Standards of Behavior Genesis Health System mission is to provide compassionate, quality health services to all those in need.
Quality Service Relationships Finance Information Growth
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CUSTOMER SERVICE PLEDGE I will make eye contact, greet with a smile and acknowledge all by name. I will establish trust, acknowledge concerns and encourage questions. I will introduce others and myself with name, title, department and purpose. I will establish realistic time expectations for the patient/customer. I will give the patient/customer an explanation of the plan of care or service. I will say, “Thank you for choosing Genesis.”
VISION STATEMENT Genesis will be a national leader in healthcare quality and safety, recognized by all as the best place in the region to receive care...practice medicine...and work. This vision will be realized through developing a culture of discipline rooted in the principles outlined by the Standards of Behavior.
VALUES The following values are our guiding principles of conduct as we carry forth our mission and pursue our vision. These shared values embody the spirit of the Genesis organization and our commitment to one another and those we serve. • SAFETY: This is our core value. We practice safety behaviors and error prevention techniques to ensure the safety of patients, visitors and employees. • INTEGRITY: We are honest, open in our communications, and disciplined in our actions. • COMPASSION: We provide a caring response to the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of everyone. • ACCOUNTABILITY: We accept individual and collective responsibility for everything we do. • RESPECT: We recognize the dignity and worth of the individual, acknowledging the diversity of needs, experiences and talents of each person. • EXCELLENCE: We strive to achieve the best in everything we do.
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STANDARDS
OF
BEHAVIOR
The purpose of the Standards of Behavior is to provide an employee-driven, management-supported tool that stimulates and supports positive attitudes and allows each person to feel valued and respected. Practicing the Standards of Behavior will help to lead us in fulfilling our mission and vision.
THE PILLARS QUALITY We achieve clinical excellence and recognition as the high quality provider in the region. To demonstrate our Quality, we: • Seek to proactively identify and resolve issues. • Promote a safe and secure environment. • Accept responsibility for our actions. • Set and meet deadlines. • Do what we say we will do. • Represent Genesis through positive behavior and conversation. • Report all accidents and incidents promptly. • Put forth our best effort. • Benchmark data against internal and external resources.
SERVICE We dedicate ourselves to meet the needs of our community and exceed our customer expectations. Acknowledging the importance of integrity in our daily interactions with all who seek our support, we: • Provide compassionate care with professional competency. • Follow established standards and policies. • Limit personal conversation and activities to departmental designated times and areas.
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SERVICE (CONTINUED) • Recognize and respond to individual preferences and needs, addressing all with privacy and dignity. • Use AIDET when interacting with patients and families. Acknowledge - Offer a warm smile and friendly greeting (utilize title and last name). Introduce - Introduce yourself, your skill set, professional certification, and your training. Duration - Describe the length of stay; how long it will be until the patient undergoes a proceedure and when the results of the proceedure will be provided to the patient. Explain to patients what to expect during their stay or proceedure. Thank the patient for choosing Genesis. • Escort and assist internal and external customers to their destination. • Recognize that our customers include any individual to whom we provide care and/or service. • End each customer interaction by asking, “Is there anything else that you need?”
RELATIONSHIPS We develop and maintain relationships that recognize the importance of our employees, physicians and the communities we serve. Acknowledging the significance of offering care with compassion, we: • Use the 10-5 Rule when initially engaging anyone at a Genesis Health System Facility •
Purpose: A culture that promotes a friendly, safe, comforting and secure environment. From the moment employees begin their shift they focus on engaging and acknowledging every individual they come in contact with.
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Definition: When a person moves within 10 feet of you, make eye contact and smile. When a person moves within 5 feet of you, make eye contact, smile, and greet them with a hello, a nod of the head or a wave.
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RELATIONSHIPS (CONTINUED) • Treat one another with respect. • Listen, and provide an empathetic, nonjudgmental presence. • Use positive verbal and nonverbal communication. • Serve as a resource for internal and external customers. • Welcome new employees and include them in activities and conversations. • Compliment and recognize others’ skills and contributions. • Redirect negative comments into problem-solving opportunities. • Address interpersonal issues directly, in a timely manner and in private. • Recognize and value each member of the Genesis team, regardless of title or job function. • At the end of each encounter with each customer ask, “Is there anything else I can do for you. I have the time.”
FINANCE We commit to strong financial performance in order to serve all those in need. Serving in an environment where individual and collective responsibility for resources is paramount, we: • Accept the responsibility and accountability for our job. • Remain consistent in everything we do. • Respect others’ time and property. • Avoid waste. • Ensure that supplies and equipment are ready for the next person. • Take pride in the organization by responding as an “owner,” rather than a “renter.” • Look for cost-saving opportunities. • Focus on work while at work. • Ensure we are on time at our workstation, ready to meet our customers’ needs.
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INFORMATION We provide timely, clear and pertinent information to patients, families, physicians and employees. Fostering a culture of teamwork, cooperation and accountability, we: • Communicate in a positive, honest, open and concise manner. • Wait until other speakers are finished before we begin speaking. • Identify ourselves and address the caller’s needs when using the telephone. Use proper closure of phone calls (ie. saying “good-bye and thank you for choosing Genesis.”) • Maintain confidentiality by discussing sensitive information only where it will not be overheard. • Keep private written information out of sight. • Seek out information only if there is a legitimate need to know. • Provide fast, effective, accurate access to information. • Keep customers informed of delays and progress.
GROWTH We actively pursue opportunities to innovate and to grow. Demonstrating respect for others and ourselves, we: • Accept and embrace change positively. • Respect cultural, spiritual and ethnic differences. • Seek opportunities to partner with and help others. • Seek avenues to grow personally and professionally. • Stimulate creative thinking and foster innovation. • Promote Genesis as the employer of choice and direct referrals to Genesis to support the vision of being the provider of choice. • Actively participate in organizational activities.
FIRESTARTERS What is Firestarters? Firestarters is an organizational way of life. Improvement teams empower employees to create a culture of excellence. It's organized around the six Pillars of Excellence: Quality, Service, Relationships, Finance, Information and Growth. In addition, Standards of Behavior support the Pillars by providing direction to employees and helping the organization live its values and achieve its mission.
Five teams of employees from across the health system are working to make a difference. The Firestarter teams and their purposes are: • Employee Loyalty Team - to strive to make Genesis the best place to work; supports the universal employee reward and recognition system • Genesis Experience Team - to support a culture that promotes the Genesis experience through commitment to service excellence; maintains the Standards of Behavior • Physician Satisfaction Team - to make Genesis the best place for physicians to practice; supports physician events • Communication Team - to assist with communication to GHS employees; supports the employee summit and quarterly employee updates • Leadership Team - to ensure the ongoing development and growth of leaders in the organization; supports quarterly leadership development institutes
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Standards of Behavior The original Standards of Behavior were developed by the Genesis Medical Center, Davenport, Firestarters Standards Team in 2002. This team included staff from patient care, ancillary and support departments. We are deeply indebted to this group of dedicated individuals for creating the Standards that will guide us on our journey to a Culture of Excellence.
Copyright 2002 by Genesis Medical Center, Davenport Revised, 2005, by the Genesis Health System Firestarters Advisory Council 2007, by the Firestarters Culture Team 2009, by the Firestarters Culture and Genesis Experience Teams