The healthcare industry is both challenging and rewarding when it comes to delivering quality patient care. Every employee that has a patient facing role within the organization strongly influences patient satisfaction. They do this through the interaction they have with each patient. It is important for the decision makers within the medical industry to understand the importance of employee satisfaction and how it relates to overall patient satisfaction.

There are several factors that must be considered when measuring employee satisfaction. Some of these include the overall internal conditions with which the employee works, the support that the staff receives from the practice, the experience of the employee and the employee retention rate. If any of these area are lacking, a lower overall patient satisfaction rating may also be found.

If we explore these we will find that when employees have a role in the practices’ decision making process, they feel they are part of the solution. Employees that feel they have no way to make improvements to their work conditions are more stressed and dissatisfied overall. This then relates to the quality of care that is provided to patients. Similarly, it is important that employees feel they are supported by their management team. This support can come in the form of regular communication with their managers. It can also come by providing employees with the resources needed to provide the best patient care.

Marketing a medical practice is important for growth. So too, is the importance of ensuring that employees are satisfied. Dissatisfied employees often result in less growth for the practice. It is vital that medical practice decision makers understand their employees’ needs, wants, expectations and concerns so that they may take steps to improve upon these items as needed.

Through better understanding of the employee, medical practices can create a healthier environment for both patients and staff. This translates into growth, which is the primary goal of any business.