, and assisting with ambulation all contribute greatly to obtaining the best outcomes surgeons expect and their patients deserve. The types of outcomes that lead to off-the-charts patient satisfaction scores.

Collaborating with a postoperative concierge nursing service presents a unique partnership opportunity for patients to receive high-quality care after they leave your facility — and a chance to garner some word-of-mouth marketing about the standout care you provide.

What is a concierge nurse?

A concierge nurse provides discreet, personalized nursing care to patients in a variety of settings — from their homes to hotel rooms or Airbnbs.

Anyone can hire a concierge nurse either privately or from a nurse staffing agency specializing in this area of service. Freestanding outpatient surgical facilities reap the benefits of this type of service because it aids in keeping their schedules running more efficiently, prevents cancelations, saves money and leads to greater staff and patient satisfaction levels. Often it is surgery coordinators, hospital nurse navigators, pre-op teaching and testing departments and concierge physicians who begin the process of coordinating these services, as they are the first to identify patients who could benefit most from a nurse patient advocate or post-op recovery specialist.

Unlike most home health agencies, concierge nurses don’t typically contract with insurance companies. That means they aren’t limited to the types of services they can provide — as long as the services are within the scope of practice of the nurse in question. They can even provide a multitude of services such as transportation to and from hospitals and surgical centers, light shopping, prescription pick-up, meal prep, home management, companionship and patient advocacy. Concierge advocacy services may also include attending post-op visits with patients, so there are no important questions missed, and the patient fully understands the plan going forward.

These concierge providers improve the health and recovery of patients by working alongside surgeons to provide oversight and coordination of care, giving both patients and family members peace of mind. The ultimate goal is to continue the gold standard of care patients receive from their surgeons to ensure they have the best possible outcomes.

Stepping up to keep patients safe

Patient safety is always the primary concern when it comes to surgery. They may not know when to contact their surgeon postoperatively — or even if there is a problem at all. Having an advocate puts their minds at ease and alleviates unnecessary phone calls to the surgeon after hours.

Once a concierge nursing service is hired, an agreement for services is signed by the patient and any fees due are paid by the patient prior to the day of surgery. Some facilities may sign an exclusive contract that may come with an added benefit of discounted rates for services provided but still paid for by the patient, while other surgeons incorporate the fee into the patient’s bill and the ASC pays the concierge nursing service directly.

Surgeons can benefit from having a preferred post-op nursing service, provided to patients when their surgery is booked, when they have a clear, detailed pictured of their entire patient population.

The best-case scenario is when patients and facilities plan ahead so that the contracted nurse can go to their homes prior to surgery and assess their surroundings for fall hazards, appropriate bathing facilities and help them make a plan for the day of surgery and the days that follow. During the first hours with the patient, the nurse will take the patient’s vitals, make out a schedule for their medications, make sure their nausea and pain levels are controlled and their surroundings are appropriate for their circumstance.

Value-based care model

In recent years, a value-based care model has become more prevalent in the healthcare industry. Because this model focuses on the quality of care by providers, superior outcomes matter more than ever. Specific metrics regarding adverse events, hospital readmissions and overall patient satisfaction are part of evaluating providers, thus resulting in financial incentives for surgeons and better outcomes for their patients.

Against this backdrop, those of us in health care have noticed more patients being sent home after procedures such as total knee and total hip arthroscopies. While most patients welcome the ability to recover in the comfort of their own home, individuals without the necessary help and support could suffer from the lingering effects of anesthesia, bowel issues and PONV or need answers to a host of questions.

Patients pay extremely high insurance premiums and often feel like the price doesn’t match the quality of care received. These are the individuals who are looking for more.

Surgeons are often the first to identify patients who would benefit most from the services of an experienced recovery nurse after their discharge from the PACU. Whether these patients are traveling from out of town to have their surgical procedure, simply wanting to be discreet about their surgery, or don’t have loved ones nearby to help, they will need a certain level of assistance. That’s where concierge services can help. OSM